The whisper in the rain

Chapter 1: The Night Everything Changed The rain fell like the sky was breaking apart. Amina sat by the window, her small fingers tracing invisible lines across the cold glass. She had always loved the rain—it made the world feel quiet, like everything paused for a moment. But tonight, something felt different. Heavy. Uneasy. “Come away from there,” her mother called softly from the kitchen. “You’ll catch a cold.” Amina didn’t move. She didn’t know why her chest felt tight. Why her heart beat just a little faster than normal. Like something was about to happen—but she didn’t know what. Her father walked in, grabbing his keys. “We’ll be back soon,” he said with a smile. “Just going to pick something up.” Her mother wiped her hands and walked over, gently brushing Amina’s hair back. “Be good, okay? We won’t be long.” Amina finally turned. “Can I come?” Her parents exchanged a look. “Next time,” her father said. “It’s late.” She nodded, but something inside her didn’t agree. Something inside her wanted to hold them there… to make them stay. But she didn’t. She just watched. Watched as they stepped out into the rain. Watched as the door closed. Watched as silence filled the house. Minutes passed. Then an hour. Then another. The rain didn’t stop. Neither did the feeling in her chest. And then— A knock. Not soft. Not gentle. Loud. Urgent. Amina walked slowly to the door, her small feet barely making a sound. When she opened it, two strangers stood there. One in uniform. One with eyes that couldn’t meet hers. “Are you Amina?” the man asked quietly. She nodded. There was a pause. A long, painful pause. And then the words that shattered her world: “There’s been an accident.” The rain kept falling. But inside Amina, something had already stopped. That was the night she became alone.