Patience

47. Fire And Smoke

" NOHH..... NO NO.... Oh god... My car..." I clamp my hands on mouth as I see my car's horrendous state.

Fallen upside down.. Raging flames of fire curl up from the completely damaged car, or now just scrape of hot metal... The bright orange flame radiating burning heat. The entire vision bending back and forth as the morning light hits the cruel merciless fire..... From the placement of my wrecked car right now I am sure the car was thrown off due to the impact...

My vision gets blocked as Hardin come infront of me....

"Oh my god Hardin how did this happen....? " I cry out in panic as I hold his arms to peek through at the chaos.

"Get inside Tess ... " I am slightly taken aback at his voice, stern and heavy with the lump in his throat which he is trying to swallow very hard but failing miserably..

I looked up at him confused. His eyes are welled up... Dangerously loathsome.

He is crying.. Why? Is he crying for the ca_

I blink a few times to clear up the mental haze of the burning car in front of me.... I stare at his eyes letting his unshed tears accumulated in the inner rim of his eyes , seep into my brains and make me stunned at the realization .... Hus hold on my waist tighten and he keep walking me back.

My mouth parts as I take a breathe. My grip on his shirt tightens. A bone chilling shiver run down my spine... I feel the goosebumps, ugly ones rise on the outermost layer of my skin .

Mom,Dad.....

"Where's mom?? They didn't get in.... Did they??" I forcefully stretch a smile at him and ask stopping him by placing my palm on his chest. I tilt my face and look up straight at his eyes which are now cast down on my shoulders.

The look in them crumples my gut and the brave smile I was trying to plaster is gone.

"No no they didn't. Tell me they didn't. They cannot.. " I beg discarding bad thoughts .... But my hands feets start shaking and the most ugly reality of the present start making itself clear.

" Tess they_"

The hyperventilation comes in real at how he is acting but I find strength. I find the strength to push him off from me and my lunge forward.

Shut the cynical thought Theresa.
They are safe.

"Mom..... dad???" I scream with a shaky voice, louder. Taking a step forward..... I turn my head from side to side to search them.

Clinging onto the last bit of hope that they did not get into my car. Clinging on to the last bit of the hope that the car just didnt burst up in flames with them in there. I have to cling onto that.

They are safe.

"Mommmm" I scream hoping that they will hear me this time... I scream hoping they will walk out from behind the car.

They have to. I know they are not inside the car they are just on the other side and I cannot see them due to the flames.
They are safe

"Daddd" I scream ignoring the burn in my throat. Ignoring the how deep the pit goes in my heart with each passing second leaning toward confirming the worst.

No no, it cannot... They are safe.

Hardin grabs my wrist and pulls me to his chest. Turning me to face him he cups my cheek,
"Tess, Love listen to me"He begs before wiping my cheeks which are how drenched in tears.

Why the hell am I crying for? Why am I crying now? It is just my ruined car. Hardin is rich enough to buy a new one for me
And my mum and dad, they are just on the other side of the car they will come out. They just can't hear me. They will come out.. They are taking their time because of the flames. They are safe.