In a quaint, snug home, young ten-year-old Jack helped his father pack their belongings, preparing for yet another move. As Jack carefully wrapped their picture frames, one of the frames captured his attention. He cast a fleeting glance toward his dad, his expression a blend of sorrow and vexation.

"Dad... when are we going to stop?"

His dad looked up from a box he was packing.

"Not until we've finished doing this room."

"I mean this, moving house," Jack continued. "We've moved around so much that I can't even remember our first home..."

Jack's father noticed the picture of Jack's mother clutched in his hands. He walked over and sat next to his son on the sofa, draping an arm around him for comfort.

"Sorry, Jack, I know this is hard for you," his father replied. "You know we don’t have a choice. My work is important to me, and it’s the only thing keeping a roof over our heads."

"Dad... This was the last house we lived in with Mom... I'm scared if we leave this place, I'll forget the times we had together." Tears rolled down Jack's face.

"I know," Jack's father said softly. "It's heart-breaking to have to let go of this home, but in life, we must learn to move on from the past. If we don't, we'll suffer needlessly and waste the precious time we have on this planet. It'll be okay, Jack; we'll never forget her."

"How can you be so certain?" Jack asked, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I can barely recall the first few homes we lived in."

"Because of love, Jack, it's the most powerful force in the universe," his father explained gently. "It's the glue that binds everything together. Your mother loved you deeply, and you loved her just as much. Trust me, your memories of her will endure, no matter where life takes us."

Jack's father reached for a small rock resting on a nearby shelf and handed it to him.

"You must understand, Jack, that life can be challenging at times. It may seem like others have it better than you, but everyone faces their own struggles that make their lives just as difficult as ours. Learn to appreciate what you have because circumstances could always be worse. Once you grasp that, you'll see that things will gradually improve, Jack. I promise you that."

Jack turned away from his dad, digesting his words.

"Hey," his father added, "I wanted this to be a surprise, but our new home is right next to your mother's favourite stargazing spot."

Jack lifted the rock in his hand to his eyes, and they widened with excitement, "Mount Star Grasp!?" he exclaimed, realizing that he held a fragment of the mountain he had brought back from his last visit.

His father chuckled. "Haha, to be honest, it was sheer luck that we managed to get the house there."

Tears welled up in Jack's eyes once more, but this time, they were bittersweet.

Jack reminisced, his voice soft and full of emotion, "Being there is the best memory I have of being with Mom."

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His father smiled gently, nodding in agreement. "Me too, Jack. We'll see the stars again; I can promise you that."

With a hint of a smile, Jack clutched his mother's photo, finding solace in his father's comforting words.

Jack's father scooped him up with a gleeful smile and playfully swung him upside down, teasingly pretending to drop him. Jack's laughter filled the air, his worries momentarily forgotten.

"I'll do my best to make this place our permanent home," his father promised, his eyes filled with determination. "It's time for you to have some fun and enjoy life, so no more tears, alright?"

With a beaming grin, Jack continued to giggle as his father bounced him around, both of them revelling in the simple joy of the moment.

As the day came to an end, Jack and his father busied themselves with the final stages of packing, preparing to leave for their new home the following day.

That night, Jack lay in bed, gazing up at the glow-in-the-dark stars adorning his bedroom ceiling. Each tiny point of light brought back cherished memories of his mother, warming his heart one last time before he had to say goodbye to the room.

The next morning, the moving company arrived, efficiently packing up the family's belongings and loading them onto the truck. With everything in order, Jack and his father stepped out of the house, pausing for a moment on the doorstep. They took a deep breath, silently making their peace with the memories held within the walls of their old home.

As they turned away, a bittersweet mix of emotions washed over them. Although it was difficult to leave the place that held so many treasured memories, they knew that a new chapter awaited them, filled with hope and the promise of a fresh start. Hand in hand, they walked towards their car, ready to embrace the journey ahead.

Jack and his father were determined to make the most of their drive to their new home. They had stocked up on an assortment of snacks and refreshing drinks, creating a mini feast for themselves as they travelled. Along the way, they enthusiastically sang along to their favourite tunes, their voices filling the car with a spirited energy that helped keep boredom at bay.

Jack had never formed any lasting friendships, as his life was spent constantly traveling. The time spent with his father was all he truly cherished. However, such moments were few and far between, as his father's work consumed much of his time. This became even more pronounced following the loss of his mother, making their shared experiences all the more precious.

As night fell, Jack and his dad found themselves on a serene country road, almost on the last leg to their new home. The moonlight cast a gentle glow on the landscape, adding a touch of tranquillity to the eerie outside. Exhausted from the long drive, Jack stared out the window, resting his head on the headrest as he watched the silhouettes of trees passing by.

Jacks father checked his watch, realising they are behind on time.

“Jack, can you hand me the map, I’m not sure we’ve ended up on the right road.”

As Jack scrambles in the glovebox, they approached a blind corner, shrouded by dense foliage, a sudden roar of engines filled the air. Two cars, racing at breakneck speed, appeared from around the bend, their headlights piercing the darkness. The trees and bushes had concealed them from view until the very last moment.

Alarmed, Jack's dad noticed the oncoming vehicles, but it was too late to react. Both cars racing careened wildly, consuming the entire width of the road, leaving no room for evasion. With a feeling of dread tightening in his chest, he braced for the impending impact, gripping the steering wheel with white-knuckled hands.

The crash was thunderous, the sheer force of the impact causing the car to spin wildly off the road. Shattered fragments of metal and glass flew in all directions, leaving a trail of debris that littered the asphalt.

Dazed and confused, with the smell of motor oil filling his nose, Jack strained to open his eyes. When they finally fluttered open, he was met with a distressing sight. His father lay unconscious beside him, his head drooping lifelessly to the left. "Dad..." he whispered, his voice weak and trembling, before darkness swallowed him once more, and he succumbed to unconsciousness.