"What happened?"
"Where am I ?"
Ashen slowly opened his eyes. His head was wrapped in bandages. His vision was blurry but recovering.
His body was heavy but slowly he lifts himself up.
He glanced around before looking out the window, where a soft layer of snow clung quietly to the glass.
Beside him an old lady sat sobbing. When she looked at him she screamed in joy and hugged him.
"I was so scared that something might happen to you! But thank god you are safe my little boy." she said
She cried and screamed
"He is awake! please call the doctor"
"Grandma?" Ashen asked in low almost unheard voice
A man in his early 40s entered the room behind him was a police officer calm and composed
"Oh hey! I am very happy to see you awake. How are you feeling now?" the doc asked
"I don't know, My head and my whole body is aching, especially my head. But I am fine" Ashen replied
" AH! It is no problem you are a strong boy aren't you?. We're going to get you some medicine for the pain, Ashen. You've been through a lot, but you're safe now." doc replied
"Where is mom... and dad?"
A cold silence starts to linger in the room. The color from the faces of all vanished, but the doc composed himself and said
"OH! YES! You parents they are fine they sent me to take care of you"
"They have gone for a long journey, in the time you will recover they will be back" doc said in joyful tone
After some inspection doc said to his grandma
"Except for some minor injuries he is fine. One serious damage is a single internal bruising in intestines and on head otherwise he will recover soon."
"My parents are dead aren't they" Ashen asked
Everyone's eyes widened and all have loss of words on what to say to a 7 year child who a sense of realization
"No, who told you that? Your parents aren't dead, they are just not here right now they have more injuries than you. I just tell them to take more rest that's all. They will soon meet you" doc tried to console Ashen
"You are lying"
Doc went silent. He was at a loss for words. His mind kept rambling on what to say, he looked at the boy in front whos word were too much true to refused
"I saw with my own eyes, the blood all over there. I saw!" Ashen replied in shaking voice
"Hey-"doc tried to say but the officer who was silent stopped him
" Hey sweetheart!" officer said to ashen
Officer put hand in his upper pocket and take out a chocolate
"See I brought you some chocolates and peanut one on that"
"Your grandma told me you like those. Want to eat"
"Tell me fast other I will eat all of it I am hungry too" he tried make Ashen laugh
Ashen took the chocolate but show no interest in eating it
Officer leaned closer patting his back gently making the boy more comfortable the asked
"Can you tell me what happened last night?"
Ashen first scared slowly starts to speak
"They were fighting."
"I was sitting in the back seat and tried to stop them."
"But they didn't listen to me. I was crying but they still didn't stop."
"And then something came our way, two headlights. I don't remember after that" He said while trembling
"Then I woke up. I was in the bushes when I woke up and I saw it, the car was flipped" Ashen's voice getting heavy and tears start to fall
"I tried to talk to them but no one replied."
"Then I heard my dad's voice and he called me and said that they are not going to survive." his sobs turn into crying
"But he told that I don't look too injured"
"He said that someone surely come and save you and told me not to loose hope"
His grandma covering her mouth tears rolling down her eyes by hearing her grandson's words
"Then I don't know what happened after that I don't remember anything."
"I want to save them. Am I not enough." Ashen's fingers dug into the hospital sheets, his knuckles turning white as a ragged sob tore through his chest.
"I tried! I tried!" he repeated the words, crying holding his head
The doc and grandma rushed to stop him telling him it was not his mistake
After few minutes Officer asked his grandma to stay with him and called doc out of the room for a talk
They stepped out in the hallway but far enough so no one can listen to there conversation
"Damn… I feel bad for that kid," he said quietly.
"Seven years old and already asking if his parents are dead. No child should have to say that."
The doctor nodded, his face tired but composed.
"He's traumatized. I see cases like this more often than I'd like. Kids sense the truth faster than we expect."
The officer leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"This looks like a hit and run. From the damage on the car, it was probably a big vehicle maybe a truck."
"What about his parents" Doc asked
"Both deceased," the officer replied.
"Mother died on impact. Father lasted a few minutes longer."
He paused, lowering his voice.
"But here's the strange part. The grandmother said she received a phone call… someone asking for help, saying there had been an accident."
The doctor frowned. "Did you trace the number?"
"That's the problem," the officer said, shaking his head.
"We can't find any record of the call. No number, no signal trace, nothing. It's like it never happened."
He looked at the doctor, eyes narrowed.
"How is that even possible? A dead person can't make a phone call… but someone did."
"This is very confusing. Do you think anyone else was at the scene?" the doctor asked.
"No. Sadly, there were no cameras at the exact site of the incident," the officer replied.
"But we checked every camera that was active on the highway. There were only three. The strange thing is… we can see the car and the other vehicle was truck, maybe."
"Maybe?" the doctor frowned.
"What do you mean maybe? Don't you have the footage?"
"That's the problem." The officer rubbed his tired eyes.
"The cameras started glitching at that exact moment. Like someone tampered with them. It's strange… strange enough that I haven't slept since last night."
"Do you think it might be murder?" the doctor asked quietly.
"Maybe. We're considering that possibility too," the officer said.
He paused, staring at the floor.
"But for now… I just hope that boy can pull himself together. I don't want to see another poor soul suffer."
"I hope so too," the doctor replied softly.
"Sometimes being a doctor feels helpless. You know you're supposed to do something… but you can't. I hate that feeling."
"Yeah." The officer sighed.
"Anyway, I should go. I haven't slept since last night. I need some rest before continuing the investigation. I don't think we'll get much more information from the boy right now."
"I agree," the doctor said.
"Let him stay with his grandmother for a while. Let his emotions settle before we take any further steps."
As the doctor and the officer continued their conversation outside, inside the room Ashen's grandmother held him tightly in her arms.
The boy was still sobbing. His tears refused to stop.
Ten years passed after that incident.
"Grandma! Did you pack my lunch box or not? I'm going to be late!" a grown voice called from upstairs.
Warm rays of sunlight streamed through the window. The weather was calm and beautiful.
"Yes, yes! Here, take it," his grandmother said as she handed the lunch box to the now grown Ashen.
"Now hurry, or your teacher will end up giving me a lecture again."
Ashen laughed.
"Ha! Do you think I'm not fast enough? I'll just zoom through and reach right on time."
He rolled his bicycle out of the garage and waved goodbye to his grandmother.
"SHIT! I'm going to be late!" Ashen muttered, suddenly realizing the time.