...Carlos Too (or, Carlos Two)
The music was still playing. Still, she could hear something rotating, incessantly spinning somewhere close to her head. It was something metal on pavement. It was slowing and getting annoying now. She opened her eyes in a haze, to find it and stop it. She found a hand instead, it took hers.
“You’ve been in an accident ma’am,” an urgent but calm voice recited to her. It was coming from above, or was it below?
“My children…” She said, barely.
“They’re alive. Please we need to get you out, your car is flipped, you’re upside down, can you undo your seatbelt?”
“I can try.” She said, feeling stronger.
“Not yet, let me get ahold of you first, I’m going to do my best to get the door open.” It was then she realized he was lying on the pavement talking through her broken driver side window. She looked up at the road through her moon roof, she saw the broken glass, glass everywhere, even in her hair, and thought of her children…my god, her children.
“Please hurry,” she begged and began praying. He pried the door open and smiled.
“I think He’s watching you, ma’am. I was washing the ambulance across the street and saw the accident. I rushed over in seconds and got the kids out…”
“Where are they? Get me out of here!” She yelled, then took a breath.
“I’m sorry. Please it’s hell down here, get me out.” She said, he took hold of her.
“You’re right, I was just so glad you were alive. I’ll lift you up first, then you should be able to undo the seat belt, and I’ll bring you down. Ready?” He asked.
“Yes.” She answered, and released the belt, he carried her to the stretcher. She smiled at seeing her two children, occupied with lollipops, and noticed a man standing to the side stretching in pain. It was the other driver, in the black car that had appeared out of nowhere and hit her.
“Does anything hurt?” The ambulance driver asked.
“Nothing, honestly I’m fine. What will happen to him?” She gestured to the other driver, who promptly bolted out from the side, obviously waiting for the invitation.
“What will happen?” The other driver exclaimed and continued.
“What will happen, is your insurance company will buy me a new car. Are you blind? Jesus!” He said, and she raised her hand to stop him.
“What I can see, is an insurance judge handing a fat check to the single mom and her two crying kids.” She said, noticing that her face was warm. The ambulance driver came from the front to stop the fight, he had been on the phone.
“You two save it all for your statements. Kids, your mother needs medical attention. Could you both hop into the ambulance and sit in the front? Ma’am, I’ll help you into the back.”
“Yes do, I’m sure she’ll show up to court in a wheel chair.” The other driver snarled.
“Sir, there’s no need to be snide, have a seat inside the back, I'll look at you too.”
“I want him put away!” She yelled.
“Please ma’am, calm down.” The ambulance driver said, bringing her into the back, possessing her hand.
“Sit tight,” he said to the children in front, and then looked back to her.
“Your name, ma’am?” He asked.
“Lilith Burns.”
“Your maiden name?” He insisted.
“That’s my maiden name.” She said, noticing her face getting warmer now. He smiled and turned around to the other driver.
“Your name, sir?” He asked.
“Carlos,” the other driver answered grinning, and as quickly as his car had appeared, the man disappeared, vanishing in front of her. The ambulance driver chuckled standing before the vanished driver’s now empty seat.
“My name is Carlos too.” He said to no one, and as he turned moving to shut the back doors, her face started searing. In an instant, she was yelling in pain, almost paralyzed. She could hear her children crying up front. Soon, he started the engine and music began playing. She heard him answer his phone.
“Good Girl…” she heard him say.