Starcrossed A Game of Fate

The storm was unreasonably severe and uncontrollable that very day. The noise from the increasingly loud, continuous rainfall filled the chaotic night air, blocking off any other sounds coming from the area. Continuous flashes of lightning cracked the sky, followed by violent, destructive roars of thunder.

Along a wooded highway, a lone car swished past the paved roads, undeterred by the heavy rainfall crashing onto its surfaces, the windscreen wipers of the car relentlessly doing their job to repel the violent waves of the downpour.

”Mama. Are we there yet? ” asked an eight-year-old boy from the backseat of the car. Staring through the window of the car, all the boy could see was plain darkness. Sometimes, occasional flashes of lightning would light up the sky, frightening him. ”I want to be home. ”

”We
e almost there, honey. Why don you take a quick nap and Ill wake you up when we get there, okay? ” The mother coaxed the little boy, turning back from the front seat of the car and giving him a comforting smile.

”Yes. You must be tired, son. Sleep for a while. Well reach home soon, ” his father said to him, relaxing his hands on the steering wheel as he drove to their destination.

”Okay, papa, ” replied the boy, rubbing his droopy eyes.

Travelling at night when the weather was brimming with shocks of terror never boded well, but it didn stop the family of three. Having a complicated job, the boys father had to go on multiple business trips, leaving his family behind to earn his living. But this time, however, the boy insisted his father take him and his mother on his business trip, to which his father, after a lot of contemplation, finally agreed and took them.

”Linda? ” the boys father addressed his wife.

”What is it? ” she asked, her curious amber eyes looking at him.

”Sorry, the business trip took longer than expected, ” he said.

”Its fine. I understand your situation, Mr David, ” Linda teased her husband in a flat-toned voice.

At the unexpected name call, David laughed at his wifes dry sense of humour. She never failed to amuse him. ”It mustve been tough on you, ” he apologised nonetheless.

”No, its not. As long as our son is happy, thats all that matters to me. ” Linda smiled, tugging a strand of brown hair behind her ears.

”Theres something Ive been meaning to tell you, ” David began. ”Ive managed to secure a stable job in our city, so now I can spend more time with Ley and you. ”

”Well, isn that a good thing? Our son always misses you since you
e never around. Don you think it might affect your father-son relationship if things go on like this? ”

”I know, Linda. Thats why Im trying hard to get this job and now Ive finally made it! ” David laughed aloud.

”Papa, you
e too noisy. How do you expect me to sleep when you laugh like that? ” his half-asleep son accused him, getting up from the backseat.

”Oh. Did I wake my lovely Ley? ” Ley was a sweet nickname David gave him, which was taken from his actual birth name, Leyon. ”Papas sorry. Will you forgive me? ”

”Hmph! ” Leyon pouted, crossing his arms. ”Only if you treat me to ice cream when we get home. ”

”Its a promise then. ” David grinned at his son.

Linda gently smiled and shook her head. ”I don know what to do with the both of you. ” The minute those words escaped her mouth, Linda froze, gripped by horror upon seeing something on the road up ahead. ”Watch out! ” Linda screamed.

Amidst the storm and in the middle of the road, they encountered a wild reindeer. David gasped and jerked the steering wheel hard, trying to evade the wild animal. The car screeched to a halt, but the sudden application of brakes and an unfavourable turn in direction made the car lose control.

Everything that happened afterwards was a complete blur to Leyon, his father, and his mother. The alarming scene played out in slow motion until tragedy struck. In a frightening span of a few seconds, the car flipped over on its sides following a sharp U-turn, and rolled down a narrow slope, rushing through the woods before finally crashing into a big tree. But the heavy downpour continued uninterrupted.