C1 Chapter 1

The heavy rain poured down on Z City, casting a gloomy and chilling mist all over the city. The streets were slick with rain, and the sound of droplets hitting the pavement was like a constant drumbeat. But amidst the rhythmic patter, a different sound pierced the air - the wail of an ambulance siren.

In the emergency center of Z City General Hospital, a young girl was being rushed in, her body limp and unresponsive. The smell of blood filled the air, and the medical team sprang into action.

According to eyewitnesses, the girl, estimated to be around 20 years old, had been attacked in Ab last hoodie. The assailant, fueled by unknown motives, had struck her four times with a stone before fleeing the scene. A passerby, shaken by the brutal act, had quickly called the ambulance and police.

Emily, the girl's aunt, burst into the hospital, her eyes wild with worry. "Where is she?" she asked the nurse, her voice trembling. "Jules, my daughter , she was brought in..."

The nurse's expression was somber. "Emergency unit, ma'am. Follow me."

Emily's eyes welled up with tears as she rushed to the emergency unit. Jules was her only bloodline, her reason for living. She couldn't lose her, not now, not like this.

As she waited outside the emergency room, time seemed to stand still. The sound of rain outside was a constant reminder of the storm raging inside her. What had happened to Jules? Would she be okay?

Tears streamed down Emily's face, and she felt like she was drowning in her own fears. She needed to be strong, for Jules's sake, but it was getting harder by the minute.

The doctor, a middle-aged woman with a kind face, emerged from the emergency room, her scrubs stained with blood. Emily's heart sank as she rushed to the doctor's side.

"How is she?" Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor's expression was somber. "Jules is stable, but it's touch and go. She's suffered severe head trauma and has lost a lot of blood. We're doing everything we can to stabilize her, but we need to keep a close eye on her."

Emily felt like she'd been punched in the gut. "Please, doc...she's all I have..."

The doctor's expression softened. "We're doing everything we can, Ms. Norman. You can see her now, but just for a minute."

Just then, two police officers, a man and a woman, approached Emily. "Ms. Norman, I'm Detective Thompson,and this is my partner Detective Janie.We need to ask you some questions about the incident."

Emily nodded, trying to compose herself. "What do you want to know?"

"Can you tell us about Jules's relationships?" Detective Thompson asked. "Did she have any enemies, anyone who might want to hurt her?"

“Jules is not currently seeing anyone and she doesn’t really have any friends, she’s not the type to have a quarrel with anyone, I don’t really know”Emily said in between tears.

Detective Thompson nods, taking notes. "Okay, Ms. Norman, so Jules wasn't in a relationship, and you don't know anything about the attack. We'll wait for her to wake up and see if she can give us any information."

Emily shakes her head, her eyes still welling up with tears. "I don't understand why this happened, detective. Jules is a good kid, she wouldn't hurt anyone."

Detective Janie,the female officer, nods sympatically. "We're doing everything we can to find out, Ms. Norman. Can you think of anyone who might've had a grudge against Jules at school? Any conflicts or issues with other students?"

Emily thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. "No, nothing like that. Jules is a sweet girl, she gets along with everyone."

Detective Thompson nods. "Okay, we'll wait for Jules to wake up and talk to her then. In the meantime, we'll review the security footage and talk to her friends and classmates, see if anyone saw anything."

Emily nods, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. "Please, detective...find out who did this."