Fire Country: Bode's Love Story

The Accident

Half in a daze, I open my eyes but they won't seem to focus. My head is splitting and my ears sound like static is being broadcasted through them. I gingerly reach up and touch my head, as I pull my hand away I see the color red coating the tips. I groan as I swivel my head, "Gabriella are you okay?" I call out. But I don't receive a response from the passenger seat and I can see why. The young girl is tilted to her right side, where the car smashed into the ground. If she hadn't been wearing her seatbelt she wouldn't have still been in the car. "Gabriella you need to wake up!" I groan as I try to get myself out of my seatbelt. With one click, I'm set free and with enough upper body strength I maneuver myself so I don't land on top of her. The car shudders ever so slightly, I hold my position for a few seconds until it settles back down. The last pop of metal signals that the car is back to rest, now it's time to move and assess Gabriella. I lift her eyelids shining my handy safety light into her pupils. The black spheres contract, "Pupils still responsive," I murmur to myself. I reach a finger and press it to the spot in her neck that contains the carotid artery, "Pulse is good," I let out, relieved that so far things are in our favor. "Pulse is good," I repeat again as I touch my head again, "Probable concussion with mild lacerations," I ramble to myself. My head swims as I can feel the pain returning to my body but the pain that's stabbing me in the ribs and ankle is almost sending me over the edge. As I look down I can see a piece of the car sticking out of my ankle, "Oh that's not good," I belt out as I feel my vision swaying. All the sights and the sounds of the accident begin to fade out but not Gabriella, I need to stay awake so I can help her. I blink my eyes three times, patting my upper thighs as I give myself a pep talk, "Come on Share, Gabriella needs you. Your future grandchild needs you. Pull it together." I reach out and rub the center of Gabriella's chest, she inhales sharply thrusting herself back to this grisly reality a little too fast. "Where are we? Where are we?" She sobs as looks around fervently, trying to make heads or tails of what the hell just happened. I place my hand on her shoulder as I talk to her, "Gabriella?" I say softly but she doesn't listen she's still in full-blown panic mode. "Oh god! Are we going to die!" She sobs as she stares at the blood that is trailing down my forehead. "Gabriella Perez you look at me!" I say sternly. Immediately the girl is reeled in by my voice. All it took was my Division Chief setting to put her straight. "We are going to get you out of this, I just need you to stay calm and sit tight while I radio for some help, okay?" I say as I reach to my shoulder for my radio. My hands come into contact with the fabric of my shirt but no radio, "Crap," I exclaim as I realize the radio must be buried somewhere in here or it was sent flying through the air, straight out the window. But I don't let this shake me as I turn back around to face Gabriella, "You brought your phone with you right?" I expel shakily as my head takes me on a nauseous ride. The feeling brings me back to the time we took Bode and Riley to a carnival. We could barely keep up with the two as they weaved in and out of lines to ride all the roller coasters. I don't know how I managed to keep my food down. But this headache isn't being caused by fast rides and keeping up with a miniature Bode. "Woo I'm getting really tired," I exclaim as my body starts to sway with grogginess. Gabriella stops looking around and focuses her eyes on me, "No, Sharon you have to stay awake!" She calls out as she lifts one of her arms over the strap of her seatbelt to give my shoulder a shake. At first, I thought it was her strength that almost sent me toppling over, but the sound of metal groaning lets me know that it was the car shifting. As it creaks and sways, digging itself deeper into the brush and dirt, I hear Gabriella scream out, "Ow-ow-owwwwwww!" With her outburst of pain, I'm thrust back to being fully awake. Cautiously I lean forward, squeezing my body closer to hers, "Talk to me, Gaby. Where does it hurt?" I say as I feel around her stomach but she shakes her head, "No it's my leg!" She cries out as she grits her teeth, the adrenaline is wearing off and the pain is finally starting to set in. I crane my neck over her body to see the fabric of her jeans pinched between the seat and the crumpled dash. Next to her pinned leg is her purse that contains her phone, "I know you're in pain Gabriella but I really need you to reach down and grab your purse so I can call for help, okay?" Her eyes grow bigger but she doesn't protest as she tilts her body far enough to get her hand around her bag, "Almost got it," She says as both the car and her groan in unison.  She stretches herself a little further until her hand finally grazes the brown leather. Once she feels it she closes her hand around it and brings it slowly back to her body, trying her best to keep the car from moving again. I pat her arm as she hands me her purse, "Good job Gaby," I say as I rifle through the contents. My fingers slide over lipgloss, bandaids, kleenex, and something with a film. I let my hand close around this item to bring it toward the light. I look at the dull colors of a Polaroid shining up at me, it's a picture of Gaby and Bode kissing in front of the trees. I smile before putting it back, digging further until my hand finds what I had been looking for. Immediately I pull open the screen and dial 911. As soon as the dial tone goes through and an operator's voice comes through I spring into action, "This is Cal Fire Division Chief Sharon Leone. I've been involved in a car crash with one other passenger who is 28 weeks pregnant and is currently pinned. We were just on 405 Plymouth Way when the accident occurred," I drone out. Just as the operator confirms help is on the way, I lean my head against the driver's seat chair and silently pass out.