Page 3 of Marcello DeLuca

We high-fived, the sound of our laughter ringing out. Just then, my mom and Stephanie caught up to us, and Lucy quickly straightened up, still grinning from our jokes.

My mom smiled warmly at Lucy, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Hey, Lucy! It’s been too long. How have you been?”

Lucy gave her a hug, and for a moment, it felt like old times. “I’ve been good, Mrs. Kent. It’s great to see you both.”

Stephanie chimed in, “Lucy! You haven’t changed a bit. Have you been keeping Saffie out of trouble like Mom always says about you?”

“Always,” Lucy replied, winking at me. “We were just discussing our high standards for dates.”

Mom chuckled. “Well, it’s good to see you two together, clowning around again. We’re about to head to the car, but it was really good to see you again, Lucy.”

“You too, Mrs. Kent,” Lucy said, giving her another quick hug.

“Come along, Stephanie. Saffie, meet us at the car. We are headed that way.” Mom added, gently steering my sister toward the front of the store.

“I guess we’re about to go. See you soon, and remember our new checklist!” I reminded Lucy.

She laughed. “Absolutely! No more Crocs or lost chakras!”

Mom and Stephanie purchased the colorful beach towels and sandals they’d picked up, while Lucy and I followed them, still talking, laughing, and playing catch up.

Whenever I was with her, it felt like old times and good vibes, so I was in no hurry to end our conversation. Once my mother and sister were done checking out, I knew I had to go. Lucy and I reached the front door and stood there, talking as my family loaded into the car.

“Well, I guess I have to go. I’ll call you when we get to my grandmother’s house so that we can make a plan to hook back up and talk more.”

Lucy smiled and extended her arms for a hug. “If you don’t call me, I’ll call you. I have so much more to tell you. Just been busy lately with school and since you’re not around I forget that I can just call you for a good laugh.”

“Yes, call me anytime, and I’ll have a joke handy!” I gave her a hug. It felt good to reconnect. I trailed slowly out of the market’s door, waving to my friend. “See you soon, Lucy.”

“See you when you come back from the beach.” Lucy waved goodbye.

As I turned away from her, I realized the area was bustling with people. I smiled at a woman walking toward me with a cute baby in a stroller. I heard a loud noise and saw that it had been an elderly woman closing her trunk after loading her groceries in a red van across the parking lot. A black SUV crept by the elderly woman and drove past my family’s car.

I took another step toward our car, noticing the driver of the SUV scowl menacingly before speeding out of the parking lot. Before I could process the meaning of the man’s expression, an explosion rocked the market. The force of it destabilized the ground causing me to fall, and a deafening roar filled my ears.

The last thing I remembered was waving goodbye to Lucy, scanning the parking lot, and turning to my mother to see her huge smile. Stephanie had gazed longingly out of the window, undoubtedly with thoughts of the beach on her mind. My father tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, anxiously waiting for me to get into the car so we could leave. And then chaos ensued as our car was engulfed in flames and people around me screamed in horror.

I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. “Mom! Dad! Stephanie! No!” I cried; my voice lost in the panic around me.

The world seemed to spin as I watched the inferno that had moments ago been our car. My vision blurred with tears, and my legs felt like jelly. People were shouting, rushing to help, but it was all a surreal blur.

Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back. “You can’t go near it!” a voice said urgently.

“No! My family!” I screamed, struggling against the grip.

“It’s too dangerous!” the voice insisted, but it felt like a distant echo.

Hours felt like seconds, or maybe it was the other way around. Time lost all meaning as I sat on the ground, Lucy kneeling beside me, her lips moving but no words coming out. Tears rolled down her cheeks, further cementing the reality that my family’s car had been bombed. My father, mother and sister had been taken away from me in the blink of an eye.

Paramedics and firefighters swarmed the scene, but it was too late.

In the haze of smoke and sirens, I heard snippets of conversation—something about a man fleeing the scene, whispers of foul play or an act of terrorism.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of police questions, sympathetic voices, and the sterile white walls of a hospital room. They said I was in shock, that I needed to rest, but how could I? Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the explosion, heard Stephanie’s laughter turning into deafening silence, felt the heat of the flames.

I curled up on the hospital bed, clutching the blanket tighter around me, wishing desperately that it could all be a nightmare. But I knew it wasn’t. I was wide awake. And my family was dead.

I was only fourteen years old, and my entire family was gone. Gone. I was alone. Nothing would ever be the same again. As I lay there, numb with grief, I couldn’t shake the image of the man who driven by in the black SUV. Who was he? And why had he done this to my family?

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