The world tilts on its axis as I stand rooted to the spot, frozen in shock, the sounds around me fading into a muffled hum. My breath catches in my throat, and my vision blurs, but it doesn’t matter. The scene in front of me is all I can focus on: Mom, lying at the bottom of the stairs, motionless, a dark red puddle spreading beneath her head.
I can’t move. My body is frozen in place, every limb locked in fear and disbelief. I blink, trying to clear my vision, convinced for a moment that I’m imagining it. But no, this is real. It’s happening. Mom is lying there, and she’s not getting up.
The chaos around me seems distant, like it’s happening in another world. I can vaguely hear people shouting, feel the vibrations of footsteps rushing past, but it’s all background noise. My entire being
