Purple

Chapter 4

It all happened so fast. So fast I barely saw what happened. But when I replay it over and over in my mind, it's as if it's in slow motion, just taunting me.

The black car flew down the street, ignoring the obvious stop sign at the intersection. At the same time, a small girl rides down the opposite street on her bike, ringing the bell cheerfully.

I knew it was going I happen a split second before it did. But there wasn't time to peel my eyes away from the scene. There wasn't time to hide my face in Jer's shoulder for the sake of my sanity. No, I saw it happen. There and then.

With a screech of brakes and a small scream, the car and the girl collided. The girl went over the hood of the car and landed behind it, her bike yards away from her. I sat on the lifeguard chair, waiting for the driver to stop the car and help the girl, but the moment never came. The car didn't stop, not even for a second, as thg they couldn't bare to look back and own up to what they had just done. No, the car kept on moving, keeping it's speed. And the girl laid in the street motionless.

I don't realize I'm holding my breath until I almost run it of air and have to breath out loudly to keep from passing out, although I feel like passing out even without breathing. Jer jumps out of the chair, skipping the ladder and leaving his Popsicle behind. I look down at the Popsicle and wonder why he didn't bring it. Priorities, I tell myself, priorities.

I jump from the lifeguard stand and follow after Jer, wincing as my feet hit the hard pavement ground. Jer is already kneeling by the girl when I catch up with him. I don't want to look. What if she's seriously injured? What if she's-I gulp- dead? I finally raise the courage to look down at the girl.

The first thing I notice is that she's bloody. Really really bloody. She is sprawled out with her arm under her back and her leg twisted the wrong way. I quickly avert my eyes from her clearly broken leg so as not to puke all over Jer's new call of duty shirt. She had bruises all over her body, though a lot of them are being covered with blood. She looks about nine. Her pigtails are falling out and her hair is knotted. I feel sick.

"...Jer?"I say almost at a whisper.

Jer is checking for a pulse. I wonder where Sherri is. We could use an adult. Jer look up from the girl and nods at me.

"She's alive. Get out your phone and call 911." He sounds serious, which is not a very often sight.

But I don't move. I can't move. It's as though someone's glued my feet to the ground and my hands to my side so I'm unable to grab my phone from my pocket.

"Scarlett, now!" Jer looks almost angry. That's when I snap back into it. He never calls me by my full name. It's always scar.

I grab my phone from my pocket in one swift movement and dial 911. I wait three rings for the operator to pick up. When the ringing stops, a smooth voice speaks,

"911, what is your emergency?"

I start to speak into the phone. My brain feels like it's running away, and my words are coming out faster then I can process them.

"Yes um there's been a hit and run. There's this little girl and she's barely alive and unconscious" I blurt into the phone.

There is silence in the other end for a second before the calm voice speaks back.

"The girl is alive?"

"Yes"

"And she's unconscious?"

"Yes"

"Can you see the car that hit her still?"

I shake my head, forgetting that she can't see me.

"No. No ma'm it sped away."

More silence.

"Okay, location please?"

"West smith street, Gilbert. Please hurry." I say nervously into the phone.

"We will have help over within ten minutes. Hang in there"

I nod, still not registering she can only hear me.

"Ok. Thank you. Goodbye."

I hang up. Jer looks up at me hopefully, and I nod down at him.

"Help will be here soon"

He let's out a sigh of relief. His face looks worried and pale. It's hard to catch Jer like this. Sherri runs out from the building and shrieks, covering her mouth with her left hand. She runs over to us and closes her eyes, refusing to look down at the girl and her pink Barbie bike. I wonder why she's coming out now. I speak quietly to her.

"Help is already on the way."

All she can do is nod. And all we can do is sit by the girl's side in silence, praying to god that she's not going to slip away before help gets here.