The Crash . . .

A/N: Here I am with another short story! This one is about a... well, why don't you just find out for yourself? Enjoy! (I review back!)

The Car Crash -

"Turn the volume down will you Al! My heads hurting!" wailed Natalie over the pounding radio. Alex sighed and reached over to turn the music down.

"I thought you liked the music loud!" exclaimed Alex, an exasperated look on her face.

"Not when it's giving me a headache!" Natalie shot back.

The two girls just happened to be best friends coming back from a weekend away in Scotland with their families but they had been forced to drive home by themselves as there wasn't any room in the other car. They had thought it would be fun.

Natalie rested her head on the cold window and watched the raindrops hitting the car with a 'thud'. It was her turn to drive soon. Her phone buzzed in her hand - a text? It was their other friend, Cassandra (or Cass for short) It said -

Hop soon! So extd! C u l8r, luv ya!

Natalie had totally forgotten about Cass, she was going to come on the trip but she couldn't because her family couldn't afford it. She'd seemed really upset about it. Oh well, she could see them soon enough...

It was so foggy on the way home that neither of the girls saw the rapidly approaching bus. Alex could hear its loud engine outside but didn't think it was a cause of worry. That's when it skidded on the wet road - right into them...

There was a bang and a sickening crunch of metal. The two girls were thrown backwards and Alex hit her head off the steering wheel. Alex might have been screaming but she didn't care - she hurt so much, so much pain. From their dimly lit surroundings and orange flames she could tell that something on fire. Wetness on her arm and head indicated that she was bleeding - a lot. Her head hurt so much and her vision was blurred...

Her hair stuck to her head because of the blood and the wind. Had she broken a bone? Where was Natalie? Was she ok? How long have we been like this? As these unanswered questions flitted through her mind she caught a glimpse of flashing red and blue lights. Ambulances? They were safe. They could get out of this! Alex's head hurt so much. So much pain. So much confusion. Alex wanted to give in to the darkness that was engulfing her, to simply let go of everything. Anything was better than the pain she was experiencing. Then she passed out.

When Alex opened her eyes she was in a hospital corridor. Or at least that's where she thought she was. Why was she here? What had happened - Natalie? Then she remembered - the car crash. The bus. The pain. The confusion - then the darkness. At least the ambulance explained why she was in the hospital, but why was she walking around, with not a single mark on her? Exasperated and confused she walked down the deserted corridors wondering why she was perfectly fine - was she dreaming? She pinched herself just to make sure she wasn't - it seemed so real - could it be a dream. However, when she pinched herself she got a nasty surprise. Her hand went right through her arm. She let out a confused yelp. What the hell? Maybe she was dreaming after all... Then she remembered... Natalie! She needed to find her and see if she was ok, because clearly she was - or was she?

After wandering down the hallways for a couple of minutes Alex finally found someone. Actually there were 6 people all operating on one person. Wow, I really shouldn't be here thought Alex- but then she saw her bracelet.

OMG! How is that possible? Her bracelet had been specially made for her, no other like it in the entire world. Her Mum had got it for her while they were on holiday in Spain. Feeling rather foolish Alex chuckled at her own stupidity. How could it have been her bracelet? She was standing right here! She must just be imagining things. In fact none of this was probably real - she must have concussion! Still laughing at herself she went to turn around and continue her mission to find Natalie - but that's when it hit her. Her hand went right through her arm. Something wasn't right...

Alex went back to the operating room. She went to knock on the door but, yet again, her hand went straight through it. Tears of confusion and sadness rolled down her cheek. She wanted to give up hope - none of this made any sense... In one last effort to find her friend she asked one of the doctors -

"Erm, excuse me but I was looking for my fr-"

As soon as she had begun the sentence she stopped. The man wasn't even looking at her! Wait, couldn't he hear her - or see her for that matter? Wait a minute - these weren't even the clothes she had on before - in fact they weren't even her clothes! Even more confused than before she went over to the operating table. The doctors were shouting now - shouting things like -

"Her heart's failing!"

and

"She's not going to make it!"

She felt a pang of sadness for the girl - she had had a life once. She didn't deserve to die. No-one did. That was when the beeping stopped - the heart monitor had shut down...

Silent tears rolled down Alex's face as she watched the life draining from the girls cheeks, her body limp and lifeless. That was when she saw the girl - properly. At first she didn't recognise her, because of all the blood and cuts. The girl was her...

A/N: Thoughts?