*****
"Hey, hey! Did you hear about Sam from the class next to us?" a teenage boy whispered to his friend, barely hiding his grin. "They say he was abandoned at birth, and the couple who adopted him? They died in some accident right after."
He chuckled, clearly entertained.
"Yeah, I know," the other replied in a flat tone. "He just sits there in class staring into space."
As they walked past the lockers, a girl shot them a sharp glance. Her name was Zerah—the most popular girl in school, known for her beauty and her cold demeanor. Yet, for reasons no one quite understood, she seemed... different when it came to Sam. A little warmer. A little softer.
Not that Sam ever noticed. Or cared.
He was a quiet, gloomy-looking boy with pale skin—not quite white, but lighter than most around him. He stood over 180 centimeters, but his frame was so thin it looked like he hadn't eaten properly in weeks. His messy black hair often hung over his face, shadowing his dark green eyes. Despite his unique features, his hunched posture and unkempt appearance kept him invisible—especially to the girls.
Ding ding!
The final bell rang.
Sam sighed and stood up slowly, grabbing his worn-out bag. As he walked toward the bus stand, he passed crowds of students laughing in groups, running to meet parents, chattering about their day. He didn't belong to any of it—not at school, not at home.
After his foster parents died, the rest of the family kept their distance. His foster relatives barely acknowledged him. They'd ignored his grandmother too.
He reached the bus stand without realizing it, and just in time to board.
Sam found a seat beside an old man who was clutching a tattered lunchbox wrapped in a dusty towel. The man wore no sandals, and his clothes looked like they'd been through storms. Sam glanced at him, curious—what kind of life must this man have lived?
But his thoughts were interrupted as the bus jerked to a stop.
He stepped off and crossed the road, heading down a narrow, silent lane to his house. Oddly, there was no sound—no cars, no voices, not even the usual buzz of neighborhood life.
Then he saw it.
A crowd had gathered near his street. Police officers were speaking into walkie-talkies, their faces tense. Sam's stomach turned as he pushed forward. Somewhere in the chaos, an ambulance siren began to wail in the distance.
His heart dropped.
Two ambulances arrived. Paramedics rushed out with stretchers and first-aid kits. Sam's breathing quickened. Something in him knew.
No… please, no…
Panic surged. He shoved through the crowd, hands trembling.
And then he saw her.
His grandmother—his last remaining family—lay motionless on the pavement. Her eyes were closed. Her body still.
The tears came instantly. Sam fell to his knees. He wanted to run to her, to hold her hand, to scream—but his body wouldn't move. His legs gave out, his throat tightened, and no words came.
The world around him began to blur. Lights flashed. Sounds echoed and distorted. Everything was spinning, breaking apart.
His heart slowed. Slower… slower…
Someone shouted. A paramedic ran over.
But Sam was already unconscious, his mind fading into darkness. His mouth opened in a silent scream as everything inside him shattered.
What's Next?
stay tuned to find out :)