All Sabrina Baelleigh could hear was the screech of tires as the car swerved, followed by the deafening crash of metal slamming into metal. Her mother's desperate cries, her father's final breath.
"Sabrina, run!" Her mother's faint voice pleaded for her to escape, to run. And she had—just barely.
"Please... no," Sabrina whispered, her eyes stinging with tears as she curled into herself. "I can't leave you alone."
She tried to ignore how awful her parents looked, the blood staining their clothes and spreading around them on the floor. Her father sat motionless, his head tilted to one side, lifeless in his seat. The sight of him like that made her stomach twist, but she couldn't afford to break down.
The scene was too much, too real, but she forced herself to focus on her mother's words, desperate to understand what was going on.
"You must," her mother had said, her voice barely a whisper. "You... have to... take care of... Emma. Run... and... hide. Trust none!"
Sabrina understood exactly what her mother meant. It wasn't just an accident—this was no random crash. There had been people after them for a while, bad people who'd tried to harm them before. Their plan had worked this time, though.
She couldn't accept the reality—her mother, writhing with pain before her eyes she couldn't put into words. But the need to protect Emma, to keep them both safe, burned in her chest.
Her heart raced as she instinctively knew that the danger wasn't over. The people who had caused the crash would be coming soon to make sure her family were destroyed. Her only thought was to protect her sister, Emma, and get out—fast. She had to run.
Then her mother had taken her hands, looking into her eyes as the life drained out of her. "Never forget....we love you... so much."
Those were her final words... and the last time Sabrina ever saw her parents.
As she turned to look at her baby sister, Emma, her heart skipped a beat. Thank goodness! Emma was still safe, curled up and sleeping soundly, unaware of the chaos surrounding them.
Sabrina quickly checked her sister, gently brushing her hair from her face and listening for any signs of distress. She was unharmed, but Sabrina knew they couldn't stay here. The danger was still out there.
It was then that she saw the broken window of the car door—the one on her side. The shattered glass was all over the place, and she instinctively knew it was the only chance of her escape.
Sabrina leaned over and unbuckled her sister's seatbelt, carefully pulling her into her arms with all her strength. "Emma," she whispered urgently, her voice trembling, "we have to get out of here!"
Emma stirred awake, her sleepy small face contorted in confusion, but Sabrina didn't have time to explain.
"Hold on to me, Emma!" Sabrina urged, her voice filled with fear. "We need to run!"
The world outside the car was spinning, but Sabrina was determined to get her sister to safety. Heart thudding and fear tightening around her, she pushed through the pain and ignored the bruises on her arm from the shattered glass.
With trembling hands, she managed to open the broken door. The night was cold, and the world was silent except for the distant sound of cars approaching.
She helped Emma crawl out of the car, trying to keep her little sister as calm as possible.
As they stumbled away from the wreckage, Sabrina could still hear the faint cries of their parents in her mind, but she knew they couldn't go back. The wreckage was already too severe and dangerous.
She held Emma tightly as they ran through the darkness, away from the scene.
"Stay calm, Emma. Don't cry," Sabrina whispered, her voice choked with emotion as she held her sister tightly. But Emma, still half-dazed and frightened, started to cry, her small voice breaking through the silence.
"Mom... Mom!" she sobbed, reaching out with trembling hands.
Sabrina squeezed her tighter, trying to keep the panic in her own chest from spilling out. "Mom's not here, Emma. We have to go now. It's just you and me."
The truth was, she wanted to cry, too, but she had to be strong for her little sister.
They found a hidden alley nearby, away from the wreckage, and Sabrina hid them there until help arrived. The damage had been done, and their parents were gone. But she knew there was no help.
Sabrina glanced back and saw the distant lights and smoke rising in the air. She pulled her sister into the shadows, holding her tightly as she tried to catch her breath.
"Emma, we need to get away," she muttered.
Emma's sobs echoed through the dark alleyway, her little body shaking in Sabrina's arms.
"I want Mom and Dad," Emma cried, her tears soaking through Sabrina's shirt.
