The push came from nowhere. One moment, I was steady, and the next, I was tumbling, my body tipping forward uncontrollably. The last thing I saw before I hit the first step was Ruth’s face, her expression wild, like a woman who had lost all sense of control. I tried to grab the railing, but it was too late.
I crashed down the stairs with a loud thud, pain shooting through my limbs, my head slamming into the edge of the step with a sickening crack. My breath whooshed out of my lungs, and I cried out in pain, unable to catch myself. But that wasn’t the worst part.
Behind me, I heard a loud, panicked scream.
Ruth’s daughter, my sister-in-law, Laura, had come up the stairs just as I fell. She lost her balance and tumbled down, her body colliding with mine as she fell over me. The thud of her body landing on top of mine only added to the chaos.
For a moment, everything felt surreal. The air was thick with the sound of my own pulse pounding in my ears. I was in so much pain, but I couldn’t focus on that because I was terrified for Laura. She lay on top of me, motionless, and I screamed for help.
