Page 86 of If You Stayed

We took off down the road, and I was quick to realize how slippery everything had gotten. I was moving slower than ever,and the radio was turned down. As we approached a stop sign, I paused, looked all ways, and when it was my time to go, I went very slowly.

“Turn up the music!” Elijah requested with a yawn.

I glanced over my shoulder toward him and smiled. “You should be sleeping.”

As I went to turn back to the road, I heard the blaring of a horn. I glanced to my right and saw the headlights coming straight toward us. It only took a second. I’d only looked away from the road for a split second.

One moment.

That was all.

The car slammed into Elijah and Gabriel’s side of our vehicle. We began to spin around from the impact, and before I knew it, I lost complete control of the car. We went shooting down the street, and before we could stop, another car hit us on my side.

My head flew forward and hit the steering wheel as our car skid forward and slammed into an oak tree. I heard Elijah screaming and crying as I tried to lift my head up. Everything was blurry as smoke escaped from the smashed hood.

“Ouch,” I whimpered as I tried to move my body. I looked over to Gabriel, whose head was smashed against the window. Blood dripped down the glass as panic filled me. “Gabriel…hey, hey, look at me,” I cried as I tried to unbuckle my seat belt. It was jammed, though, and I was unable to move.

The whimpered cries in the back seat came to a stop. I turned to see Elijah who was covered in broken glass with cutsall over him. “Eli,” I sobbed, trying harder and harder to get out of my seat.

They were quiet.

So quiet.

Too quiet.

Cry, Elijah.

Make a sound, Gabriel.

Move.

Please.

Moan.

Grumble.

Anything!

Say something!

“No, no, no,” I sobbed, tugging on the seat belt. My head hurt. My heart felt as if it was going to leap out of my chest.

Once the seat belt finally let me go, I reached over to Gabriel and checked his pulse. His heart was still beating.

With pain stinging my whole body from the impact of the second car, I forced myself to climb into the back seat beside Elijah to check on him. The broken glass sliced my hands as I fell into the seat. “Elijah, wake up. It’s me. It’s Kierra, okay? You’re okay. Hey, wake up,” I cried, checking for his pulse.

Cry, Elijah.

Make a sound.

Move.

Please.

Grumble.

Anything. Say something!

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