“ Miss Li, this is Officer Daniel from the Sacramento Police Department.

I think you’d better come down to South Street. There has been an accident 

with your brother.” Then he hung up.

Ann was still for a moment, before she threw down the receiver and screamed.

“ Mother!” Two ladies, one young, and one old, arrived at South Street

minutes later. Police cars were everywhere, and there was an ambulance. 

A small crowd was huddled around two bodies.

Ann and Vicky Li rushed and pushed through the crowd, where three officers

were examining the two bodies. One was a stranger, whose head was heavily bandaged and stains of blood were visible through the bandage.

The other was Robert. The boy’s head was bleeding heavily and blood stained

his body, where cuts and bruises were located. Two more officers came with a stretcher and lifted the stranger onto it.

“ Emergency room immediately. There still might be hope.” An officer said.

“ What about my brother? He needs to go to the hospital, too!” Ann screamed

, her voice shaking uncontrollable as she stared at the bloody heap of her brother.

“ He needs to go! Somebody, bring a stretcher!” Ann was shrieking, tears streaming down her face as she wrung her hands desperately.

“ Miss Li, I’m sorry. There is no need for Robert to go to a hospital.” The officer

said, trying to soothe the frantic girl.

“ Why not! That person got to go! There’s still hope!” Ann cried, shaking her head.

“ Robert Li is dead.” Ann froze while Mrs. Li fainted. Before she knew what she was doing, she grabbed the officer’s shirt.

“ You’re lying. Robert said he was only going out for a little while. He’s coming back!” Ann cried shrilly. At that moment all she wanted was for her brother to come back.

She thought she was going crazy.

“ I’m sorry. But he is dead.” The officer replied, looking somber. He loosened

himself from Ann’s grip and walked away.

Ann stood, then knelt in front of Robert. She his soft blonde hair as

he did to her, staining her hands with blood from his hair. Her tears spilled and she hugged Robert .The crowd slowly parted, leaving Ann and the dead Robert. The 

officer came over and patted Ann’s shoulder gently.

“ Miss Li, we have to take your brother.” He said. The officer waved his hand 

and two other policemen gently pulled Ann off from Robert.

Ann didn’t know why she didn’t object and she didn’t argue as Robert was lifted

onto a stretcher and covered in a white cloth. The sirens of the ambulance and

police cars softened as they slowly drove away. Ann felt a fresh wave of tears

come to her eyes, and she stood staring at the disappearing vehicles.

Robert Li died on December 14th.