### To be continued. ## CHAPTER 5: CHANGED JESSICA### JESSICA’S POVAs I rode with my uncle, a sense of unease settled in my chest. Despite trying to stay positive, my heartbeat grew louder, echoing in the silence. Uncle Evans must have noticed. "Jessica, you have to stay cool and strong," he said, gripping my hand. His touch was reassuring, but the anxiety lingered.When we arrived at his house, Aunty Anne rushed out, tears streaming down her swollen face. She hugged me tightly, and I couldn't hold back my own tears, even though I had no idea what was happening. Uncle Evans joined the hug, his eyes also brimming with tears. "What happened, Uncle?" I asked, my voice trembling."I received a report from the State Emergency Management Agency. Your dad's car had an accident and caught fire. Their bodies were burnt... burnt to ashes," he said, his voice breaking.I barely registered his words before everything went dark. The last thing I remembered was the horrifying news. When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital bed, the room filled with doctors and the deputy governor standing nearby, surrounded by guards. The soft strains of "This Is Me" played in the background, a stark contrast to the chaos in my mind."This Is Me" Lyrics:🎵 "I'm not a stranger to the dark"Hide away", they say“'cause we don't want your broken parts”I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars"Run away", they say"No one'll love you as you are", but[Pre-Chorus:]I won't let them break me down to dustI know that there's a place for usFor we are glorious### UNCLE EVANS’ POVJessica lay in a hospital bed, doctors bustling around her. Despite the tragic circumstances, the room was filled with an almost surreal calm. The deputy governor, aware of my brother's importance, stood vigil with his security detail.I couldn't believe the news. My brother was gone in an instant. The night before, he had called me, a call that now felt like a desperate plea from beyond.#### FLASHBACKMy wife and I were discussing our upcoming anniversary trip to Dubai, her excitement palpable as she teased me playfully. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my brother, calling unusually late."Hello, brother," I greeted him."Evans, I have limited time to talk," he said urgently, skipping the usual pleasantries. “Promise me you'll protect Jessica. Don't let anything happen to her.”"What happened? You sound worried," I replied, anxiety creeping into my voice."I've willed everything to her, but don't give it to her until she's twenty. And keep this conversation secret," he added, his voice heavy with urgency. “I trust you. Protect Jessica. Goodbye.”The call ended abruptly. I was left bewildered, my thoughts racing. "What did he mean? Why now?" I wondered, but there was no time for answers.Back in our bedroom, my wife sensed my unease. "Everything okay?" she asked, concern in her eyes."Just some issues at the office," I lied, trying to mask my worry. We kissed, her warmth a temporary comfort, but my mind kept drifting back to my brother's final words.#### END OF FLASHBACK"Is this what you meant, brother?" I thought, watching Jessica's fragile form on the hospital bed. The Holter monitor beeped urgently. "Doctor, she's waking up," I called out."Everyone out, please," the doctor ordered as Jessica's hand twitched.I paced the hospital hallway, the doctor's earlier words haunting me. "She's conscious, but I doubt she'll ever be the same," she had said."What do you mean?" I asked, dread filling me."The shock affected her brain, causing an overproduction of hormones, particularly adrenaline," the doctor explained. “It's a condition triggered by extreme stress.”I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. My brother's last request now seemed impossibly heavy. How could I protect Jessica from a world that had already taken so much from her?### QUESTIONS AND REFLECTIONSWhat has happened to Jessica's mind and spirit? Why did her father call his brother with such urgency?