Sabrina bit her lip and forced her own tears back.
"I know," she whispered. "I want them too."
As she looked down at her sister, she could see the desperation in her eyes.
"Why did Mom and Dad leave us?" Emma asked, her voice trembling with tears.
Sabrina swallowed the lump in her throat and fought back her own tears.
"They didn't leave us, Emma. They would never leave us. Something bad happened, and they couldn't come back."
Sabrina didn't want to frighten her, but she couldn't lie. She knew how much her parents loved them, and that they would do anything to protect them. But they couldn't.
She knew that if she stayed here, their parents' killers would find them. They would come looking, and they would never let her and Emma go. They would probably kill them, too. She had no choice.
Holding her sister close, Sabrina stroked her hair. "We'll be okay, Emma. I promise," she whispered. Emma continued to cry, and Sabrina held her closer. "We'll get through this together."
"Where are we going?" Emma asked, her small voice quivering with fear.
Sabrina swallowed the lump in her throat and brushed her tears away.
"Somewhere far, far away," she answered softly.
Emma buried her head against Sabrina's chest, her tiny fingers clutching tightly.
"What if I don't want to go?"
Sabrina bit her lip, hesitating. Then, in the softest whisper, she said, "I'm sorry, Emma, but we have to."
Emma sniffled, her tears flowing freely. Sabrina wrapped her arms around her and held her close.
Sabrina pressed her lips together and felt her heart ache as her sister cried, but she knew there was nothing more she could do.
"I love you, Emma. I promise I'll always protect you," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
With that, she pulled Emma's small form closer and began walking into the night, praying they would make it to safety. But then, she heard the sound of rapid gunfire in the distance, followed by a loud explosion. Her heart ached at the sound, knowing it was a sign of the danger still close behind them.
Sabrina jolted awake in a cold sweat, her breath coming out in shallow gasps. Her heart thundered in her chest as her eyes darted around the dark room, her mind still trapped in the haunting nightmare. The images from the dream were so vivid, so real. It felt like she had never woken up.
"Just a dream," she muttered to herself, trying to shake the fear off. But deep down, she knew it would haunt her forever.
Sabrina rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the haunting images. It had been years since that night—the night her world had shattered.
She could still hear her parents' agonizing screams that pierced through the air. It was like she was reliving it all over again—the night her whole world was ripped apart. She pressed her hands over her ears, trying to block out the sound of their cries, but they were still there, lingering in her mind.
At that time, Sabrina was only twelve years old, holding her baby sister, Emma, tightly in the back seat of the car. They were driving home after a family dinner, laughing and enjoying their time together. Emma, only four years old, was giggling in the back seat, blissfully unaware of the danger approaching.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dark figure in a speeding car collided with theirs. The force of the crash sent their car spinning uncontrollably before smashing into a tree. Sabrina felt the jolt of the impact as she held onto Emma as the world around them seemed to shatter.
Sabrina and Emma managed to survive as they were tightly buckled into their seats, but the crash had a much greater impact on their parents. The force of the collision caused their parents badly injured and led to their death on the spot.
She tried to close her eyes, but the image wouldn't fade. Her parents were trapped in the front seats, their faces twisted in pain. Her mother's screams still rang in her ears as she reached out for Sabrina, but there was nothing she could do. Sabrina tried to scream, to help them, but her voice wouldn't come. Her hands were shaking, frozen in fear.
The nightmare had felt so real, like she was still stuck in that dark moment of her life. She could still feel the weight of the loss, the terror of not being able to save her parents. But Emma was still here, and Sabrina was determined to protect her no matter what.
That was a long time ago, Sabrina thought as she stared out at the darkness. A lot has changed since then. But one thing was for sure—her parents were right. Running away was the best option, even if it meant sacrificing everything.
From now on, they were no longer Baelleighs. They had left that name behind along with their past. Now, they were Dinsmore—Sabrina and Emma Dinsmore. A new identity, a fresh start, and a new chapter in their lives. However, even with the new name, the old fears and memories lingered, haunting them with every step they took.