GRIDLOCK - Lando Norris [BOOK 1 Gridlock Series]

17

McLaren Formula 1 driver, Lando Norris has been taken to hospital in a serious condition after a terrifying accident at the Singapore Grand Prix last night. Sources say there was an issue with the car, which caused the front two tyres to completely come off and flipping Norris' car onto its head. It quickly burst into flames and took professionals 4 minutes to get him out of the burning vehicle. More on that to come

We shut off the television unit. Every single news outlet and radio station repeating the same god damn information and it's all the things we already know.

"Johan, can you message Zak, see if he knows anything?" I pressure.

"Babe, I have. I've messaged every person that I know has a connection inside of McLaren. No one knows anything" he attempts to console me.

Irritated, I fling the remote across the hotel room "THIS IS BULLSHIT!" I yell.

"I know" Johan settles himself down on the bed next to me, placing one hand around my shoulder and pulling me in tighter.

I didn't sleep a wink last night. I was messaging and calling everyone I knew. The hospital wouldn't give me any information as I'm not family. And it was becoming more and more frustrating by the minute.

"He has to be okay. It has to be. Everything has to be okay" I whimper. I've watched the accident a thousand times over. Trying to work out what happened.

None of it made any sense. Why the car threw its wheels. Why it flipped the way it did. Why it went up in flames so fast.

Things like that shouldn't be happening to Formula 1 cars these days.

Johan's phone chimes "hello?" He answers.

I study him as he listens intensely to whoever is on the other line.

"Thankyou" is all he says when he puts down the phone.

I look at him impatiently.

"Car now" he orders as he's pushing me out of the hotel room.

"Johan; what is going on?" I ask as we make our way down the hall and to the elevator.

"He's out of surgery. He's in ICU, he's barely conscious but he's asking for you" he replies.

His statement completely freezes me and halts me in position.

"He what?" I stutter.

"He wants to see you Evelyn; let's go" Johan is pretty much shouting as he opens the passenger door and I slide in.

Johan drops me off at the emergency doors and leaves me whilst he finds a park.

Upon entering the hospital I can see Zak talking to a woman I believe is Lando's mother. There's a young teenage girl next to her who's eyes resemble Lando's to the tee.

"Where is he?" I demand from Zak as he just points down the direction of one of the halls.

My body flings itself down the halls as my head snaps into every room.

The moment I catch sight of him I'm robbed of all my breath.

It was like his entire body was wrapped in bandages and as I walked closer to his bedside, one of his eyes was so bruised and puffy it looked at though someone had taken to it with a hammer.

"Hey" I sob as I make my way to his side, holding onto the tips of his fingers which poke out from the end of a cast.

"E..Ev.. ev" he mutters

My heart explodes in pain and sorrow "I'm here" I cry to him.

"It's... its... going..." He swallows hard to try and make out his words.

"Shh its okay, you don't need to talk" I comfort.

At this he shakes his head. "It's... its going to be.... Okay. It's going to be okay" He stutters.

I have to pinch my eyes shut to trap the tears as the memories of being on the hill coming rushing back.

I squeeze his hand tighter "it's going to be ok" I repeat to him and pray to every god ever believed in that it's true.

"Ev" he struggles out.

"What is it, Lando?" I whimper.

"It started ... it started as... a game." He begins and my heart sinks "it started, but I didn't... didn't want...."

My attention is then caught by the sounding alarm and when I look back down his eyes are shut and head fallen back.

Next minute nurses are surrounding him and pulling me away from him.

I can hear myself shouting his name, but it's like I'm watching as a fly on the wall.

"Lando?"

****

As we touch down in Japan, I feel as though my body is on autopilot. I don't want to be here. I wanted to stay in Singapore. But Johan assured me that was the wrong decision. For everyone.

After Lando collapsed during my visit and the blood clot on the lungs was sorted, he was kept in the ICU until his results are consistent enough they can send him back to the UK for recovery.

The talk is he is out of the championship and out of the rest of this season.

The rest of the grids moos is off. It's always hard when one of your own fall. They are all taking it really hard.

"Have you heard from him?" Johan asks as we settle into the next hotel room.

I simply just shake my head.

"Zak said he's due to make a full recovery though?" Not even he has faith in his own words.

I stay quiet. There's nothing to say.

"Is he out the rest of the..."

"Johan" I snap "can we just.. not" I sigh.

"I'm sorry" and I know he means it. I don't mean to snap at him. But Japan is the last place I want to be as it is, the last thing I want to be doing is talking about the person I wish I was beside.

"Call the hospital" he suggests as he leaves the room, leaving me with my thoughts.

"Hello, yes, Lando Norris please, ICU"
"No, I understand that, I'm not after any information from you; I just want to talk to him"
"But can't you just"
"What if you"
"Please, I just"
"Seriously?" I scream as the call is disconnected.

I dial another number using the notes of contacts in my phone.

"Hello?"

"What can I help you with, Evelyn"

"They won't let me speak with him; is that your doing?"

I can here him absolutely fed up with me

"I'm not interested in playing house with you, I have a business to run"

"Zak please" I beg.

"I suggest you wait until he's back in the UK if you so desperately want to see him; but your little crush has been causing enough issues up and down the pit. I suggest whatever your next move, keep it outside the Formula One"

And with that he hangs up.