Convict

20.

I sat there with mom even longer, just rambling on about anything and everything. The sky darkened further and thunder rumbled quietly in the distance, the sun was clearly setting behind the dense clouds. I wiped the rain out of my eyes and said goodbye to mom, I felt calmer since earlier. Sitting in the quiet seems to have helped, just getting everything off my chest. I hoped that, wherever mom was she heard me. I hoped that she could see just how hard I was trying.

Oliver had two months left, I had two months left with someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Lightning flashed ahead soon followed by a louder rumble of thunder, I quickly made my way back to my car. I unlocked it and sat inside, the rain dropping off me as I sat there, I pulled my hood down and started the engine. I turned the heating up fully, waiting for the engine to warm

Once my cold fingertips warmed enough so that I could hold the wheel properly. I backed up and drove back down the narrow street, before long I was back on the busy highway. The rain was pounding against the windscreen; the wipers were working hard to keep my vision clear.

Lightning flashed in the ever darkening sky, illuminating the silhouettes of the storm clouds. The roads were beginning to flood with the heavy downpour, I made sure I drove cautiously. Not many cars were on the road, the flashlights of the ones oncoming reflected in the puddling tarmac. I looked at the time on my dash, it was nearing six pm, Henry was probably worried sick. 

The weather worsened as I drove down the long stretch of road, I was only about five miles from home. A large streak of fork lightning struck the sky straight ahead of me, followed immediately by a thunderous boom overhead. As I came around the corner the car on the other side swerved and came skidding towards me, I slammed my foot on the break and felt my own car skid on the wet floor, all traction lost in the water trapped on the road surface.

I screwed my eyes shut and hunched my shoulders bracing myself for the imminent collision. The two cars struck one another with an almighty crash, my body was thrown into the wheel and thrown around the seat like a ragdoll again and again I hit different parts of the car. Finally, the tumbling stopped, I heard the sound of wheels skidding off into the distance. I opened my eyes, blinking a few times to try and focus my vision. My ears were ringing from the sound of crunching metal, I finally realised I was upside down in the car. The windows were smashed in, there was glass shattered all above my head. I reached up and unclipped the seat belt, my only option was to fall on the glass above me. My body slumped down, I felt the glass pierce multiple areas of my aching body. The only sound was the glass under me and the raging storm outside, I managed to crawl out the windscreen. Once out I picked the glass out of my hands, thankfully it had only left indentations and minor scratches. I looked around, the road above the ditch I had clearly rolled in, I slowly walked around the car in search for my bag. To my dismay it wasn't in there, I looked around the crash site and found it thrown a few feet away.

I walked to get it, desperately hoping that my phone was still in working condition. I picked it up and found my phone screen smashed completely. I swore loudly and looked back at my poor car, the roof was completely bent out of shape as it supported the weight of the entire car, the windows were all smashed, the hood was crumpled from the impact of the collision. My only option was to walk along the highway and hope that I made it back in one piece.

I began the climb up the steep ditch, once I reached the top I took one look back at my car, almost completely lost in the heavy rain. I shook my head and saw the black skid marks, the only evidence there was ever a crash. My hands were still shaking from the adrenaline, the rain had already completely soaked through my coat and clothes beneath. I began the walk alongside the highway, the lightning above was the only thing illuminating the dark walk, the thunder was the only noise other than the rain hitting the road beside me.