Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I was standing at the corner waiting to cross the highway. I noticed a woman driving a station wagon in the lane closest to me. Suddenly a dark clad figure on a motorcycle whipped around from behind and cut sharply in front of it. The woman in the car jerked the wheel hard to the right to avoid a collision, and the vehicle careened onto the sidewalk, coming straight for me.

I was paralyzed with a moment of fear.

"Run, Portia!" Vance's voice screamed into my head, and an image of us levitating together on the football field filled my mind.

I ran toward the vehicle, my left foot levitating on air, the right one actually touching the hood. I pushed off hard, sending my body into a roll as I coasted across the roof of the vehicle, only clearing it by inches. I landed in a crouch behind it and sank to sit on the ground. The station wagon hit a streetlight and came to a stop while the motorcycle sped off down the street.

I shook violently for several moments before the car door opened.

"Are you all right?" A shrill panicked voice filled the air, and a woman slowly exited her vehicle. She appeared to be several months pregnant.

"I'm fine." I hurried to reassure her, hoping she was okay too.

"I'm so sorry!" She rushed to my side.

"It wasn't your fault. It was the motorcycle." I noticed her trembling figure. "You should go back and sit in your car. I'll be okay."

By this time, people were stopping and running to help. I saw Grandma exit her store and run to cross the street.

"Somebody call 911," a man yelled out to the group of bystanders.

"Ouch!" The pregnant woman groaned, suddenly hunching over, grabbing her stomach.

"I'm fine! Help her!" I called to my grandma as she approached.

Grandma nodded and ran to the woman's side. I started to stand to go help her, but the man who stood next to me told me to stay put.

"You could have injuries we can't see. Wait for the paramedics to check you out."

I felt stupid sitting here, but it would be a lot easier to do that than explain I was uninjured because I was a witch. I folded my arms around my knees and waited.

It shouldn't have surprised me that Vance made it to the scene before the police or ambulance, but it did. He was suddenly there next to me, running his hands all over my body, checking me out.

"I'm fine!" I said again, slightly exasperated. "Go check the other lady! I think she's in labor." I pushed his hands away.

He locked eyes with me for a moment, the fear in them apparent, before he nodded and went to help Grandma.

I could hear the wailing of sirens coming down the street. Soon a couple of police cars and an ambulance arrived. One of the paramedics grabbed a trauma bag out of the back and ran toward the station wagon. The other came toward me.

"I'm all right." I sighed. "The car didn't hit me. I just fell," I lied.

"Let me check you out real quick then," the young man said.

After taking my blood pressure, feeling my pulse, listening to my lungs, and giving me a general once over, he finally allowed me to refuse treatment. Grandma signed the release, since I was underage.

I stood and watched as they strapped the pregnant woman to a backboard before wheeling her on a gurney to the back of the ambulance. Apparently, she was in full labor now. She kept apologizing to me as they loaded her. I reassured her I was fine and encouraged her to take care of herself and her baby.