Emma's Point Of View The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a faint glow across the room. My body felt as heavy as my heart, weighed down by grief that still clung to me like a second skin. Waking up didn’t feel like waking up, it felt like resurfacing from a pit of despair, only to be shoved back under again. Brandon was gone. The words didn’t even feel real yet, but they echoed in my mind like a cruel taunt. My brother, my only family, the one who always had my back, was no more. And now, I was alone in this world, no parents, no sibling, just me. I sat up slowly, every muscle aching as if my emotions had seeped into my physical being. My phone chimed on the bedside table, a small intrusion into my cocoon of grief. Picking it up, I saw the message from the hospital.

