Emy's legs carried her on autopilot as she rushed back home. The words echoed in her mind:
"Something's happened...You need to come home right now."
The urgency in Mrs. Jenkins voice sent a chill down her spine.
As she turned the corner onto her street, she saw the flashing lights of police cars and ambulances. Her heart sank, and her breath caught in her throat.
She pushed through the crowd of neighbours and police officers, her eyes scanning the scene of any sign of her parents. And then she saw them. Lying on the ground, lifeless. Emy's world crumbled around her. She felt like she was drowning in the sea of pain and grief. The sound of sirens, the murmur of voices, everything became a distant hum as she stared at her parents. This couldn't be real. Her parents were supposed to be her rock, her safe and her heaven.
Emy's knees buckled, and she felt herself falling. Strong arms caught her, holding her upright. "Miss, I'm sorry", a gentle voice said. Emy didn't respond. She couldn't. She was trapped in a nightmare, and she couldn't wake up.
As Emy stood there, frozen in grief, the world around her seemed to slow down. The officer's voice were muffled, their movements slowed down. The paramedics gentle words of consolence fell on deaf ears. Emy's gaze was fixed on her parents, her mind struggling to process the reality of the situation.
The officer holding her gently guided her to a chair on the porch. Emy collapsed onto it, her legs unable to support her weight. She felt numb, like she was observing the scene from outside her body.
The officer knelt behind her, his expression sympathetic. "Miss, I'm sorry for your loss. We'll need to ask you some questions, if you're up for it". Emy nodded mechanically, her eyes drifting back to her parents.
As the officer began to ask his questions, Emy's responses were monosyllabic. She couldn't think straight, couldn't focus. The only thing that seemed to register was the overwhelming pain and sense of loss.
The questions swirled around her - about her parents schedules, their friends, potential enemies. Emy answered as best she could, but her mind kept wandering to the memories of her parents. She remembered her mother's warm smile, her father's gentle teasing and so on.
The darkness closed in around Emy as the last of the visitors departed. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the creaks and groans of the old house. She stood alone in the empty hallway, feeling the weight of her loss bearing down on her.
What was she supposed to do now? The people who wear supposed to be there for her where gone. Emy's thoughts swirled in a mix of grief, confusion and fear. She felt lost and alone, unsure of how to navigate the dark path ahead.
As the months went by Emy's grief didn't fade, it ivolved. The initial shock gave way to a dull ache that settled deep within her. She felt like she was walking through a fog, unsecure of what lay ahead or how to find her way back to a solid ground.
As Emy navigated the fog of her grief, she couldn't shake off the feeling of emptiness. Every step felt like a struggle, every decision a burden. She'd find herself staring blankly at Old family photos wondering why this had happened to her. The pain was a constant ache, a reminder of what she had lost
And then, one ordinary day, everything changed. Emy was alone at home when she noticed a stranger standing outside her door. He was an odd-figure, dressed in worn-out clothes, with eyes that seemed to hold a deep wisdom . As she peered through the peephole, he looked up and spoke in a low, urgent tone.
"It's an important matter. Can you come out?" Emy's curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped out into the bright sunlight. The stranger's apperance was disarming, but there was something about him that seemed genuine.
"I know what you're going through", he said, his voice low and mysterious. "I can take you to place where you'll find answers. A dream world, where the past and present collide. Are you willing to take a chance?"
The stranger's words sent a shiver down Emy's spine. She felt a spark of hope. As Emy stepped out, the stranger's demeanour changed in an instant. His eyes once warm and gentle, turned cold and menacing. He pulled out a knife, it's blade glinting in the sunlight. Emy's heart racing, she tried to run, but her legs felt heavy. With a surge of adrenaline, she managed to break free and sprint back to the safety of her house. She locked the door behind her, her hands shaking as she leaned against it to catch her breath.
The stranger's menacing presence lingered for what felt like an eternity, but suddenly, he vanished into thin air. Emy waited, frozen, expecting him to reappear, but the silence was deafening. She cautiously opened the door, peering outside, but he was gone. The street was empty. Emy breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if it was all just a twisted nightmare.