Some people say the worst day of you life changes you forever. But they never say what happens when that day never ends.
Kyle, an ordinary high school student with a loving family, loved by his little sister that look up to him like a shining star and an exemple of strength, kindness and how to be a good person. He wasn't the smartest kid in class, or the most popular, but he had something a lot of people didn't- peace. His loving mother would have his favorites meals ready for when he was hungry and would slime and jump with joy every time he praised her cooking. He had a strick and caring father who taught him how to survive in the wild and how treat a lady a lady with respect.
'' A real man doesn't win a woman with gifts or charm. He earns her trust through consistency. Protect her, never control her. Listen more than you speak. And never-ever-raise your voice to prove a point. If you can't protect her peace, you don't deserve her presence.''- he said and repeated every time.
The Valeheart family had always lived for the thrill of nature. Adventurers at heart, they spent more time under the stars than beneath a roof. Camping wasn't just a hobby for them, it was a tradition. Every mountain, river, and forest they explored was a memory carved into their legacy. While some families spent weekends at the mall, the Valehearts spent theirs climbing cliffs, building fires and falling asleep to the sound of crickets. Kyle's family didn't just go camping, they lived among the nature. Nature was their second home, and every trip taught him something new about the wild life.
Kyle love studing the animals around him, their habits, their diet, their pedadors, their relations and interactions with other animal. He learned with every visit and loved discovering new things. His grades weren't a surprise to the family, he was working hard but not to get A+ grade in every class, but to learn the most important lessons about the world for his own satisfaction.
October 14th — just another quiet Saturday in Pinecrest, a small mountain town nestled at the edge of Colorado's rugged trails. The kind of place where neighbors waved, the stars came out early, and the silence of the woods hummed louder than any phone signal. Kyle Valeheart never imagined that peace could end — not here, where life moved slow and love filled every corner of his home.
The evening air was crisp but calm, carrying the faint scent of pine and campfire smoke. Inside their cozy cabin, laughter echoed softly as Kyle's mother set the table with his favorite meal — warm stew and fresh bread. His little sister's eyes sparkled with excitement, hanging onto every word as their father shared stories of past adventures beneath the same stars they now watched through the window. In that moment, time felt endless, wrapped in the simple comfort of family — a fragile peace Kyle wished he could hold onto forever.
The night had wrapped them in a quiet embrace, every sound softened by the thick walls of the cabin and the protective forest outside. Kyle's heart was full, unaware that the world beyond those walls was already shifting — a storm gathering, not in the sky, but in fate itself. As the laughter faded and the lights dimmed, the silence settled heavier than before. It was the kind of silence that whispers: nothing will ever be the same
Kyle woke up to smoke. Thick, heavy smoke that burned his lungs and made it hard to see. The air smelled like fire and gas. Light slipped through the broken ceiling, showing pieces of glass, blood on the floor, and a silence that felt louder than anything he'd ever heard.
He pushed forward, coughing, calling out into the wreckage. "Mom?" No answer. "Dad?" Nothing. "Lily?"
Then, he saw it. A small hand reaching out from under the rubble. It shook… then stopped moving.
Kyle froze. His heart dropped. Something inside him shattered.
He screamed.
Outside, the stars kept shining — quiet, cold, and uncaring.
Then, everything went dark