The air was still, the silence echoed

  Sophia stood frozen.

  Her body shook as she began to sweat.

  She called Ben immediately.

  Ben: “Yes, Sophia?”

  Sophia (voice cracking): “Ken… he… he is—”

  Ben’s heart raced as he heard Sophia’s voice shaking.

  Ben: “Did… something happen?”

  Sophia: “I… I… was talking… to him and I… think—”

  Her voice was barely audible as she gulped.

  Sophia: “He… got into an accident.”

  Ben’s eyes widened… his body trembled, but he tried to compose himself.

  Ben: “I’m checking it out. If something has happened… I’ll tell you which hospital he’s going to… just go there.”

  Ben ended the call and rushed to his car.

  “Please… be safe.”

  He traced the path of Ken’s truck.

  After some time…

  Ben saw a trail of smoke coming from a distance.

  He got there, and his body froze.

  Ken’s truck, on the side of the road, was flipped over and engulfed in fire.

  But the other truck’s driver’s truck wasn’t on fire.

  Ben rushed around towards the civilians.

  “Did anyone check inside?”

  The civilians denied.

  He looked backwards toward the glowing hot fire and tightened his fist.

  He rushed inside the fire without a second thought.

  Suddenly, a man stopped him from behind.

  Ben looked back to see a Firefighter.

  His eyes blazed.

  “Sir, you don’t need to be reckless.”

  Ben looked to his side.

  A couple of ambulances and a fire truck had arrived.

  The firefighters rushed inside the truck.

  After a while, they took out Ken.

  He was barely breathing, his skin burnt and blood rushing out from multiple parts of his body.

  Ben looked at Ken

  As a tiny tear dropped from his eyes.

  He saw the name of the hospital on the ambulance: Nova Hospital.

  He rushed inside his car, his eyes blazing with fierce intensity.

  He drove in front of the ambulance, clearing a path for them.

  They reached the hospital.

  The place was filled with multiple civilians, and their voices echoed throughout the hospital.

  Suddenly, all of them gazed toward Ken, their eyes widened.

  “What??”

  “Oh no… I don’t have any words…”

  Doctors ran into the ICU as Ben stopped at a distance.

  He looked at the door of the room closing as he gazed toward Ken.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  He screamed:

  “YOU FUCKING IDIOT, IF YOU DIE—”

  He cut himself off.

  “Why… how… Ken is the best driver I know, so what happened…”

  He immediately called Sophia.

  Sophia: “WHAT HAPPENED?”

  Ben: “You… were right…”

  Sophia’s eyes widened as her hand flew to her mouth, covering a scream.

  A trail of tears fell from her eyes.

  Ben: “Nova Hospital… come there.”

  Sophia ended the call.

  Ben looked at the time—it was already 1:30.

  “It’s time for Jack’s school to end. If Sophia is coming here… I should take Jack here too.”

  He stood up, walking toward the hospital exit.

  “Ken… please get better…”

  1 hour passed…

  Sophia stood in front of Ken, lying on the stretcher.

  Glucose was attached to his hands and a ventilator placed over his mouth.

  His skin was covered in wound dressing, a print of blood showing on it.

  Her face dulled, her eyes swollen, as she fell to her knees.

  “No… It can’t be… Please…”

  Tears fell on Ken’s body as she grabbed him.

  “No… not after Lily… not after so much…”

  A doctor pulled her back.

  “Miss, he’s in critical condition… if you grab him, then it can get even worse.”

  Sophia nodded. “Okay…”

  Suddenly…

  Something dropped on the ground with a gentle tap, barely audible.

  Sophia heard the sound but ignored it.

  She lifted herself up and asked the doctor:

  “What… happened to him?”

  The doctor nodded.

  “He was struck straight by a heavy truck. It’s a miracle he’s still alive. But we don’t know how long he has to live.”

  Ben arrived, Jack by his side, wearing his school uniform.

  Jack: “DAD!!”

  He screamed, his face horrified.

  He rushed toward Ken as Sophia pulled Jack back.

  “Jack… don’t… he’ll get worse.”

  Jack gazed toward Ken as tears fell from his eyes.

  “You… you… can’t leave me… you said we will… go on that trip… why… why… did you not… keep your promise?”

  Jack held his mom as he began to cry loudly.

  Ben’s heart dropped as he heard them crying.

  He thought:

  “I should have gone instead of him… this all wouldn’t be happening if it was me…”

  Ben left the room.

  The doctor looked toward Jack and Sophia.

  “I suggest you guys leave too. I want to see what I can do.”

  Sophia nodded as she lifted up Jack, heading outside.

