The tyres screeched. The phone in Abdulia’s hand shook, and the screen was filled with blurry faces and a loud shout.
A loud bang sent the world sideways, and the sound of glass breaking echoed in the sun. There was only noise for a moment, and fear throbbed in Abdulia’s ears.
She turned her head to the right. Jacqueline wasn’t in her chair. The camera kept rolling as Abdulia’s voice got more and more panicked. “Please help me! I don’t know what happened!” Her hands shook. Sirens got louder somewhere.
As she ran outside, the grass scratched her arms. Jacqueline lay still. Abdulia screamed, her words quick and desperate, begging the sky and the ground. “Please come back. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
People who lived nearby and people who didn’t came. Their voices rose and fell in the crazy air. Abdulia tried to reach her sister, but police officers gently pushed her back. She shook and cried, and tears ran down her cheeks. Her world felt broken and unreal.
The video spread in the days that followed. People who didn’t know Abdulia could see her grief on screens. The court used her words as evidence. She sat still, staring ahead, and time seemed to slow down around her.
She served time, and even though she got out early, it wasn’t easy to find peace. Life went on with problems, new news stories, and hard days. She thought about that day every time she had a quiet moment and wished she could go back in time.