BAY YANLIS

THE POWER OF LOVE

OZGURS POV

A plume of sizzling steam rises up from my bonnet and the rain clatters down on the hot electric blue metal covering the engine.
My head is pounding with the worst headache I've ever had. A side effect my body always feels at the pressure of brewing storms above me.
My arms are locked straight, stiff and tense and my fingers ache with the exertion of gripping the steering wheel while keeping the car upright, as it slid away down the bank.
I let myself go limp and try to focus, peering into the darkness, when I hear voices.

"Quickly, see to the one down here. I think he's moving, then let's get to the rolled one."

The rolled one?

I squeeze my eyes and open them blinking rapidly to get them adjusted again and then I begin to feel for the seatbelt. Unclipping myself, I grab onto the door handle. Someone's there, on the other side, pulling it open with a jarring, scaping screech. Cold rain sprays in as a flashlight is waved in my direction. I can't see a face, just a dark jacket with a hat on...

"Take it easy. An ambulance is on its way."
"I don't need an ambulance. I'm okay. Is Ezgi okay?"
"Just get your breath back and let us deal with this. You need to stay here."
"Like hell I'm staying here."
Even with my phobia, getting to Ezgi over rides every fear I've ever had.
Once I get my foot out of the car and on to firm ground, I ease myself up to my full height and stretch, looking down on my rescuer.
He puts a gloved hand on my chest.

"Now, I know you want to help, but..."

Someone's calling for him.
"I need help up here..."
He takes another look at me...
"Are you sure you're feeling okay? You've got a cut on your head."

I didn't even realise I was bleeding until I press a finger above my eyebrow and bring my hand down to see my blood mix in with the rain.
"I'm fine. I've had bigger injuries at the gym."
He seems to agree, looking at my body bulging under my shirt.
"You could still have internal bleeding."
I take a large breath in...and the voice shouts again...
This time, I'm not waiting...despite some pain, and the policeman in front of me, isn't either. We both turn and scramble up out of the shallow ditch.
As my eye line gets higher, I see the wheels of Soner's car just slowly stop spinning. It's on its side. Battered and bent in, but still in one piece.
A policeman has climbed up and is peering inside.
"Both unconscious. The driver looks bad...he wasn't wearing a seat belt."
"EZGI! EZGI!"
As light-headed as I feel, I stretch up and grab hold of the car, with the intent to pull it back down on four wheels, all the time praying she was wearing her seat belt. Gloved hands stop me.
"Woah! Hold on. You'll hurt yourself, or do more damage to the occupants. We've got a fire crew and an ambulance on the way."
He points and I look down the road to hear more sirens. Walking around the car, I crouch down, my knees on the wet tarmac as I strain to see through the glass of the back window. One of the policemen follows me and shines his torch into the car.
Her slumped body, is still upright and I just see the black strap, dark against the red sleeve of her dress, holding her up. My nose and palms press into the dirty glass and I call her name again.

When there's a groan, I jump up.
"She's hurt...hurry. Help her."
But the groan becomes deeper and as we all move, we discover it's coming from the front and it's not Ezgi, but Soner. The windscreen is smashed in and I run around and stand in front of the car, my hands on the bonnet, staring through, wanting to climb over him to get her out, but the blood splattered jagged glass makes that impossible.
"Arghhhh."
I bang my fist down on the side of the hood and pace, calling her name in the hope that she'll hear my voice and wake up.
My eyes stray over to him, laying there, and I think I see a bloodied eye socket twitch but it's too gruesome and I have to look away...
Activity along the quiet road becomes frantic then, as the emergency services come into view and once again, the policemen are urging me to come away from the car and rest, until I get checked out. I point at Ezgi, shouting.
"Her first. Get her out first."
Paramedics are directed in and the decision is made to lower in a spinal board, rather than flip the car back down and when finally she's pulled free, I rush to her side.
"Ezgi? Can you hear me?"
Her eyes are closed and she looks pale and there seems to be not a scratch on her... yet, when I touch her face with my lips on her temple, she's ice cold. I want to pick her up into my arms and hold her to me, but I get asked to step aside while blankets are wrapped over and around her and my heart is breaking, seeing her like this.
"It's going to be okay. I'm here, Ezgi. You're going to be fine."
My fingers are muddy, and I wipe them on my trousers before smoothing her hair back over her forehead.
"Stay with me...Don't you leave me." My voice has no power and I stop because it's cracking up with emotion.
While she's wired up to a drip, I continue to study her, for any sign that she's hearing my voice. Nothing. Even the rain landing on her, doesn't seem to do anything, and then she's wheeled away and I watch from the road as she's tended in the back of the ambulance.
Now, a team of fire fighters gather and the car creaks as it's lowered down.
As Soner is stretchered past, there's more concern among the medical team, for his head injuries.
"We need to get them to the hospital, and you look like you need a few stitches, but we don't have room to take you all."
The policeman answers.
"We'll take him with us."
"I want to go with her...now. Don't you lose sight of that ambulance."
The very fact that he is laying next to her upsets me, but to cause a fuss now, would mean more delays in getting her treated.
Photos are hastily taken of both cars and I stand holding my head, taking stock of the damage, when finally we're all heading to the hospital.