  Jack’s eyes swelled up.

  “Dad…”

  After 4 hours…

  The sun set as the hospital dimmed.

  All of them were still there, holding on to a sliver of hope that Ken would wake up.

  Ben roamed around the hallway.

  Sophia and Jack sat on nearby chairs, Jack resting his head on Sophia’s lap.

  Ben gazed toward Sophia.

  “I can drop you home, you’ll get cold here.”

  She gazed toward the ground.

  “No, I’m staying.”

  “Don’t be dumb. I know you love him, but—”

  Sophia sneered.

  “Just leave me alone. I’m staying.”

  Ben kneeled down and looked toward her.

  “Your mother is a Sterling. You are anonymous, but Jack isn’t… if someone sees you here and recognizes him, then everything will get even worse. So don’t be irrational right now… at least think about him.”

  Sophia said firmly:

  “I don’t care… I’m staying here. You can take Jack home, but I’m staying.”

  Jack shook his head.

  “No, Mom… I don’t want to go.”

  A flicker of frustration passed over Ben.

  “Suit yourself, then.”

  Ben left, thinking:

  “Layla… might help me.”

  Jack saw Ben walking outside.

  He looked toward Sophia, her face tightening.

  He thought:

  “Dad…”

  A few hours passed by.

  At 12 a.m.,

  Ben came back.

  “So if you didn’t plan to go, at least I can help you.”

  Layla (Ben’s wife) walked behind him.

  “Hey guys, I’m so sorry for you… I can’t really do much… but I brought some food for you…”

  Sophia looked toward Layla as her face slightly softened.

  “You didn’t have to…”

  “I know, but I needed to… It’s not great for you to be here at night… you might get sick.”

  Sophia smiled as a flicker of tears fell from her eyes.

  “Thank you… it’s just… it all happened so suddenly—”

  Layla hugged Sophia.

  “It’s going to be fine. Don’t worry.”

  Tears streamed down Sophia’s eyes.

  A few more hours passed by…

  The clock struck 4 a.m.

  Sophia decided to go back toward Ken.

  “Get better soon… please.”

  Jack stood near her.

  “Dad… please don’t leave me… first Big Sis, now you…”

  Jack’s voice cracked.

  They left the hospital room.

  Layla and Ben stood outside as Layla walked toward him.

  “You should go now… you need to rest.”

  Sophia nodded.

  “You’re right…”

  They left the hospital.

  Ben looked toward Sophia.

  “Let me drive you. You might not be in the right condition.”

  Sophia agreed, and Layla took Ben’s car to her home while Ben took Sophia’s car.

  Jack slept in the back seat as Sophia looked out the window.

  “Am I… breaking apart too much for a psychologist?”

  They reached their house.

  Sophia shook Jack.

  “Jack… we’re here.”

  Jack didn’t wake up.

  Ben opened the back door.

  “I’ll pick him up… you should go.”

  Sophia nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  She walked toward the door.

  “Ken…”

  She searched for keys in her purse… but

  She didn’t find them.

  “What?”

  She started to panic.

  Suddenly…

  She remembered the sound she heard when she was with Ken.

  She explained the situation to Ben.

  Ben sighed.

  “No worries. We can go back. I can’t leave you alone here at night. We’ll go back and look for the keys.”

  Sophia nodded.

  “Thank you. I’m really glad for your help.”

  Ben smiled gently.

  “No worries.”

  Jack was still sleeping in the back seat.

  As they headed back toward the hospital,

  Jack woke up.

  “Mom, why are we back at the hospital?”

  “Nothing, Jack… I just forgot the keys to our house… so we’re just getting them back.”

  Jack rubbed his eyes and yawned.

  “Ohh… okay.”

  They walked outside.

  Ben looked toward Jack.

  “If you’re tired, I can carry you.”

  Jack smiled.

  “No, Uncle, I’m fine… but thanks for asking.”

  The wind blew cold as Sophia’s body shivered a little.

  They walked toward the stairs.

  Jack held Sophia’s hand.

  He thought:

  “I wish… Deity was real… maybe he could help Dad…”

  They reached Ken’s floor.

  They heard the wind blowing.

  Ben furrowed his brow.

  “Strange… I thought hospitals closed their windows at night.”

  They got to Ken’s room.

  The wind blew cold.

  Jack covered his face, shielding himself from the strong breeze.

  He uncovered his face as he saw Sophia’s body freezing.

  He gazed toward Ken as his eyes slowly widened.

  Ken sat on his bed, the window open, looking outside—

  Smiling, without a trace of blood on his body

  He gazed toward them and smiled.

  “Hey guys!”