My Dilemma

Run -9

Madison Snow

The smell of petrol filled my lungs with a rush of blood to my head. The world was hazy and blurred around me with faint yellow sparks cackling next to my head like they were warning me.

I could hear the sound of rain and thunder smashing against the glass in front of me, or at least what was left of it. The wind had seemed to pick up and was blowing at a force strong enough to move a man.

A pounding in my left temple forced me to massage my head, I pulled it back and saw my hand filled with red liquid. Fuck

I was praying that I could get out of this car, I looked through the windshield to see that we were upside down and I turned to my right when I heard pitched breathing from my mother.

My voice was groggy, "Mama." She squinted her eyes back shut due to the light, "I'm okay baby."

I sighed a huge breath of relief and pulled at my seatbelt, luckily it came undone and I dropped forward landing on my hands.

"Can you move?" I questioned and she shook her head no. "Find a phone booth to call someone."

I nodded and gently pulled myself out from the car, I went to stand but my leg gave out and I grunted as I fell on the concrete, smacking my head back.

I took a minute before sitting up and looking to see Jake's car totalled into a tree, his head hanging down and flames engulfing the back of his wheels.

I can't believe my boyfriend tried to kill me.

"Madison"

I pulled myself across the floor on my knees and tried to open my mom's door but it wouldn't budge.

I tried

And tried

And tried

And trie- "Madison stop."

She exhaled with all her breath as I let myself fall next to her. Water was continuously pouring from my eyes and I couldn't seem to relax my breathing.

She reached her hand out delicately and intertwined her fingers with mine. "It's okay." Her fingers soothed over my knuckles which were swollen and sore, "you know ever since you were born, I thought.."

She paused and inhaled, "I'm gonna love this girl forever."

I sobbed a little, "don't-"

"Let me finish."

I nodded and kept quiet, if this really was my mom's last breath I wanted her to say what she needed to.

"I never knew you'd grow up to be so beautiful, his eyes were just like yours. I see him in you... and he'd want you to have that epic love story he spoke about, to go on those vacations you dreamed of, to hold the hand of someone you truly love."

She looks at Jake's car, "that is not love," she turns back to me and caresses my cheek, "let this be my lesson to you little one, you are to die for Snow Storm."

She hasn't called me that since he died, it was his favourite nickname.

I kissed her head through the window, "it's okay mama, don't talk anymore." She smiled a little, "he's waiting for me," she whispered.

"I know," I placed my hand on her cheek, "you can close your eyes now, you can go home."

She kissed my hand as her breathing slowed down and her eyes shut before there was no sound at all.

I looked away and up at the sky while wiping my tears, "look after her for me."

Just as I said that lightning strikes flew through the black sky and I gathered all my courage to stand up.

I knew the closest house nearby, but would she be awake at this time.

I looked at my mom one more time and that's when I saw it, the silver watch. Jake's silver watch.

"Holy shit."

I needed to see her. No- I - I wanted to see her.

I walked for an hour while the rain painted my skin, my hair was dampened and dripping while I winced at the pain in my leg and abdomen. My head was throbbing worse than before and I still couldn't help my breathing from being uneven.

This was the most irrational decision I had ever made, but I was stood in the front garden of my worst enemy.

In the pouring rain, covered in blood to the point I'm not even sure all of it was mine.

I stepped forward onto the path and the door immediately flung open to reveal the devil herself.

She looked me up and down concerned, her eyes were racing, scanning every part of me that was injured.

She ran towards me and that's when I waited for a sarcastic comment but it never came, I went to talk but she wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me as my arms went around her neck and I let her hold me.

I hate physical touch. I hate her. But I'm letting her hold me.

One of her hands held my head against her chest and it felt soothing, I could match my breathing to hers and I wouldn't look weak. I just had to keep it up. I had to pretend.

Her voice came out unusually soft, like she was unsure what to say. "Don't talk," she pulls away slightly and her hands move down to my thighs, "just jump."

I wasn't in the mood to argue to be completely honest, I just wanted rest and sleep.

I jumped when she told me to and she lifted me up by thighs at the same time and held me there for a minute. I let my head fall into the crook of her neck and as strange as it was, she didn't even hesitate to rest her head on top of mine while the rain was drenching the both of us.

I heard her mumble something but I was too out of it to pay attention, the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was hitting me hard.

"Let's get you inside," she carried me into the living room and placed me down on the sofa but I winced as she did.

"Where are you hurt?"

I shook my head no, "I'm fine."

She looked as unconvinced as ever, I could never lie to her, she just knew. "Let me see," she said as she pulled my legs up onto the sofa and let my back rest against it. I covered my face in agony while she moved my legs, something wasn't right.

"I-"

She cut me off, "that wasn't a choice."

I knew better than to argue, she always gets what she wants one way or another.