Chapter 2 Loosing Everything in a Day

If nightmares could take form in reality, this would be it. Elena's body sank to the floor, unable to bear the weight of her thoughts. Her hands trembled as she tried to calm herself, but the sense of panic continued to haunt her.

Her shoulders felt unbearably heavy, as though they had lost all strength. Her legs, once full of life, now felt like lifeless limbs, paralyzed by the weight of the disaster. Her eyes, usually bright, were now distant, lost in the horror unfolding before her.

The sight shattered her heart. The wind, sharp and cruel, carried a scorched stench that clung to her senses, lingering from the smoldering ruins. Once a towering structure, the building now lay as a crumbling heap of ruins, its remnants cloaked in black, like the shadow of death itself. The shapeless ruins of the building were like something that had lost everything, as if reflecting her current feelings.

"How did this happen? What now?" she thought, a suffocating weight pressing on her chest.

This was Elena's first visit to her father's supermarket after the fire, and the devastating sight made her pain feel even more real, as if the ashes themselves carried echoes of her heartbreak.

She hadn't been able to come until she was certain her father was stable, but that did nothing to ease the ache in her chest. She had spent eight agonizing hours outside the operating room, her mind a blur of prayers and fears, until the doctor finally emerged with news that felt like a fragile thread pulling her back from despair.

Elena had been able to feel a flicker of gratitude-a fragile, trembling relief-when the doctor told her they had managed to save her father. That small flicker was like a lone ray of light piercing through a suffocating darkness, a reminder that amidst the ruins, there was still hope. There was still God's grace, woven delicately into the fragile moments of her life, because her father meant everything to her.

But now, standing here, she had to face the next storm: the shattered remains of her father's supermarket. According to the employees, the fire had been discovered by local residents just before dawn.

By the time help arrived, the flames had already roared into an uncontrollable frenzy, fueled by strong winds that turned the fire into a ravenous beast, devouring everything in its path. Efforts to extinguish it were futile against the relentless inferno. When Elena's father arrived at the scene, the blaze was still raging, painting the sky with streaks of red and black.

He had been in the middle of a tense conversation with one of his trusted associates when, without warning, he collapsed-clutching his chest as a sharp pain surged through him like a bolt of lightning.

An ambulance had rushed him to the hospital, sirens wailing like echoes of her own silent screams. After a flurry of activity in the emergency room, the doctors determined that he needed immediate surgery to save his life.

And now, as Elena stood before the charred ruins, the reality hit her with full force. The supermarket was nothing more than a skeleton of ash and twisted metal. No wonder her father's heart had given out right there, at the epicenter of their family's dreams reduced to dust.

"Oh my God... what happened? How did it come to this?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling, carried away by the cold night breeze.

Her legs gave out beneath her, and she sank to the ground, her eyes locked on the wreckage surrounded by police tape-a fragile barrier trying to contain the chaos that had already spilled into her life. The biting cold of the night seeped into her skin, but it was nothing compared to the hollow chill gnawing at her heart.

Police officers and firefighters moved through the wreckage like shadows, their presence both distant and suffocating. Then she noticed someone familiar approaching, flanked by a policeman and a firefighter.

Slumped beneath a towering tree, Elena struggled to rise. Her body felt heavy, not just from exhaustion, but from the crushing weight of grief, loss, and the unbearable burden of what lay ahead.

"Good evening, Miss Elena," greeted one of her father's most trusted confidants, his voice tinged with both respect and hesitation.

"Good... evening," Elena replied, her throat dry. "What exactly happened?" Her gaze locked onto the man, demanding an answer.

"We are still investigating the cause of the fire, Miss," a police officer interjected.

Elena nodded slowly, absorbing the words. She knew she couldn't afford to act like a restless child, demanding immediate answers when everything required a thorough process.

"Miss Elena, may I have a moment? I'd like to report on the current impact of the fire," the employee said carefully, his voice carrying the weight of bad news.

"Oh, the effects of the fire..." she muttered under her breath, frustration curling in her tone. The weight of it all pressed against her skull, making her head throb as if it might split apart. She let out a sharp exhale, attempting to regain composure.

