SOUL SNATCHERS

CHAPTER 26

"Roland, there are still vehicles here! There might be injured individuals inside!" Edna shouted urgently, hoping her husband would hear.

"Okay, I'll come right after I take care of our child's two friends," Roland shouted back, currently attending to Agnes, his daughter's best friend.

Without hesitation, Edna sprinted towards the vehicles involved in the accident. She was uncertain about the number of people seriously injured or worse, those who had lost their lives. The extent of the damage on the vehicles caused by the truck's impact spoke volumes. It was nothing short of a miracle that they had managed to avoid being hit by the truck's uncontrollable speed. Among the vehicles, Edna wondered if her daughter's friends were also among the victims.

Edna swiftly arrived at the site of the wreckage. One sight caught her attention immediately: a man lying in the middle of the road. She couldn't determine if he was still alive or dead. The man wore a motorcycle helmet and showed no sign of movement. His motorcycle lay about five meters away from him. Another striking scene that caught her eye was a luxury car, barely recognizable due to extensive damage on the right side where the truck had struck it. Inside, three lifeless bodies could be seen. About five meters from the car, the truck driver's bloodied body lay, having been thrown from the shattered windshield. Judging by the severity of his head injury, Edna believed he had succumbed to death. Within the truck, a woman's head emerged through the broken windshield, blood flowing from her neck, a testament to the impact of the shattered glass. Maybe she was the truck driver's wife.

Approaching the vehicles, Edna faced the challenge of deciding which victim to attend to first. Her knees trembled from the trauma of the accident. This was her first time being in such a life or death situation, without any formal training in life-saving techniques.

She turned her attention towards the man lying next to the motorcycle, unaware that he was her daughter's boyfriend.

"Are you alright?" Edna asked, tapping him gently on the shoulder to assess his consciousness. The man, lying face down, had visible bleeding on his left leg.

Filled with apprehension, Edna refrained from moving him, hoping that he was alive. She continued tapping until she heard him groan, providing relief as she realized he was still breathing, his helmet still on.

"Hang in there, help is on its way," Edna reassured him, scanning the area in the hope that other motorists who witnessed the accident would come to their aid. However, there was a noticeable absence of passing vehicles on the stretch of the National Road. They seemed to be alone, with no other people in sight. Edna also observed that the rain had stopped, leaving behind a somber atmosphere devoid of recent precipitation.

The man continued to moan. Edna hesitated to remove his helmet, fearing a severe head injury beneath it.

"Just hold on a little longer, help is coming," Edna comforted him, before turning her gaze towards her husband, who was rushing towards their location.

"Roland, hurry! There are still injured people here," Edna shouted, rising to meet her husband.

Unexpectedly, the luxury car carrying Argel, Henry, Lourdes, and Mercy suddenly ignited in flames. Edna let out a piercing scream as the vehicle became engulfed in fire. She hurried to the car's door but couldn't open it; it was locked from the inside.

"Roland, help me!" she cried out, desperately tugging at the car door, attempting to open it, but to no avail.

Roland urgently rushed towards Edna to enlist her help in saving the people trapped within the vehicle, which was now ablaze.

"Stay back, Edna, it's too perilous. Attend to the motorcyclist first," Roland instructed his wife firmly.

Edna paused, torn between her own judgement and her husband's directive. However, when she fully comprehended the grave nature of the situation they were in, she opted to follow his command.