Surviving the Storm

Chapter 25

         I wake suddenly to the sound of my phone ringing on my nightstand. It takes me a good few minutes to come to my senses. Adam is also trying to sit up and wake himself up.

         It's still dark outside, so I know I haven't slept for very long. I climb over Adam to grab my phone and look to see who is calling, but I don't recognize the number. "Hello?" I answer and climb back into my side of the bed.

         "Hello. Is this Kasey?" a female voice asks from the other side.

        "Yes it is. May I ask who I am speaking with?"

         "I am Beatrice Fisher, and I work at Good Shepard Hospital." Immediately my eyes widen as I look to Adam. He gives me a concerned expression and holds my free hand. "I am here to inform you that your aunt Lisa has been in a motor vehicle accident and--"

          I don't listen to the rest of that sentence. I hang up and crawl out of bed. "Adam, we need to leave now." A flash of dejá vu hits me as I think back to the day Jon told me that Mom and Dad had been in an accident.

         "What happened?" he asks, also hurriedly climbing out of bed and finding his shoes.

          I look up to him, my eyes glassy and heart slowly drowning. "Lisa has been in an accident."

          He takes a sharp breath in. "She was riding home with Karen." He clenches his fist and turns to find a wall to punch. "Fuck!"

           "Adam," I whisper as I slip my arms around his back. "We need to hurry. Let's leave now."

           He turns around and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'll drive, you get Jon."

           I shake my head. "Jon was staying at a friend's house. I'll call him."

           "Kasey?"

           I refuse to look at him and instead find an interest in my trembling hands. This can't be happening again. I have know too many people that died in car accidents, and I'm not about to add more people to that list.

           "What," I mumble.

           His hand finds my chin and he tilts my head up so I can see him through my teary eyes. "They will be okay. I can feel it. Stay strong for me."

           I nod and he takes my hand as we sprint through the house, reach outside, and hop into his car. I tuck my legs to my chest and try to hold back my threatening tears.

           Adam's phone begins to ring. I look at the number to see it is the same one as the woman who called me to tell me Lisa had been in the accident. "It's the hospital," I say.

           "Leave it. I don't want to hear anything of their damn sympathetic voices."

            I notice that the speed we are traveling at is a bit too fast for my comfort. Especially since it is still dark outside.

           So I place my hand on Adam's arm. He glances at me quickly and looks defeated. He lets out a long sigh and I feel the car slow down. Once again he slips his hand into mine, and I can feel a comfort take over my body. A reassurance that I'm not alone.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Oh my God, Lisa," I whisper as I cover my mouth my walking to her bed. She has a few bruises on her arms and a slight black eye. Her eyes are open and looking at me, and somehow she still has that smile on her face.