After having time to myself, and seeing Jack, I felt better and less angry at the world. More so, less mad at Connor. After a long walk home, I was sure I’d be completely over it. Till I felt the cold chill again. But this time it was worse. It was like someone had pushed an ice cube into my body, then set my skin on fire. Unlike last time, it only lasted a second, but my legs couldn’t move. Then I felt a hand grab my arm. My heart stopped and I broke into a panic. My breathing picked up and I forced my body to turn around, only I saw nothing. I looked around, turning till I made a complete three-sixty. I took in a deep breath and shook it off, continuing to walk, closing my eyes for a moment. It’s just my imagination… Breath Enic. Like Milani said. I opened my eyes and my phone went off. It was a text from my mother.

Mother: I came home early for ur brother. Where r u?

Me: I went to the store for noodles. Down the street. What happened w/ Jayden?

Mother: He got into a fight…😠

Me: Wowww Lol. I’ll be ther soon.

Me: there*

Mother: Ok

When I looked up I saw a semi driving up the street. That’s odd.. And illegal. They must have taken a wrong turn.  My house had a large field in front of it. It was community property, so there was a chance they were doing something there, but it was highly unlikely.

As I was only a few houses away from my house, the truck came into clearer view. I stopped and tilted my head as I saw the man driving was moving around. Is he dancing? My eyes widened as realization hit and it came to my attention that the man was having a seizure. Oh my gosh! What am I supposed to do?!  I though in a panic then dialed 911 and pressed call, looking up. The truck swerved side to side roughly while the man held onto it as though to try to keep himself still. “911, what’s your emergency?” The call-taker said. “There’s a man driving a semi, I think he is having a sei-” It was too late. That was an obvious, but I didn’t think of that. The semi swerved off the street and hit between two houses. One of them being mine.

My heart dropped and I watched as it laid on it’s side, I ran over but suddenly, I was knocked to the street and smashed by a large body. I didn’t know who it was but my eyes focused on the semi as I tried to get out from under the person so I could get to my house.

One second. Two, and three, and the house next to mine blew up on one side, causing the semi to react and blow up, my house catching fire and glass made its way into the air. Another blast went out on the other side of my house. It was like watching dominoes and all I could do was watch the pieces fall. When a ringing in my ears that I hadn’t noticed before started to fade, I realized I was screaming and my eyes burned with tears. I pushed the body off me with all I had and it gave out, getting off me. I ran over to the sidewalk in front of the house near mine then moved to go closer, but someone stopped me again. I turned to see who it was but my eyes burned and everything was fuzzy. I turned back to the view and shook my head. This isn’t real. It can’t be. This is my imagination! Just like Milani said with the cold feeling!

I don’t know how long I stood there, but eventually my legs gave out and I was on my knees. Arms had wrapped around me and I was taken into a hug, while a familiar smell surrounded me. It was Isaiah. He must have heard the crash. I thought, and the tears came again slowly. I heard sirens coming closer. My body felt heavy, and my throat was dry. My head hurt and my eyes felt like they were going to burst. The idea of movement made me feel numb. I chose not to think, playing the first song that came to mind in my head so that I didn’t think about what was happening around me. I watched as two fire trucks pulled in front of the scene with a police car and everything started to fade into a blackness.

This isn’t real. It’s just a dream. All my imagination. I’ll wake up soon.

“She went into shock.”...“ Can you blame her? She just lost her mother and brother.”...“Is there any information on the father?”...“Died from an unknown disease.”...“Hold on, she’s waking up.”...“Where’s the boy she came with? It’s better she wake up to a face she knows rather than doctors. We can’t stress her more.”...“I’ll get him.”...

My eyelids parted then shut when a bright light was all I saw. “Hey. No don’t go back to sleep. You kept me worrying long enough.” A voice said. I felt a soft prickle on my head over and over and my eyes opened back up. “I-Isaiah?” the sound of my voice sounded horrific. It was like a frog jumped in and invited a few friends for a party. My mouth was dry and had a disgusting taste. “Yeah. Stay with me okay?” I nodded and looked around. “What happened? Why are we in a hospital? Where are we?” I asked and instantly wished I could trade in my vocal cords for new ones, because these ones were broken. “We’re in the nearest hospital about two towns over. You had a panic attack…” He said looking down. “Do you… remember what happened?” He asked in a small voice. Wait… that wasn’t a dream? That really all happened? No. No, no, no, no, no! I sat up as a beeping started to come to my attention, beeping faster. “Woah, hold on Enic. Relax-” “Where are they? Did they make it? What happened to them?” Stupid questions, I know, but I needed to be told. I wanted to be told otherwise. I needed to be told they were okay. “They...they’re gone Enic.” Isaiah said. “No. No! They’re alive! They have to be!” I said and he hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry Enic. I’m so sorry.” “No!” I said crying again. I hugged him tightly hiding my face from the world. I hated crying in public places. Even though we were in a room, the door was open and people were outside walking around while a couple looked as they passed by.

