She had never known a life without them. And then, in one night, she knew nothing else.
Amina had never known a life outside the walls of her small home.
No cousins. No distant relatives. No family gatherings filled with laughter and noise.
It had always been just her.... and her parents. And somehow that was enough.
Her father was a tailor known across the town.
Though his shop was small and simple, his work carried a reputation that reached far beyond the narrow streets where it stood. People trusted his hands. They respected his name.
But to Amina, he was not just a tailor.
He was the man who smiled at her even on his busiest days. The man who made time.... even when there was none.
She often sat quietly beside him while he worked, watching the steady rhythm of the sewing machine as it came alive under his control.
The soft hum filled the room.
Comforting.
Familiar.
Home.
Sometimes, he would pause and glance at her.
A small smile forming on his lips.
"Sit still," he would say gently. "I'm making something for you." And no matter how tired he was, he always kept his promises.
Her mother was different.
Strong. Hardworking. Unshakeable
Every morning, before the sun fully rose, she would leave for the market to sell foodstuffs. She spoke with confidence, bargained with ease, and carried herself with quiet pride.
But at home —
She was soft.
Warm.
Loving.
She would return in the evening, tired but smiling, settling down her basket before turning to Amina with the same question she never forgot to ask.
Did you eat?
Even before thinking of herself.
Their house was not big.
It was not filled with expensive things.
But it was full in the ways that mattered.
Full of laughter.
Full of warmth.
Full of love.
That evening felt no different from any other.
Her parents were getting to attend a wedding. Her mother adjusted her wrapper while her father searched for his keys.
We might be late, her mother said, glancing at Amina.
Amina nodded.
"I'll be fine."
Her father finally found his keys and turned toward her.
"Lock the door properly," he said.
"I will," she replied.
For a brief moment, he stood there as if he wanted to say something important, but he didn't.
Instead, he smiled and walked away.
The door closed behind them.
And just like that —
The house fell into silence.
At first, it was normal.
Peaceful, even.
Amina moved around the house slowly, doing little things to pass the time.
But as the hours went by..…
The silence began to feel different.
Heavier.
Uncomfortable.
The sky darkened.
Clouds gathered.
And soon —
Rain began to fall.
The sound of it hitting the roof echoed through the quiet house.
Steady, relentless.
Amina glanced at the clock, they should have been home by now.
A strange feeling settled in her chest.
Uneasy, unexplainable.
Far away on a wet slippery road, headlights cut through the storm. A vehicle moved carefully through the rain.
Inside were two people…
Unaware that their lives were about to change forever.
A sharp turn.
A sudden loss of control.
A loud crash that shattered the night.
And then —
Silence.
Back at home, Amina stood still her heart beating faster, for reasons she could not explain.
She didn't know it yet…
But that night —
Would take everything from her.