I don't normally put warnings before me stories, but this deals with family loss, and sexual assault.
This is chapter one, if you are looking for a steamy short story, this will not be for you. There is no sex, as yet in the story. This chapter is strictly a backstory/setup for a future sequel. Feel free to send me constructive criticism.
My name is Brandon. The people in charge here have asked me to start at the very beginning, and write as much as I can, in as much detail as I can about everything that led up to the incident in question. So, instead of writing down "just the facts", which seems dry and monotonous to me, I decided to write it as if it were a story. This way seems much more intimate to me, and therefore, will be easier for me to remember all the little details.
To go all the way back, we were a normal, cookie-cutter family. It was myself, my father and mother, and Ailiyah, my younger sister. My mother and father had been married for decades, and were still very much in love, My mother doted on my sister, and went out of her way to assure that she toed the line, and maintained a proper, respectable reputation. Not that it was a difficult task for mom. My sister, although born with obvious physical beauty, seemed to have no interest in boys, or partying. In fact, although she developed early into a stunning beauty, she seemed completely content to enjoy our family life, schoolwork, and life's more innocent social endeavors. A lot of people commented on how serious Ailiyah seemed, and it always made me chuckle. She could be studious, and stoic in public, but somehow, when we were alone as a family together, she morphed into a giggly, fun kid again almost immediately. In fact, she demanded that everyone call her Ailiyah at school, but to me, and our parents, she was always Ally.
I had been somewhat similar in our childhood pursuits. Although I played high school football, wrestled, and ran track, I never saw the appeal of partying. So, by maintaining my grades, my extracurricular resume, and staying out of trouble, I had my choice of colleges. I chose the University of Texas, as it was only a few hours from home I graduated the same year Ally finished high school. By chance, she was accepted to Texas as well,, along with Baylor, and Texas A&m. I was in the process of packing my things at college to come home, when my sister arrived, asking me to show her the campus. My sister and I had always been close, and I gladly gave her the tour, postponing my packing until the next day.
After showing her the various buildings, dorms, and study areas, I took her to dinner. I remember her chattering away, excited at the adventure to come. That moment was when our life fell apart. As my sister ordered her food, my phone rang, and I saw the screen light up "DAD". Without a thought, I accepted the call, and immediately heard screaming, and sirens. My Dad's voice could not be describe as anything but... broken. I never did understand what he was saying, I simply yelled, "WE ARE COMING", grabbed my sister by the arm, and sprinted to the car. The entire drive home, my sister was in a panic, repeatedly calling our father, and getting no answer. That drive seemed to take days, and when I swung into the drive, our parent's car was not there. Immediately, Jack Morgan, our neighbor ran out, and without hesitation, jumped into the driver;s seat of my car, and screamed "GET IN."
On the drive, he explained that my parents had apparently gone out for dinner, a private celebration for my and my sister's success. On the drive home, it appears that the brakes failed, and the car went over an embankment, rolled several times, and ejected both of our parents. While our dad was thrown clear, the car rolled over mom, crushing her petite body. When we arrived at the hospital, I found my father laying in a bed, with tubes and wires attached everywhere, unconscious. The doctor informed us that he was in a medically induced coma, he was expected to eventually make a full recovery. I can still remember the doctor hanging his head, as he informed us that my mother was gone, and had been placed on life support, awaiting a family decision. As my sister sobbed over our father, I signed the form authorizing the removal of life support, and donation of her organs, as was her wish.
I had a friend bring my belongings from school, as I couldn't bear to leave my father's side. My sister prepared to stay as well, but I finally convinced her that neither of our parents would want her life to fall apart, and that she absolutely had to start classes as scheduled. She, of course, tried her best to argue, but I just couldn't see another promising future destroyed by this tragedy. When she finally agreed, she promised to return every weekend, I watched her walk out of the hospital room, and waited to hear the door click. The moment I heard that sound, my emotions exploded. I have never in my life been so heartbroken, angry, hopeful, and determined, all at the same time. The next week, alone in the room with only the hissing and beeps of his machinery, were a blur. Finally, on a Friday, I was able to make the call to my sister that I had been hoping for, and told her that the swelling in Dad's brain had gone down, and he was being revived from his medical coma. As her classes had already ended for the week, Ally came straight to the hospital, and busted in the door, to find Dad smiling at her, through his tears. I had tried to wait for Ally, but When he had looked at me, he could tell immediately that Mom was gone. It broke my heart in that moment to see him trying to smile at my sister through his tears.
Over the next several months, myself, the doctors, and nurses coaxed dad to the level of being able to return home. Emotionally, however, he remained broken, He would do his in-home physical therapy, but then would immediately return to bed, simply staring out the window. He would answer me, if I pressed, but spend 99% of his time silent, and teary-eyed, staring out his window. I took over all the household duties, to let him be. My new degree afforded me plenty of money, and they were gracious enough to allow me to work from home. My sister was a regular fixture, as well, leaving for school early Monday morning, returning well after dark Friday night, and always willing to help with dad whenever needed. In fact, she had made it to the middle of her sophomore year, before even hinting at not coming home. I remember the phone call as if it were yesterday.
"hello?' I mumbled, as I focused on the project sitting on my laptop.
"Brandon, its.. Ailiyah." I remember thinking it odd, because from an early age, the only time she called herself by her full name to family was when something was wrong.
"hey Ally, what's up?"
