Chapter 1: Where Are They?

It was supposed to be a simple family vacation—just a road trip to visit a distant relative. Lucas was five years old, his face pressed against the window as the passing scenery painted a blur of green fields and rolling hills. The car hummed along the highway, the gentle vibration lulling him into a peaceful state. His parents were laughing in the front seat, talking about old memories from when they were young.

"Bet you can't remember the last time we did something spontaneous like this," his mom joked, her voice light and carefree.

His dad smiled, glancing at Lucas in the rearview mirror. "He's gonna have the best memories of us, won't you, buddy?"

Lucas nodded, though he was already lost in the view outside. The sun was high in the sky, casting golden light over everything. It was the perfect day.

But then, without warning, everything changed.

The screech of tires was the first sound that pierced through the air. Lucas felt the car jerk violently to the side, and his mother's frantic scream filled the cabin. His father slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.

The car spun out of control, tires screeching against the asphalt as it veered off the road. The world seemed to twist and turn in slow motion, and then—crash.

Glass shattered. The metal of the car crumpled like paper. Lucas's head slammed against the seatbelt, his small body thrown forward as the world erupted into chaos.

And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

Everything was still.

Lucas opened his eyes, blinking against the bright, sterile lights above him. He was lying on a bed, surrounded by strange machines. His chest felt tight, and pain radiated from his head, his arms, his legs. But the worst pain—the thing that made his stomach churn—was the emptiness inside of him.

He looked around, disoriented. The quiet was overwhelming. The faint hum of machines, the sound of footsteps outside the door—it all felt so distant. The world seemed too still, too silent.

"Where... where am I?" His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. His throat burned, but his mind was more focused on the gnawing question that wouldn't leave his mind.

He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness hit him, and he quickly laid back down. His heart was pounding. He felt a strange sense of dread crawling up his spine. Where's Mom? Where's Dad?

Just then, the door opened, and a doctor stepped inside. His face was kind, but there was something solemn about the way he looked at Lucas. The doctor walked over to the bed, his steps slow and careful.

"How are you feeling, son?" the doctor asked, his voice gentle.

Lucas's eyes searched the doctor's face, the panic rising in his chest. His lips trembled as he managed to croak, "Where... where are my parents?"

The doctor's expression shifted, just for a moment, as if he was preparing for this question. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm so sorry, Lucas," he said quietly, his voice heavy. "Your parents... they didn't make it. They... they were in the accident with you."

Lucas's world seemed to collapse in that instant. The room spun, his heart felt like it was being torn from his chest. He wanted to scream, to yell, to demand it wasn't true. But no words came. Just an endless silence that stretched through his very soul.