THE CHILD’S POV

I was only six when it happened. On that fateful night, I lost my family. Yes, I watched my dad fight for his life. He tried to hold on, he wanted so much to live for me. But no, I was there when they took their last breath and I was unable to do absolutely nothing to save them.

Everyone says that I should be happy, they all tell me to be grateful to him and praise him for saving my life, but what is life without a family?

It was the noon of Christmas’ eve and Jackson Rich had invited us to come and celebrate Christmas with him and his girlfriend, Arianna.

Mum said that he planned on proposing to her on Christmas and they would both be getting married on Valentine’s Day. Mum also informed me that he had requested that I be his little bride, while my brother, Junior, would be the little groom. I was overjoyed by the news and I started counting down from that day.

However, when I had asked mum when Rich would be taking another wife after Arianna, but mum had hushed me and clearly told me that he is entitled to one wife, just like my dad. This realization made me sad because I had always thought that I was going to marry Rich someday when I grow up.

Don’t get me wrong, I was only a little child and Rich appeared to be like the only perfect thing next to daddy. He was smart and even below the age of 25, he was already dad’s business partner and dad said that his rare business ideas make them a lot of profit.

He was dad’s very good friend and there was an age gap of over ten years between them. Notwithstanding this fact, dad made him a co-signatory to his business due to his utmost dedication and sincerity. Dad also named the business after me and him, AnnaJay Empire. Maybe it was this name that sent those crazy ideas to me.

I was young but knew so much about dad’s business more than my mum and my elder brother, Junior who was more interested in science courses.

“Come on dad, can’t we wait until tomorrow? The proposal will be tomorrow right, and we can get there right in time for that?” I protested.

“We are not just going there for the proposal. Rich wants to spend more time with us as family” dad responded.

“But dad, Rich is not family. Now I wish we have a grandma or an uncle or aunt to visit” I lamented.

“Your dad referred to Rich as family, because he had proven himself to be more than a friend” mum replied.

“Yes darling, Rich will always be there for us in any situation. You should never forget that” dad added.

“Okay, dad” I murmured.

“Let me get my wristwatch, I think I left it at the garage when I was fixing the car” dad excused himself.

For some reason, I don’t want to go out tonight. I was having a very unusual feeling. I don’t know if it was because I don’t want to be there when Rich would finally put the ring on Arianna’s finger or if there was something else attached to this. I turned to Junior just to confide in him and get his support.

“Junior, I feel a bit tense about this trip this evening, don’t you feel the same too? We should remain here and go to Rich’s tomorrow” I said.

“I don’t feel the same, Anna. I think you just can’t bear to see Rich get hooked by another” he replied and giggled.

“Stop that, Junior. I have always warned you against making fun of your little sister” mum corrected him. “See, dad is here now, let’s leave”

………………………………………..

We were in the car and I was playing with my toy when I heard dad exclaim. His exclamation was followed by a scream from mum and then Junior joined them. I could not understand what was going on or why they were panicking. However, I noticed that it seem as if dad was not in control of the wheel and the car was swinging from one part of the road to the other. It was getting off the road.

Junior stretched his hand on the car handle on my side and opened the door. And without saying anything to me, he pushed me out of the car.

I landed on my right shoulder. It was a great fall and I screamed from the effect of the pain I felt.

As soon as I landed on the road, I heard a very loud bang and I looked up. It was our car, it has collided with a very big tree and it was not moving anymore. But then, I could not hear the voice of anyone again. They are all quiet now.

Now that the car had stopped, I can go and meet them. I looked around and discovered that I was alone on the express road. There was no sign of a car or a human approaching.

I decided to get up and run to my family. In the process of doing this, I applied so much force and it caused me pain and I screamed. I had dislocated my right foot in the fall and I fell back on the road. Even the pain from my right shoulder was immeasurable. I took my hands to it and saw that I was covered in blood.

I attempted to get up again, but this time I was more careful and when I did, I leaped to the car on one foot. It was as if the walking was taking forever for me to get there, but I was determined to go meet them.

When I got to the car, I peeped at the back door, the door where Junior had thrown me out from and I saw him lying with his eyes closed. His legs are on the seat but his head was daggling downwards. He was not moving and blood was dripping from his head.

“Wake up junior, I am here now nothing happened to me and I am not mad at you” I called.

I shook him vigorously but there was no response from him and so I decided to go report to my parents.

“Mum, you warned Junior just this afternoon, didn’t you? See he is playing dead with me after pushing me out of the car. Now tell him that I am not ready for his game” I called out to my mum.

I tried to open her door but it refused. But from the window, I could see her staring at me with eyes wide open. I wondered why she was looking at me without saying anything, and why some parts of her face appeared to be painted in red.

With a feeling of disappointment, I leaped over to my dad’s side and opened the door.

“Dad” I called as I noticed that he was trying to make out some words.

I was oblivious of what had just happened. I did not realize that I have lost them and would not see them again. I never knew that I was left all alone to face the world.

“What happened here, little girl?” I heard a voice ask.

I turned to see who it was, and I discovered that it was a lady dressed in white.

“My family” I murmured.

The stranger appeared nice. And she held my hands trying to lead me away from my dad but I was reluctant to step even an inch away.