“A painter and a ballerina dancer,” replied Jessica to the question her uncle Bob asked her about what she wished to be when she grows up. Jessica was wearing a yellow dress with green printed flowers, her long wavy hair, blue eyes and dimples made her both lovable and adorable to everyone who saw her.

She was 8-years-old and was now visiting her grandparents whom she called grandpa and grandma respectively. Jessica and her grandparents spent the day at a relative’s farm.

“Oh come on David it’s a bit late, why don’t you guys just stay the night?” pleaded uncle Bob who hoped that Jessica’s grandparents would change their minds about leaving.

“We really can’t my business has no-one attending it and really we don’t want to be a burden to you guys,” said Jessica’s grandfather.

“Now Jessica sweetie, make sure you look after him,” said Uncle Bob who had given Jessica a small kitten.

“Yes, I will uncle Bob I promise,” Jessica replied excitedly as she gave her uncle a hug and good-bye kiss.

“Come on!” Jake screamed as he injected himself with heroin. Jake and his close friend Johan were always erratic and loud-mouthed when they did drugs. The two spent their days by opposing the law and engaging in all sorts of crime.

“Now is our chance,” whispered Jake as they planned to steal an unmonitored car. Approaching the car Jake easily managed to break into and start the car. They were now behind the wheel of the stolen car.

“Jessica, don’t you think you should stop kissing that poor cat?” Her grandfather asked.

“But grandpa I love him so much and by the way he’s a kitten,” said Jessica in her smiling and joyful tone. Feeling the first signs of sleep, Jessica placed the cat back in its crate.

“I love you grandma and grandpa,” said Jessica who was hugging her grandmother from behind her seat.

“We love you too……David watch out!” Jessica’s grandmother roared, but it was too late.

Another vehicle had hit their vehicle head on followed by the shattering of windows, a loud rumble of iron clashing together. Though the accident happened so fast, time stopped for all passengers as they stared horrifying at each other. Steam was coming from both cars; the collision saw neither vehicle recognisable. The sirens of an ambulance, police vehicles and a helicopter could later be heard approaching the scene.

A while later

“Jessica! Jessica that’s our daughter,” Jessica’s mother said histerically to one of the police officers stationed on the scene.“I’m Elizabeth and this here is my husband Doug, now please let us through!” She screamed at the police officer who refused to grant them access. .

“My baby mom is here,” Elizabeth cried as Jessica was being wheeled to a standing ambulance van.

“Doug, like I said the two were under the influence of drugs. The same two young males it seemed, were responsible for the theft of the vehicle that drove into your parent’s car,” said a police officer now attending to the families grievances.

Both Jessica’s grandparents and one passenger from the stolen vehicle died on the scene. Jessica was rushed to the hospital where an emergency operation was performed on her. Unfortunately both her one arm and her leg were amputated due to the injuries that she sustained.

“Mummy where’s my kitten?” Jessica timidly asked as she regained consciousness.

“It’s at home dear,” her mother lied because she refused to crush Jessica’s spirit any further.

“What about grandpa and grandma?” Jessica asked again.

“They were taken to a different hospital now, please dear you must rest,” her mother coaxed. Elizabeth and Doug came to realise that the only way to protect Jessica was to simply lie.

***

Tell us what you think: Would you say it was the drugs or the two men who used them that were the cause of the accident?