Crash and Burn

For a moment, everything was silent.

Sparkles flew through the air, lights dazzled the windows and blinded my eyes, the air was still with expectation, and time seemed to stop.

For a moment, I was struck with the beauty of it.

But then the world exploded, and it all became ugly

Suddenly, the sparkles turned into window shards that pierced my skin, the lights were the other cars that were swerving to miss us, the air became heavy with the realization of what was happening, and time seemed to be moving faster and faster but I was frozen in place.

At last, it all stopped, and everything became silent once again.

“Help,” I called out feebly. I tried to move, but couldn’t find the strength to lift myself. I gripped the handle on the roof of the car, but only succeeded in letting out a gasp as pain exploded in my wrist.

I held my hand gingerly against my bruised side, and it was only then that I saw the mark I had left on the handle.

A perfect handprint, soaked in dark red blood.

I couldn’t hold back my whimper as I finally looked around the car.

So much blood.

It was everywhere.

On the dash, seats, steering wheel, seatbelts, and on the little pieces of glass. It was on my face, tightening up my skin as it dried; and in my hair, making it heavy and reeking with a smell that was making me sick.

“Please,” I croaked again. A scream was building in my chest as my hysteria grew but it somehow stayed lodged in my throat.

Rain and blood fell to the same beat, dripping down on every exposed surface. A sigh escaped my lips, turning into the gaspings of a sob.

I was going to die here; scared, cold, alone..

Alone.

Was I alone?

Some hazy part of my mind could remember a hand gripping mine, moments before everything shattered.

I glanced over - and there they were; a shadowed form crumpled down in the driver's seat. I couldn't see their face and it was making my heart race once again.

Gritting my teeth, I gathered what was left of my fleeting strength to pull myself over to the form. I gripped a hand on their shoulder, already so cold to the touch, and turned them towards me.

Horror and bile rose up my throat as the face caught in the moonlight.

It was my own.