* * *

~ Isaiah POV ~

I held her while she cried into my shoulder. I wished they had let me closed the door because I knew she would cry, and I knew she hated when people saw her cry. I waited and tried to stay calm for her till she fell asleep. When she did, I laid her back down and stood back up off the hospital bed. I felt horrible. The Cardel family was like my own. I was at their house more than I was at my own. I had never had much company at home since my mom worked two jobs and she never really came home. Weekends she left with her boyfriend to see my grandmother, and once I was fourteen going on fifteen, She was okay with leaving me home on my own when I didn’t want to go with them. Now what was she going to do? She lost her home, her brother and her mother. She has three aunts, but no one else. None of which could take her in. One is a recovering drug addict, the other has three kids of her own to worry about and can barely take them on, and the last can’t even raise her own eighteen year old that refuses to get his own place and live off on his own. Not only that but...they all live about five towns over, which means she’d have to move and transfer schools. That had always been one of her biggest fears. Leaving her friends and being the new girl again.

An idea came to my mind and I grabbed my phone dialing a number. I walked out of the room while the phone rang twice before my mom picked up. I could hear she was driving still. “Hello? Isaiah? Is Enicabie okay? Did something happen?” She said instantly. “No she’s…” She isn’t okay. She’s a mess and in pain… “...asleep. Mom, she doesn’t have anywhere to go. Not for a while at least. You think she could maybe stay with us for a while?” I said, already expecting her to say she can’t afford to take her in. “Yes of course! Oh my god. Has she woken up?” She said and I felt a sense of relief for Enic. “Yeah, she did. She forgot what had happened but when she remembered she cried herself to sleep.” I told her. “Oh the poor girl… You comforted her right? You didn’t just leave her on her own?” She said almost ready to scold me for not being a good person and doing the right thing. “What? Yes. Of course. Jesus, mom.” I said shaking my head. After what just happened that’s what she says? Guess everyone deals in their own way… “I’ll be there in about ten minutes, alright?” She said. “Alright, be careful.” “I will. I love you.” she said in a serious tone. “I love you too, mom.” I said and hung up.

I turned to her room standing in the doorway. “I’m so sorry Enic...I wish it wasn’t you.” I said out loud, as a doctor came by. “Hello. How was she?” The doctor asked. She was an Indian woman that was about the same height as me, where I was at about six feet tall. “Yeah she uheh- she freaked out a little when I told her what happened but she- She’s asleep now.” I said awkwardly. Now I was starting to feel the effects of what happened. I cleared my throat. “Oh alright. Is there someone coming to get you guys?” she asked and I nodded. “Yeah, my mom is going to be here soon.” She nodded and told me where to tell my mom to go to check Enic out then walked off. I turned to Enic’s room and walked inside, sitting in the chair that was next to the bed. I went over the memories in my head of all the times I’d gone over to the Cardel’s. All the holidays, and birthdays. I started to cry quietly with my head down till I fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up, Enic was sitting up, staring blankly in front of her. My mom came into the room and looked to me then motioned for me to get her. I nodded and she turned around, walking back out and waited outside. “Enic?” I said in a small voice. “Can you walk right now?” I asked her and she looked down before slowly maneuvering her body to the edge of the hospital bed. She move slowly putting more of her weight onto her feet. She almost had it till she stood straight and her knees started to buckle. I moved to her side and put an arm around her quickly. “I got you, come on.” I said before ducking down and picking her up bridal style. I walked out of the room and looked to my mom in sign that she wasn’t doing so good. My mom nodded before turning around and walking out to the parking lot.

I wonder what’s going through her mind right now...she probably doesn’t even know what to think. I wouldn’t. I can’t even believe it. It’s just so… and I can’t be that upset about it visibly. I need to be there for her. Besides, I wasn’t the one that knew them my whole life. I wonder if she’ll tell Milani. Or maybe I should so Enic doesn’t have to.Questions and mysteries went on in my head, but none could have been compared to the thoughts that were going through Enic’s head.