Page 69 of Memories of Me

When Tragedy Strikes

THE LIGHT COMINGtoward us didn't seem right, but it was too late to react. I heard the screeching of metal on metal and the horns blare before I was launched into the air. Right before I blacked out, I heard screams followed by eerie silence.

I was struggling to open my eyes, and every breath I took elicited a piercing pain through my rib cage. I couldn't remember where I was, what I was doing, and why my body felt like…and then it flooded back to me. I was on the train. The light.

The silence was lifting, and quiet cries for help were getting louder. I pried my eyes open, adjusting to the darkness. I was surrounded by a thick cloud of dust, and my ears were throbbing from the impact. When I tried to push myself up, I cried out in agony. I couldn't move the arm I had landed on. I rolled onto my back, only to be punctured by shards of glass, or maybe it was metal or plastic. Tears of pain streamed down my face as I tried to endure the pain and not pass out again.

I was lightheaded as persistent throbbing pain passed through my body and settled in my rib cage and arm. I tested my other arm carefully before applying pressure on it. It seemed usable, so I brushed the debris away and pushed myself up to a seated position. The cries were fading, which was horrifying, in and of itself. The dust was settling, so I could make out the seats of the train that were now on the wall that used to be the side of the train because we had tipped over.

I tried to formulate coherent thoughts, but I couldn't. I was in a state of complete shock. My heart was beating quickly, and I knew I was bleeding, because I could feel the sticky wetness penetrating my clothes. I hadn't heard any familiar voices, and my body was now trembling. I called out, "Mom. Dad. Tessa," but no answer. Through whimpers, I called out again, "Brandt." Every time I talked, the pain in my ribs screamed.

"Help." I heard a childlike voice respond.

I was at the back of the car when we crashed, on my way back from the bathroom and stopped to take a quick look outside, and that was when I saw the other train's lights coming at us head-on.

"Please, help," a girl's voice cried. My legs were badly bruised, but they were functioning. I stood up, clutching my broken arm and waiting for the wave of nausea to pass before I tried to walk. The girl was sobbing so quietly now that I knew she didn't have much time. I wanted to make my way to the front of the car where my family was, but I couldn’t just leave the girl. I walked carefully over luggage, personal belongings, glass, metal, and—no, no, no. The nausea returned with a vengeance, and I bent over and threw up, crying at the same time. The trembles had taken over my muscles, and I could barely stay on my feet, but I did, because what was on the floor was so much worse. Body parts and lifeless bodies were strewn about among the wreckage.

I wiped my mouth and called out, clutching my ribs with the effort, "Hello?"

It was silent.

Dead silent.

I wanted to breakdown. I wanted to wake from this nightmare. Please, let me wake up.

"Help."

The voice sounded so distant now. I shuffled a few feet and then I saw her. I remembered her during the ride singing Britney Spears' songs to herself. So happy and full of life. Now, her short blonde hair was soaked in blood, and she was trapped under seats that had become dislodged, pinning her down. I immediately identified where the blood was coming from. It was her arm. The one I saw in the aisle a few moments ago. It was hers.

Keep it together, Bay. Keep it together."I'm here."

I bent down on my knees. The blood was gushing out of her severed arm and I needed to find something to tie around her arm to stop the bleeding. I searched the floor next to us, trying hard to avoid the other part of her arm in the aisle. I sifted through the pile of clothes and found a tie. It was Brandt’s tie from the wedding. I lost it. My body sobbed uncontrollably fearing the worst, but the little girl’s pleas reminded me that I had a purpose. I couldn’t give up. She needed me.

"Sweetie, what's your name?" I asked as I grabbed Brandt’s tie and scooted to her.

"Lizzy," she responded, barely keeping her eyes open. She was ghost white.

"That's a beautiful name, Lizzy. I am going to tie this around your arm to stop the bleeding. I'm sorry if it hurts." I knew this was going to be painful for both of us because my arm was broken and tying this wasn't going to be easy. I needed to keep her talking, so while I wrapped it around her arm, I asked her more questions. "Is Britney Spears your favorite singer?" I winced in pain as I pulled the tie taut.

She whimpered, "Uh-huh."

I was losing her, but the bleeding stopped. I couldn't see the rest of her body from the waist down, though, so I didn't know what other damage there was.

"Baylor?" Brandt shouted.

"Brandt!" I hollered back hysterically. "Brandt. I'm here." I sobbed hard again. He found me quickly.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked as he surveyed me.

"Please, Brandt, help her."

Aside from cuts and swelling on his face, he seemed to be moving okay. He bent down to Lizzy. "Hi, honey. How are you holding up?"

"I'm tired." She was barely audible now.

Brandt looked at me sorrowfully, which I returned with a horrifying look, shaking my head. "No, no, no. We have to try, Brandt. Please, we have to try." I already feared the worst for my family, and the thought of losing this little girl would surely throw me over the edge. He lifted the seats off her body.

"Bay, can you pull her out?"

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