Ashes of Forever

Shattered silence

Zoey's POV

The morning started like any other.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, painting the kitchen in soft golden hues. Sophie sat at the table, her tiny legs swinging beneath her as she nibbled on a piece of toast.

"Mama, can we go to the park today?" she asked, her voice filled with hope.

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Of course, sweetheart. After breakfast, we'll."

The sound of Theo's footsteps interrupted me. He walked into the kitchen, his tie loose and his hair still damp from the shower.

"Morning," he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek before ruffling Imara's hair. "What are my girls up to today?"

"The park!" Sophie exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

Theo chuckled, the sound warm and familiar. "Sounds like a plan. I'll try to finish work early and join you."

For a moment, everything felt perfect.

But perfection is fragile.

The explosion happened just after lunch.

I was in the living room, folding laundry, when the ground seemed to shake beneath my feet. A deafening roar filled the air, followed by the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood.

"Sophie!" I screamed, dropping the clothes and running toward the kitchen.

Smoke filled the air, thick and suffocating. Flames licked the walls, their heat searing my skin. I stumbled, coughing, my eyes burning as I searched for her.

"Sophie! Where are you?!"

I found her near the table, her small body crumpled on the floor. Blood pooled beneath her, staining her favorite pink dress.

"No, no, no," I whispered, dropping to my knees beside her. "Sophie, baby, wake up. Please, wake up."

But she didn't move.

The flames grew hotter, the smoke thicker. I could barely breathe, barely think.

"Help!" I screamed, my voice raw with desperation. "Someone, help!"

The ceiling above me groaned, then collapsed, sending a shower of debris crashing down. Pain exploded in my head, and everything went dark.

Theo's POV

I was in a meeting when my phone rang.

Normally, I'd ignore it, but something made me glance at the screen. It was Zoey.

"Excuse me," I said, stepping out of the room. "Zoey? Is everything okay?"

The voice on the other end wasn't Zoey's. It was a stranger's, frantic and urgent.

"Mr. Harper, there's been an explosion at your home. Your wife and daughter they're hurt. You need to come now."

My heart stopped.

"What? Are they?"

"Please, just come. They're being taken to St. Mary's Hospital."

The call ended, and I stood there, frozen. My hands trembled, my mind racing. Sophie. Zoey.

I ran.

I don't remember getting to my car or driving to the hospital. All I remember is the fear a crushing, suffocating fear that made it hard to breathe.

"Please," I whispered, gripping the steering wheel. "Please, let them be okay."

When I arrived at the hospital, chaos greeted me. Nurses rushed past, their faces grim. I grabbed the first one I saw.

"My wife and daughter Zoey and Sophie Harper. Where are they?"

She hesitated, her expression sympathetic. "Sir, your wife is in surgery. Your daughter... I'm so sorry. She didn't make it."

The world tilted.

"No," I said, my voice breaking. "No, that's not possible. She's fine. She's"

But the nurse's face told me everything I needed to know.

Sophie was gone.

I stumbled into the waiting room, my legs giving way as I collapsed into a chair. My baby. My little girl. How could this happen?

And then I remembered Zoey.

She was supposed to protect her. She was supposed to keep her safe.

---

Zoey's POV

When I woke, the room was blurry, the fluorescent lights harsh against my eyes. My head throbbed, and my body felt heavy, weighed down by bandages and wires.

I tried to sit up, but a searing pain shot through my left arm. I looked down and gasped.

My skin was raw and blistered, the burns stretching from my shoulder to my wrist. The scar was jagged and angry, a permanent reminder of the fire that had taken everything from me.

"Theo?" I croaked, my voice barely audible.

But it wasn't Theo who answered.

"She's awake," a voice said coldly, unfamiliar.

I turned my head, my vision clearing enough to see Theo's in-laws standing at the foot of my bed. His mother, Evelyn, her face twisted with anger, and his father, Richard, his expression unreadable.

And then there was Amanda.

She stood in the corner, her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. Our eyes met, and for a moment, I thought I saw something,something dark, something dangerous.

"Zoey," Evelyn said, her voice sharp. "How could you let this happen?"

"I... I tried," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I tried to save her."

"Trying isn't enough," Richard said, his tone cold. "You were supposed to protect her. You were supposed to be her mother."

The door opened, and Theo walked in. His face was pale, his eyes hollow. He looked like a man who had lost everything because he had.

"Theo," I said, reaching for him.

But he didn't take my hand. Instead, he stepped back, his gaze hardening.

"You were supposed to protect her," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I trusted you. I told you about Shirley about how I failed her, how I couldn't save her. I promised her I'd take care of Sophie. And you... you let her die."

"Theo, I tried"

"You failed!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room. "She's gone because of you!"

I flinched, tears streaming down my face. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

But he didn't care.

"Sorry won't bring her back," he said, stepping closer, his voice trembling with rage. "You were supposed to keep her safe. You were supposed to be her mother. And you failed. You failed her. You failed me."

His in-laws nodded in agreement, their faces hard and unforgiving.

"Get out," Theo said, his voice cold as ice. "I never want to see you again."

"Theo, please"

Where would I go?

The look I got from Theo sent chills down my spine,so I gave up.. tears poured down on its own accord.

"No," he snapped, cutting me off. "You don't get to beg. You don't get to cry. You lost that right when you let my daughter die."

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But mark my words, Zoey. This isn't over. You will pay for what you did. You will suffer like my little girl suffered. I will make sure of it."

I looked past him, my eyes locking with Amanda's. Her smirk widened, and for a moment, I saw the glint of something sinister in her eyes.

And then she mouthed two words:

"You're next."