Mirrors

Rush

Chapter One

Rush

It was another ordinary day, like every day that came and passed. The wooden door slammed shut as I bolted through it without saying goodbye to my family.

"Irene!" my mom shouted, trying to stop me. I was out and had no way of turning back. I was going to be late.

Everyday I would give Mom and Dad a kiss farewell on the cheek. Today was different. I rushed through my morning routine because I woke up thirty minutes later than my usual hour. The worry of the school bus leaving me behind magnified among the rest of my worries. If I missed this bus I would have to walk back home, asking my dad for a ride. He wouldn't mind driving me to school. He took my little sisters to school at around the same time I had to be seated in my first period class. My sisters had to hurry up—that was the only inconvenience. My anal obsession with prompt timing plagued me.

I ran the whole block until I reached the stop light of the main highway. Just across the street was the bus stop, waiting for me to occupy the space. As my hand pressed the 'walk' button that allowed me to cross the road, a cold shiver shocked through my arm. The spring morning air was still freezing, turning water into ice. I tapped my fingers on the side of my waist, my feet trembling with impatience.

Finally, the green light turned yellow. Ahead of me, I saw the monstrous school bus stopping on my stop. Its red lights shot a warning to every car that passed by. There was no one else on that stop, so there wouldn't be anything to stall me some time.

I ran across the road. My backpack leaned heavily against me. My head bent low with my eyes watching my feet stride along the paved road. Strands of long, black hair hung ahead of my eyes, covering my sight.

The bus was ready to close its doors. The bus driver saw me running, but he had little patience to wait a second longer. I looked at his bearded face through the vehicle's window obscured by shadows. His wrinkles scrunched furthermore into a grimace. An expression of helplessness took over him. His mouth opened, about to utter a warning or scream at the top of his lungs. But it was already too late.

That was when I realized something was wrong.

I couldn't make out what had happened. All I could ever recall last was laying my head on the road, my vision spinning out of control. Screams of terror shot through the air, voices mumbled as my ears started to give out. I felt something hot running down the side of my forehead, though my body betrayed me from lifting a finger. I was trapped in my own body.

I couldn't think properly; my thoughts were non-linear and obscured. Where was the bus? Am I dreaming? I can't move. I need to walk! I need to walk! Tennis season was coming up. I needed to be in the varsity team this year. And there's a test today! How will I take my test when I couldn't see a foot ahead of me?

Swarming through my head were thoughts a person trapped in their own world would only think of. I was paralyzed in my own head, nothing to do but ponder. I hadn't had the capacity to fully understand how fatal this accident was. I didn't even know what hit me. I was too focused on a silly thing, something not needed to be concerned about. And now that minor concern brought me to a more serious predicament.

I could feel my mind slipping away.

I heard the piercing sounds of an ambulance. The noise dug into my brain, pinching every nerve. "Turn that off," I managed to say, though I'm not quite sure if I really did say that. It could have been a dream. I could be imagining things. I'm probably sitting on my bus seat right now, dozing off into this horrible nightmare.

Then suddenly, I lost sight of that dream.

A/N: Please watch the lyric video of Swimming Home by Evanescence. This song inspired me to write this story.