“Amber, what happened?” I shouted, skidding to a halt next to Caleb. I dropped to my knees, checking for his pulse—thankfully, it was there, but faint. His breathing was shallow, and I could see the remnants of a melted ice cream cone beside him.

Before Amber could respond, the wail of approaching sirens cut through the air. Within moments, paramedics were at Caleb’s side, assessing his condition while I clung to Lily, trying to calm her down. Meanwhile, Amber stood off to the side, looking unnerved.

“I don’t know what happened,” she said, her voice uncharacteristically shaky. “We were just playing, and he suddenly collapsed. I thought it was a prank when Lily said he wouldn’t wake up.”