The screech of tires, a deafening roar, then silence. Silence, broken only by the rhythmic thud of her own heart hammering against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the backdrop of the world shattering around her.
Anna, no more than eight years old, sat frozen in the backseat of the car, her gaze fixed on the windshield, now a spiderweb of cracks. Through the fractured glass, she watched in horrified slow motion as the oncoming truck veered into their lane, a monstrous metal beast bearing down on them.
The impact was a violent eruption of sound and fury. The world tilted, then spun, throwing her against the side of the car. The air, thick with the acrid smell of burning rubber and something metallic, tasted of blood.
Then, a strange sensation washed over her. A shimmering, iridescent light enveloped the car, pushing back against the crushing force of the collision. The world around her seemed to slow down, the screech of metal on metal fading into a distant hum.
With a jolt, the car lurched to a stop. Anna, disoriented but unharmed, emerged from the wreckage, her small body trembling. The mangled remains of the car, twisted and contorted like a discarded toy, lay before her. In the distance, the truck, its front end crumpled, smoldered ominously.
Mom, dad... where were they?
Panic clawed at her throat. She scrambled out of the car, her bare feet crunching on shattered glass. The scene before her was a tableau of horror: the crumpled metal, the shattered glass, the eerie silence broken only by the distant wail of sirens.
She searched frantically for her parents, her heart pounding. Where were they? Why couldn't she find them?
A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she stumbled, falling to her knees. As she sank to the ground, a strange tingling sensation spread through her body. The air shimmered around her, and then, just as suddenly, it was gone.
Confused and frightened, Anna looked around. The scene of the accident remained unchanged, but something felt… different. The air seemed lighter, the colors more vibrant, her wounds were miraculously healed. And there was a strange sense of peace, a quiet calm that settled over her.
She had no explanation for what had just happened. All she knew was that she had been spared, miraculously untouched by the devastating crash that had claimed the lives of her parents.
She stood still with her eyes fixed on the scene of the incidents in front of her, despite the smell of burning rubbers and thick black smoke that surrounded the vehicles, she could still clearly see how the firefighters were trying to put out the engorging fire that covers both vehicles. The suffocating silence around her broke by the sudden drumming of the rain falling in a steady and monotonous rhythm but still she couldn't make herself take even a single step, it felt like she was glued to the very spot she stood, her eyes were heavy but dry, and it was as if she had lost the ability to cry
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the heavy throbbing of the rain. It was her Aunt Clara, her face pale and drawn, her eyes wide with a mixture of horror and relief.
"Anna" she cried, rushing towards her niece, scooping her up into a tight embrace. "Oh, my darling, you're safe! You're safe!"
Anna clung to her aunt, burying her face in the familiar scent of lavender and rain. Aunt Clara's embrace was warm and comforting, a safe haven in the midst of the chaos, but the racing sounds of her heart pounding in her chest distracted Anna from the warm comfort of her embrace. Aunt Clara quickly released her and Anna could see how scared her aunt's beautiful emerald's eyes were all swollen red. Aunt Clara carefully examined Anna's body for any sign of injuries, turning her around in search for even a tiny scratch or bruise but she couldn't see any then she lifted Anna's head up with her hands and starred deeply into my eyes, she looked so confused and scared.
Are you injured or in any pain, dear? Her voice was low and each word trembled softly out of her lips. Anna stood there with her head on the cold shaken palms of her aunt, not knowing what to say. A cold shiver of emptiness ran through her which made her entire body tremble in fear.
Aunt Clara quickly wrapped her hands around Anna in tight embrace. As the rain hammered heavy on both of them, Anna felt the comforting warmth of her aunt's arms, but a chilling emptiness still settled over her. The joy of being safe was quickly overshadowed by the realization that she was alone. She started crying uncontrollably and it felt like each tear that came out of my eyes was leaving a hole in her fragile heart
From that day forward, Anna carried the weight of this inexplicable event. The world, once a source of wonder, now felt both fragile and mysterious. She was a survivor, marked by an unseen force, a solitary figure in a world that seemed to have forgotten her.