*Chapter One*
*Subtitle: When The Night Took Everything*
The rain was heavy that night.
Tade, 16, sat with her younger brother Tola, 14, in the living room, both of them staring at the door. Their parents were late from the outing.
"Sis, dial mummy's number and ask if they're close," Tola said, his voice tight.
Tade nodded and picked up the phone. It rang twice before her mom answered.
"Hello, Mom, the rain is heavy here. Are you close? Where are you?" Tade rushed the words out.
"Calm down, Tade. We're close. Your dad is driving, so don't worry about us," her mom replied.
Then her mom's voice changed. "Honey, focus!"
*Crash.*
A loud, sickening sound tore through the phone. The line went dead.
"Mom!! Dad!!! Can you hear me?!" Tade screamed, her hands shaking.
"Tade, what happened? Are they fine?" Tola grabbed her arm, eyes wide with fear.
"I don't know," she whispered. "Let's go to bed. They'll call back. They'll be fine."
Neither of them slept that night.
---
The next morning, the phone rang at 6:47 AM.
Tade grabbed it before the second ring. "Mom? Where are you?"
"Hi, dear. I guess you're her daughter," a stranger's voice said, flat and heavy. "There's been an accident. I need...