The Music We Make ✔️

13. We're American

Five words. That's all it took to ruin the composure I worked so hard for.

This is all your fault.

As soon as I read those words the letter dropped from my hands and my heart started racing.

Just breathe I tried to tell myself, but I couldn't fill my lungs with enough air.

I wasn't getting enough air.

I couldn't breathe.

I stood up, panic and fear making it even harder to suck in air. It felt like my throat was closing up.

Everything started to look fuzzy and dark around the edges. I couldn't feel my feet on the ground. I couldn't feel my legs beneath me, holding me up.

Was I standing, or laying, or floating?

I felt lightheaded as my brain became deprived of oxygen, and my lungs hurt as they tried to work overtime.

I looked around for something, someone, to help but everything was going dark.

And then everything went black.

A knock at the door distracted me from the notes I was playing, I tried to focus on the keys beneath my fingers but another knock caused me to play the wrong chord.

Who was at the door at this time of night? It was almost 10:00!

"Mom, dad, are you going to get it?" I called when another knock at the door echoed through the house.

When I didn't get a response I quickly exited my room and made my way downstairs so I could answer the door before whoever was knocking left.

I swung the door open, expecting to find a neighbour or one of my friends on the other side, but to my surprise no one was there.

Was someone pranking me?

Just as I was about to close the door I heard a honk and the screech of tires on the road.

My eyes snapped in the direction of the noise and I saw my parent's car going full speed down the road and right toward Aunt Maria's car.

The two cars were heading straight for each other. Fast.

"Stop! Stop you'll crash!" I screamed as I ran out the door, hoping someone would hear or see me.

"No!" I yelled just as the two cars collided.

I ran onto the road when the cars were still, praying that no one was seriously injured.

"Mom, dad, Maria! Someone answer me!" I called out, hoping for a reply.

All I heard in return was a yelp of pain from aunt Maria's car.

I quickly ran over to help, but I just couldn't get to her.

"This is all your fault." She gurgled through a mouthful of blood.

"I'm sorry." I sobbed, pressing my hand to the driver's side window.

She opened her mouth to say something else but the words died in her throat and her eyes glazed over.

She was gone.

I ran over to my parents car, hoping to find them awake and responsive, but when I got to them their eyes were closed and their bodies still. I knew they were gone too.

"Help!" I screamed.

"Someone help me!"

"Help!"