"You feel anything yet?" Kacy turned her head and looked at Felix, water droplets glistening on her fishing line as it swayed in the gentle current. Anna, Felix, and Kacy had been fishing for hours along the rocky banks of the river near Ethan's Dam.
"Nothing. It's boring without Dad," Felix muttered, kicking a loose pebble into the river. "He swore he wouldn't miss this. He promised."
Anna kept her eyes on her rod. "He wanted to come, Felix. He's just... not feeling well. Staying home was the right call."
A hard tug pulled on Kacy's fishing line.
"Look! I got one!" She quickly reeled it in.
A silver-scaled trout burst from the water, thrashing wildly at the end of the line.
"I caught us a trout!" Kacy beamed, proudly holding up the silver-scaled fish that gleamed in the sunlight.
Anna smiled. "Great job. Let's head home so you can show your dad."
Felix and Kacy nodded, quickly gathering their gear that sat on the grass.
They returned to their house, their fishing gear clattering as they entered the living room. Kacy dropped the fish, her jaw dropping as shock consumed the room.
Dan lay on the living room floor, his body rigid and convulsing. Dan's arms frantically jerked across the hardwood floor, his fingers clawing at nothing, while his eyes rolled back, showing only white.
Kacy screamed, "Dad!"
Felix cried, "What's happening to Dad?"
"He's having a seizure!" Kacy shouted. "Mom, call an ambulance!"
Anna raced to the wall-mounted phone in the kitchen and frantically dialled 911. After speaking with the operator, she hurried back into the living room.
As they waited, Dan's movements ceased. Felix knelt beside Dan, gently stroking his greyish-brown hair, dread washing over him as he noticed Dan's pale complexion.
Felix looked at his wristwatch; an hour had passed, and the ambulance had not arrived.
Kacy spun towards Anna, her face red with frustration. "Mom! Where are they? Did you even call the ambulance?"
Anna snapped, "Yes, I called them. I can't snap my fingers and make them magically appear. Go wait by the door for them, watch for them from the window."
Kacy ran to the entryway, pressing her face against the glass as she stared out at the empty front lawn.
She waited before the ambulance finally screeched to a halt in front of the house.
"They're here!" Kacy shouted, her voice carrying all the way to the living room.
Seeing two paramedics rush from the vehicle, she yanked the front door open for them.
"He's in the living room," Anna said, her voice tight as they hurried inside.
Felix's heart leapt at the sight of the paramedics stepping onto the blue carpet. For the first time in over an hour, he felt a flicker of hope. He quickly scrambled to his feet and backed away from Dan's side to give the paramedics room to work.
One of the paramedics dropped to his knees, pressing his fingers firmly against Dan's neck, desperately searching for a pulse.
The paramedic shook his head. "I'm sorry, but he's gone; there's no pulse."
Felix sobbed, his body shaking with grief. Anna pulled him close, wrapping her arms around him as tears streamed down her cheeks.