I woke to the sound of shouting; it was my fathers’ voice. I pushed off my quilts and climbed out of my big bed. What is father yelling about? I walked silently down the corridor into my parents chambers. I stepped in unnoticed; are they arguing? I froze in place when I came into view of the scene. My mother was standing on the rail of the balcony, my father was trying to get her to come down. I watched in horror; my feet unable to move as my mother tied a noose around her neck. Why? was the only word that I could whisper. I could not hear what they were saying and I did not want to. My father knelt down onto his knees and started to plead my mother. I noticed the noose was long. long enough to reach the second floor and we were on the fifth floor. My mother shook her head at my father, her beautiful black shoulder length hair flowing. She was facing into the chamber, the fall behind her. I felt my heart drop as she stepped back off the rail. Just before her head disappeared from view her eyes met mine. I saw horror, pain and regret flash through her eyes. I flinched as I watched but did not see and heard the noose catch at its length. I saw my father crying and I heard my voice scream ‘Why?’ as if I was another person hearing it before everything went black.