"Okay, let's talk over there." She motioned with a slight tilt of her head toward a café not far from the charred remains of the supermarket.

"Understood, Miss Elena," the employee responded.

"All right, Miss Elena. If that's the case, please excuse us. We will contact you as soon as we have a new lead." The policeman and fireman offered brief nods before retreating into the night.

Elena and the employee walked in silence toward the café. The warmth inside was a stark contrast to the devastation outside. A golden chandelier cast a soft glow over the space, its light bouncing off abstract paintings that adorned the walls.

In one corner, a modest bookshelf stood, adding to the café's intimate charm. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee curled through the air, a fleeting comfort in the midst of the chaos that had overtaken her life. Despite its inviting atmosphere, the café was subdued-only a few patrons sat at scattered tables, murmuring in hushed tones, their presence a mere whisper against the storm raging in Elena's mind.

After ordering two drinks, they settled into their seats, facing each other.

"Are you all right, Miss?" the employee asked gently, his concern evident.

"No," Elena admitted without hesitation, her voice steady but laced with exhaustion. "I don't think anyone would be after going through something like this."

She would never allow herself to be a hypocrite, pretending everything was fine when her world had just been shattered. Elena refused to wear a mask of calmness in front of others, choosing instead to confront the truth-both her own and those around her-even if some burdens were too heavy to share.

"I understand. I'm sorry, Miss," the clerk murmured, his voice thick with regret. His words carried a weight that reflected the gravity of his own situation-his job, his livelihood, now in jeopardy because of the fire. He knew the consequences could be dire, leaving him and his colleagues without compensation or a future.

"Why apologize?" Elena replied, her voice steady yet soft. "You've done nothing wrong. Thank you for your concern. Now, let's move forward," she continued, her words betraying only a glimpse of the determination she barely felt within.

She took a slow sip of her coffee, the warmth offering a fleeting comfort as the liquid slid across her tongue. But no matter how soothing the taste, it couldn't quell the storm raging in her heart, nor could it drown the rising anxiety swirling within her chest.

The clerk nodded in understanding and began to explain further. "All right, Miss. The fire also destroyed the warehouse at the back of the supermarket, leaving us with no goods left to sell. Worse, the warehouse contained items from suppliers that had yet to be paid for-a considerable sum, Miss." With a resigned sigh, he slid a file across the table, the weight of the situation clear in his eyes. Inside, a detailed list of goods and unpaid invoices lay, each paper like a cold reminder of what had been lost.

"Where did you get this data?" Elena asked, taking the file and beginning to study it. Naturally, she was curious since the supermarket's operations office had also been reduced to ashes.

"I received calls from the suppliers we haven't paid yet, Miss. They sent the invoices again," the clerk explained.

Elena nodded, her eyes scanning the data meticulously. Frustration welled up inside her as she stared at the numbers piling up at the bottom of the totals, but she forced herself to remain composed.

"Why haven't they been paid yet?" A flicker of realization crossed her face. "Where's the woman in charge of the finances? Why isn't she here with you?" Elena pressed, her voice growing sharper.

The clerk sighed uneasily, his gaze dropping to the table.

"She... she ran off with all the supermarket's money, Miss."

"WHAT?" Elena felt her world crumble with that single word. Her eyes widened, locked onto the clerk as if trying to determine whether this was some cruel joke.

Her heart skipped a beat, her hands trembling as if the ground beneath her had been ripped away. It felt like being struck with a sledgehammer-every problem that had been piling up suddenly crashing down in one final, devastating blow.

"She... ran away? How could...?" she whispered, her voice brittle, barely audible as disbelief wrapped around her like a suffocating fog. Her vision blurred with tears threatening to spill, but she fought them back, determined not to fall apart in front of the clerk.

Elena felt as though the very floor beneath her feet had vanished. The weight of responsibility pressing on her chest now seemed unbearable, doubling with every breath. She knew-none of this could be left unanswered. But where was she supposed to begin?

For the first time, Elena felt-she might not be able to get through all of this.

To be continued...