Chapter 2 Painful goodbyes

It wasn't the first time seeing a reporter outside my home so I wasn't surprised seeing those reporters, but the large crowd gathered there made me worried, staring into the eyes of our neighbors, I saw nothing like happiness but sadness and pitiful looks. I became tense wondering what must have happened for all of them to gather there. I knew something terrible had happened as the look on their face said it all.

Although I was a teenager, having inherited some qualities from my parents, one of which I got from my dad was the ability to read and understand people's emotions or reactions no matter how hard they try to hide them.

Pushing my way through the crowd, I saw what I found hard to believe. A stretcher with a body covered in white lying on it was carried out from my house into an awaiting ambulance. I was still in shock when I saw another body already in the ambulance covered with white also. I immediately moved my way to the front towards the bodies but was held back by people, I kicked and screamed my lungs out sweating profusely, and immediately people released their hold on me. I ran towards the first body, with shaky hands I lifted the cloth on the face and behold! It was my dad lying lifeless on the stretcher, I staggered backward, my heart beating fast against my chest. I moved towards the body already in the ambulance there. I saw my mom staring back at me, her eyes wide open as if she was alive.

I moved backward, unable to believe my eyes and what I have just seen, I laughed out loud and then hit myself very hard on the cheek, hoping that I was having a terrible nightmare and would wake up anytime soon, but felt the pain so hard on my cheeks, tears flowed down my cheeks as I realized I wasn't dreaming. it is happening, not a dream, my mind screamed.

Then everything went blurry, all I could hear was distant voices, I didn't know where I was anymore, I felt my legs wobble beneath me and I slumped. I knew my world had just come to an end as I just lost the only beloved ones in my life 'my parents' and then everything turned dark and quiet.

I could hear someone calling my name, the machine beeping. I opened my eyes and looked around, there was a machine beside me and the curtains and walls were painted white. I looked at my body. I was on a bed with a drip attached to my hand. It dawned on me that I was in a hospital but I couldn't remember. I looked at the faces of the people beside me it was my uncle Carlos and my aunt Maria they both looked happy to see me awake I hate this situation I am now I said to them I hated coming to the hospital alot the smell if it alone makes me feel more sick.

I asked myself why, how, and why would this happen to me, who had done this cruel act knowing fully I was an only child, and would be left alone in this cruel world.

Who would be my supporter, my playmate, my comforter, who would take me out for trips or hangouts, who would sing me a lullaby or read stories to me while I fall asleep in my bed?

Oh no! I cried more because my parents are gone forever, I won't see them anymore. I am now an orphan. I wished I had died and never woke up. I started wishing all sorts of things had happened to me, so I wouldn't have to be alive to witness these horrible moments. My heart felt so heavy and I held onto my chest as I cried the most.

A week after I returned home from the hospital, I was in my room reading a novel. My aunt came to my room and she told me to come downstairs for dinner. When I got downstairs, I was surprised to see my uncle sitting at the table. When did he arrive I wondered. I greeted him and sat down, Maria had prepared a balcony and an egg. eeeew I thought in my head and rolled my eyes carefully so she wouldn't notice. I barely touched the food and was about to go to my room when my uncle told me to sit back. They both have something to discuss with me.

I wasn't surprised, I had expected that but I just wondered what it would be. After they both were done eating, my aunt was the first person to talk to me. She told me how the house, cars, and everything I knew my parents had had been used at auction to clear debts and loans my parents took. My uncle then added that the house we were in had also been used as collateral by my parents.

I was too shocked to hear them say that. Everything they said was so hard for me to believe, but I wondered if they could lie to me. I felt bitter, so I had nothing left in the world like mine. Everything I had owned as a child was gone, and now I am hopeless. Tears rolled down my cheeks, then I heard my uncle speak again. He said he had thought about it and he can't take me in so I should go with my aunt to where she lives and live there with her.

That came as a very huge shock to me as well. Why would I leave the city to live with my aunt in the countryside? What would happen to my education? I questioned my uncle. I told him I can't and that I wanted to stay there in the city.

I was still in my bed sleeping when someone jerked me off the bed. I opened my eyes and it was my aunt. I was confused but she told me to get off the bed and start packing a few things I needed, as we would be leaving very soon because my uncle was going out of the city that morning and she wanted him to drop us off at the bus station. I looked out of the window. It wasn't daybreak. I asked why we couldn't leave later during the day but she just stomped out and told me to behave myself and not get her angry. I suddenly felt my heart racing. It was like it was going to burst open anytime soon.

I burst into tears imagining how my life would be from onwards. I sat back on the bed weeping, about twenty minutes later my aunt came to my room and saw me weeping. She looked around the room and saw that I hadn't done what she told me to do. She became furious, and I could see her boiling with a temper. I was surprised. I had never seen her that way before. She moved towards me, grabbed my arm painfully, and dragged me to the wardrobe in my room. I yelped in pain and fright as she shoved my head into the wardrobe continuously, then she released me and told me to start packing.

I was so afraid. I looked into her eyes. I could see annoyance in them. I was shocked. this wasn't the Maria I had known. How could she change within just a few hours? I wasn't sure of what had happened to her to make her this way but I was sure my life would definitely not remain the same henceforth.

I hoped in my mind as I began packing my stuff in my box that she was still the sweet, gentle aunt I had always known. After packing my clothes and some other things that were very important to me, I walked into my parent's room.

This was the first time I would be entering the room after the incident. I held back the tears that had swelled up in my eyes, I became so sad that I wouldn't see this house again, not to talk of entering this room, the house that holds all memories of my childhood and my parents.

I began looking at every corner of the room for anything I could take along with me that would serve as a memory and things that were so dear to my parents. After I was done packing everything I wanted, I climbed down the stairs. I saw my aunt already waiting for me. The annoyance on her face was gone. I felt relieved but at the same time, I was worried. I took a final look at the living room and the rooms upstairs, then I followed my aunt out of the door by then it was already daybreak.