New Beginnings [Sample]

1- Losing Everything

Pranking others was fun. Being pranked on wasn't. I detested being pranked yet I hoped this was just that. A cruel prank played by my parents. I prayed with all my might that they would turn up and shout 'Fooled You' on my face. And everything would go back to normal after I shouted at them for being so insensitive.

However nothing of that sort happened. It's been three days since my parents went to attend that wedding; three days since I saw the video of the wedding hall blazing with fire; three days since I fainted from shock; three days since Uncle gave me the news of their death.

Even though I had fainted near my room's door, I woke up on my bed.

Remembering the situation at hand, I tried to hastily get up but had to sit down when dizziness hit me hard.

"Trisha!! Oh dear, you shouldn't have tried to get up. Please lay down dear, your health is still weak," Lawyer Uncle said rushing towards me along with the doctor.

That's when I noticed people in my room. Two of our house maids were present along with doctor and lawyer uncle.

Lawyer uncle was dad's childhood best friend as well as our lawyer. As long as I could remember, I had always called him Lawyer uncle.

"Uncle, Did you call Dad? Mom and Dad are okay, right? They weren't picking my calls. Did you manage to contact them?" I asked wearily.

"Dear, you should take rest. Your health is not good. We will talk later, okay," Uncle said avoiding my eyes.

"What is wrong with you? My health isn't important right now. Please tell me, they are okay." I screamed in frustration, which resulted in coughing.

"I told you to take rest," he said while rubbing my back.

Turning towards our workers, he shouted, "What are you waiting for? Bring water."

After calming down from my coughing fit, I asked him the same question again.

"The fire got spread quickly and before help could arrive, it took down the entire wedding hall," Uncle answered with tears in his eyes.

My eyes widen upon hearing him.

"Where are my parents? In which hospital are they getting treated?" I asked still being positive that they were okay.

Uncle shook his head with a remorseful face. His silence was my answer. They didn't survive.

Tears started rolling down while my scream got stuck in my throat.

This couldn't happen. They would come soon and gloat about their enjoyment at the function. No no no, I was not ready to part with them so soon.

"There must be a mistake. We should go and check the area. They must be waiting for help. They need me," I muttered while trying to get up from the bed.

Uncle stopped me by my shoulders, making me sit back again and cried, "No one survived...no one..."

He soon hugged me. Still crying, he spoke in a low voice now, "No one present in that wedding hall survived. Not even a single person. We can't even see their bodies as they all are burned. No one is recognizable. I know this is hard but you need to accept this."

I didn't accept their death. I still waited near the main door for their return. But one day turned in two and two into three. And here I was performing the last rituals, losing all the hope that they would ever return.

Most of the funeral arrangements were done by Lawyer Uncle. Firstly, because I had no idea about these things and secondly because of my declining health. I already had fever. Crying continuously and standing near the main door in the cold just added to its effect.

I blew my nose, before standing up to join Uncle, who had just finished sorting out the last requirements.

We began walking towards his car, when he spoke up.

"I was looking for your extended family and found out that your Aunt is alive." He spoke all of a sudden.

"Why...why were you looking for my extended family? And didn't you say that they all died in the wedding?" I asked in scratchy voice, as dread filled inside me.

"All the people who attended the wedding died. But I was hoping that there would be someone who didn't attend the wedding and found out about your Aunt," he replied.

"But why?" I asked in a hopeless tone.

"You are a minor. You need a guardian. Sorry kid but I was just following the law," Uncle apologized, though it didn't seem sincere to me.

"Yeah, the law." I scoffed. "Oh please. You just don't want the additional burden. And I understand. You don't have any responsibility towards me. But how can you send me to a stranger?" I asked in an incredulous tone.

"I am not just sending you to her. I made all the required findings. She is your Aunt from your Mother's side. You probably don't know about her because she was thrown out of the family before your parents married," he said in a calm, collected tone, making me more furious.

"You are giving my responsibility to someone who was thrown out of the house. What the hell is wrong with you?" I screamed with fury, which resulted in a coughing fit.

I patted my chest until the coughs stopped, before turning to glare at Uncle.

"I don't the reason behind her fallout with yout family. But she has no criminal background and lives the life of a respected citizen. As she is your last living blood relative, you have no choice but to go with her.

"I have called her. She will reach by tomorrow. So get ready to go with her," Uncle said, before getting inside the car.

'What kind of person he was? He didn't even give me enough time to mourn. My parents just died. And now I had to leave the house, which held so many memories of them.' I cried.

"Get inside the car. And stop crying. You will worsen your health," he shouted from inside.

"Leave. I will take a cab to go home," I said, before walking away from his car.

In a span of few days, my whole life had turned upside down.

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