Chapter 1

The song coming from the radio was some mystery band, high pitched but soothing to the ear.

Although everyone seemed very cheerful and Samantha's father, Joe Banks wearing a poker face while he drives steady on what seems to be a highway, on that afternoon, little but no cars passed through.

Something felt off, in the car was an absolute silence...clearly swallowed their own feelings and thoughts. The song kept banging. Samantha sat at the back seat extreme to the right door and her older brother, Dan at the other side.

In the backseat, Samantha bounced excitedly, gazing out the windows with wide-eyed wonder at the rolling countryside flashing by. "Look how pretty the flowers are! I can't wait to see the beach!" she exclaimed, pointing eagerly.

But her enthusiasm was met only with stony silence from the van's other occupants.

Samantha had tried to be at least all loud and excited about their little vacation. And Dan shut her out with a frown expression, 12 year old Dan knew about the issues, verbal fights, arguments going on between their parents which led to spending time away from home to settle their differences and perhaps still live perfectly.

However Dan wasn't happy about anything, everything. Like a day before this he overheard his dad say to his mom, "Let's try this and if it still don't work out then we do the normal thing, like take a legal action.." Dan couldn't bear the pain,of what supposed to be a simple and happy family now turn into an unfortunate one.

They weren't the parents he knew at 6 years of age. Dan frowned and freeze at the other end of the van, ignoring her little cute sister.

It made Dan sick to his stomach to think that soon, maybe very soon, their family would be torn irrevocably apart. And all because of...what? He didn't even know the reason, only that some invisible wedge had grown between his parents, poisoning everything it touched.

He wished with all his might that he could rewind time, go back to when they were all happy and he felt safe and secure in the love surrounding him. But that was gone now, and he didn't know if it could ever be repaired.

Samantha at 5 years old, what does she know? She was only being happy they're traveling, going someplace nice for fun. But then a few minutes after.

Samantha's cheerful prattle soon tapered off into uncomfortable silence as well, sensing the suffocating tension in the van though not understanding its cause.

She drew shapes in the dust on her window, eyes downcast, no longer able to ignore the miserable atmosphere that had fallen like a shroud over their family outing.

Joe stared straight ahead, his own thoughts dark. The indignity of this whole situation gnawed at him - having to pretend, to hide the truth from their children just a little while longer.

But what choice did they have? A messy divorce would destroy the kids, rip them from the stability they needed.

No, for now they had to keep up the charade, had to try...one last time. But he wasn't hopeful. Something inside had already broken beyond repair.

"Please Joe, can you tune down the volume?" Mrs Banks spew out suddenly, her voice cracked and sullen.

Joe startled by his wife's distress over the musics which sounded nice to him. He took a quick glance at his wife whilst still having to maintain his sight on the road. After which he gently stretched forward his hands, tuned down the radio with his healing grazed fingers; an injury from an engine accident.

Mr Banks was an engineer. On introduction, most of his clients would initially think he works at a bank instead- part of a joke he tells Samantha.

The miles rolled by, each one carrying them further from home but not escaping the ghost that haunted their fractured family. "Hey are you okay?" Joe asked as he extended his right hand to his wife's, calmly taking her hand but Mrs Banks slowly pulled away.

A bit embarrassed from Liz's detachment, Joe kept chilled. Took a quick snap at the interior rear view mirror, seeing that Dan saw…"Danny how you holding up…are you alright? Joe asked nervously.

Dan looked at his father, written over his face was sadness, bitterness. He glanced away and remained silent.

Joe exhaled deeply then continued his driving.

Samantha tried once more to spark conversation, her small voice cracking as she asked, "Are we almost there yet, Daddy?"

Joe swallowed hard, not taking his eyes off the road. "Almost, sweetheart. Just a little longer." He hoped that when they arrived, the beach and fresh air might clear their heavy minds for a brief time.

But he knew that back home, the storm clouds would still be gathering on the horizon, and it was only a matter of time before they broke. All he could do now was drive steady and pray this misery would pass them by, though in his heart he no longer believed it could.

Twenty silent minutes later, as the van crested a hill, they caught their first glimpse of the ocean in the distance, vast and shimmering under the late afternoon sun.

Joe knew this temporary escape couldn't heal the deep wounds festering inside their family.

But maybe, just maybe, it could give them one more fleeting moment of peace before the darkness closed in once more.

While the van kept moving, Dan couldn't control his sadness. His heart was breaking and he slowly bent to his laps and knees, he started sobbing…"Daddy. Mummy, something is wrong with Danny." Samantha beckoned tenderly.

"Hey baby. What's wrong? Danny did you hit your sister?" Liz inquired with care.

Still no response from Danny.

Joe distracted as he chipped in,"What's the problem back there? Baby girl, are you aight?"

"Dan! Danny?!!" He pressed further while turning his head back and forth, still getting no response from his son.

"I think he's crying.." Samantha whispered softly.

In the moment, Liz forcefully turned off the music entirely then gently twisted backwards, "Danny boy, what is it ?" Liz asked as she scrubbed her son's head smoothly.

"Why are you crying?"

Mr Joe Bank's attention was divided, curious about what was battered by his son. His mind rattling, he thought about stopping the car for the situation to be sorted but unfortunately there's no parking corner.

Joe had been lost in a melancholy daze as he drove, the pain of his crumbling marriage weighing heavy on his mind. So when Liz suddenly cried out "Hey! Joe! Look out!" it took him a moment to register her words through the haze.

But then he snapped back to reality just in time to see a car emerge from a side road ahead, directly into their path. Joe slammed on the brakes with a yell, instinct taking over as years of driving experience kicked in. The van fishtailed on the loose gravel, tires screeching in protest.

In the backseat, Samantha let out a terrified scream, clinging to Dan who had gone pale with fear. They watched helplessly as the car grew larger in their windshield, bracing for the inevitable collision.

But somehow, through a miracle of quick reflexes, Joe managed to wrestle control of the swerving van just in the nick of time. They zoomed past the other vehicle with barely an inch to spare, the rush of displaced air rocking them violently.

For a long moment no one dared to move or even breathe, hearts pounding wildly in their chests. Then Joe let out a shaky sigh and pulled over to the side of the road with trembling hands, putting the van in park but not yet shutting off the engine.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked unsteadily, meeting three wide pairs of stunned eyes in the rearview mirror. Slow nods of confirmation came in response, though Samantha had begun crying softly with relief.

Dan squeezed his little sister tight, still shaken by their brush with disaster. And in that pulse-pounding moment of near tragedy, all previous tensions were momentarily forgotten as the Banks family embraced the fragile gift of being alive. A grim reminder of life's fragility had snapped them back to what really mattered - each other.