Chapter 1: Chapter 0: trauma
Today marked the day of my graduation, a day when I could bring immense pride to my parents and my brother. I got accepted into my chosen vet school and was selected to speak in front of my fellow graduates.
I can sense the start of a new chapter. I saw myself moving into a dorm, making friends, and pursuing my dream of becoming a renowned veterinarian.
However, my family was late, which was highly unusual. A sense of unease crept in, whispering that something might have happened. I dismissed the feeling as mere overthinking.
As names of my fellow graduates were being called for the stage, my phone vibrated. Seeking permission from the nearest teacher, I hurried outside to take the call.
"Hello, Jean? It's mom. We're already near the school. Sorry for the delay," I heard her voice on the line. I spotted their car cautiously navigating the intersection nearby.
"Your brother took forever styling his hair because he wanted to look his best," she continued, but before her sentence could finish, a truck from the opposite direction sped into the intersection, colliding with my parents' car. A deafening crash was heard, and their vehicle flipped several meters away from the intersection.
The sight left me petrified for a few seconds. My eyes could not believe what I was seeing. My hands trembled as I put the phone back in my pocket. With tears threatening to spill, I sprinted to the crash site.