Sous un léger crachin, Sam Lethbridge plissait les yeux derrière le pare-brise embué de son 4x4 blanc. Le jeune homme de 17 ans avait passé la nuit avec ses amis à Wyoming, sur la côte centrale australienne et faisait maintenant les 40 minutes du trajet de retour vers son domicile, à Lac Macquarie.
Il était 4 h 30 dimanche matin. La vie était belle. Sam avait passé son permis de conduire en octobre 2017 et, depuis quatre mois, possédait sa propre voiture, une petite Hyundai ix35. Le vendredi, il s’était inscrit à une formation en électricité et climatisation. Après avoir fêté l’événement avec ses amis, il empruntait cette route familière pour rentrer chez lui, en direction de son lit.
Amateur de boxe et de football, Sam fréquentait assidûment la salle de sport et était en parfaite condition physique. Il ne prenait jamais d’alcool et ne touchait pas aux drogues. Tout en conduisant sur l’autoroute obscure, il avala une gorgée de la grande bouteille d’eau qu’il emportait partout pour rester hydraté – une bonne habitude qui allait lui sauver la vie.
Les parents de Sam, Tony et Leigh, étaient partis passer le week-end à Canberra, laissant pour la première fois leurs trois enfants seuls. Les deux aînés, Luke, 21 ans, et Megan, 19 ans, se trouvaient à la maison.
Sam, toujours fiable et res ponsable, les avait prévenus de ses projets pour la soirée. Il avait également envoyé un texto à sa petite amie : « On se voit demain à midi. »
This story is from the Novembre 2019 edition of Sélection Reader's Digest France & Belgique.
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This story is from the Novembre 2019 edition of Sélection Reader's Digest France & Belgique.
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