An Angel Answered

Chapter 2: Collision

"Sometimes in tragedy we find our life's purpose. The eye sheds a tear to find its focus." - Robert Brault

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I'm sobbing now as I slowly drift back to reality, the memory fading quickly away as the road comes into focus instead.

That was the last memory I have of my parents, the last time I saw them. I didn't even get to look into my mother's eyes one last time before she left and now I may never get to again.

The tears increase in speed and I sniffle loudly. I can feel how puffy my eyes are from the constant crying I've been doing and when I flip the mirror open on the sun visor, I was correct indeed.

My eyes are swollen and are blotched with red, matching the matted strands of hair that frame my face. The black beanie I wear only intensifies the black shade of emotional exhaustion circling my blue eyes. My lips are just as red as the bright Christmas sweater I'm wearing, from their constant trembling and the target of my clenched teeth. My face is pale and pained and my anguished eyes are reflected back at me before I snap the mirror shut.

When my parents left to go to the store I thought that would be the end to the drama experienced today, but, it was only the beginning.

I waited three hours for my parents to return home before I began to worry. I had busied myself with useless tasks to distract myself from the incessant feeling that something was terribly wrong. Oh how I wish I would have listened. 

With each hour that passed, I grew more and more anxious, wearing tracks into the floor where I was pacing. I had tried both of their cells- no answer, called the local supermarket and the local cafe, both not responding as it was Christmas Eve. Everyone knew them in town, but that was completely useless at the moment because no one knew where they were now, when it actually mattered.

It was 8 pm, seven hours from when they had left, when I had got the call...The horrid and absolutely heartbreaking, soul shattering, call.

"Is this Mistletoe Davis?" The woman spoke through the speaker of my phone.

"Yes."

"If I'm correct, you are the daughter of Carol and James Davis."

"Yes."

My voice is breaking and my lips are starting to tremble.

Everyone seems to experience that feeling inside of them when they know something is wrong, when their heart is about to be shattered... By god did I have that feeling.

"I'm sorry to tell you this Mistletoe, but your parents have been in a severe car accident. They are both in critical conditions, with life threatening injuries to their head and vital organs. They are lucky to be alive, but I fear they won't make it to see the light of Christmas this year..."

Shattered. Everything inside me had shattered at her words. My heart broke in to a million pieces only to form back together, just to break all over again. The pain was the worst I have ever felt and will ever feel, it completely took over every part of my heart and mind.

I remember screaming and falling to my knees. I remember sobbing so much my throat became sand paper. I remember somehow finishing the conversation with the woman before my phone was thrown across the room landing in a smash of pieces, just like my heart.

I blame the phone, I blame the snow outside, I blame the woman who screwed up our family, and I blame everyone for this. But most of all I blame the heavens, the angels! I remember screaming to them.

"I ask for your help and you do this! You take them away from me... You hurt them! This is all your fault!"

A strangled cry escapes my throat before I scream again.

"You are no angel! No... that is not what you are... You are no angel, you are a demon, a devil! I hate you! I curse you—"

The sobs took over then and my words became incoherent. I remember being on the floor, rocking back and forth like a crazy person. That's exactly how I felt, like I belong in a crazy house. I vaguely remember snapping myself out of my state and stumbling to the car, taking off down the driveway as the guilty blizzard circled greedily around my car, anxious for more destruction.

I remember taking a final glance at the mistletoe that hung on the door, remembering how my mother had asked me to put it up there this morning just like every other Christmas Eve and that's what broke me entirely.

Now here I am, still crying, still in pain and still broken. I'm unable to focus on anything but getting to my parents in time, nothing will stop me from getting to them and making sure they see the light of Christmas.

I've been driving for ten minutes now and each minute has been spent fighting for control of my unravelling self, attempting to suppress my pain but to no avail. I need to gain control of my emotions if I'm going to have any chance in handling the sight of my parents fighting for their last breaths in a hospital bed.

So, I stare intently forward focusing on the snow whipping around outside instead of the crazy emotions whipping around inside of me. I take three deep breaths, my red fingernails digging into my palms as they grip the steering wheel in an unbreakable hold.

I feel my last tear trail slowly down my cheek before it lands on my black jeans. That was the last tear I will shed tonight I promise myself, I am determined to be the strong daughter my parents would be proud of.

I concentrate solely on the road ahead of me, letting nothing distract me. When I see the distant lights of a car coming towards me in the opposite lane, I still don't break my concentration. I don't stare at the headlights on the black car as it only reminds me of the lights that decorate my Christmas tree back home, instead I focus on the road beneath the ongoing car.

I sit forward abruptly when I notice the colour of the road the car is about to drive over is a different shade to the rest. I stare at it intently trying to work out why it is greyer in colour. I gasp when I realise what it is, the road is covered in ice!

I slam my foot on the brakes but it is too late. The nearing car speeds over the ice, swerving immediately out of control. It glides from side to side but doesn't slow in speed. 

The car is out of control just like I am helpless as it was speeds directly towards me at what I can only describe as a dangerous speed. The car is about two metres away when I snap into action, pulling on the steering wheel aggressively snapping the car to the left. But I'm too late, the other car hits the tail of mine sending us both spinning off the road, out of control and completely unstoppable.

I speed through the trees lining the road and deeper into the forest. I'm shaken and thrown in every direction as the car ploughs through mountains of snow, the seatbelt across my chest the only thing holding me in place.

I see a massive trunk of a tree just ahead of me, the snow whipping around it in excited anticipation. The wheels can't grip on the snow beneath them so the way my foot is slamming on the brake pedal will do nothing. Realising what is about to happen I squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself for the inevitable impact.

I hear the crash before I feel it. The sound of glass shattering, metal breaking and what I think are my own screams are heard, before it all starts to drift away. As the world goes black, the distance sound of bell is heard, but before I can really understand anything my head falls back, still.

***

Thanks for reading! I hoped you enjoyed it and I hope I left you with some anticipation and excitement to find out what happens next. After all, I write to make you feel, I hope I'm doing that. Tell your parents you love them today <3

All the love, Lauren xx