I cover my face with one of my arms as the glass cracks and the windshield starts to fall apart. I'm screaming now at the top of my lungs with my eyes squeezed shut as the windshield is finally gone and he reaches in cutting the seatbelt strap. My right hand still holding up the ceiling, I let go as the roof begins to collapse and start to bang on the side window hoping to escape. He grabs me out of the seat and lifts me through the window.
"Darren, stop! Please! Let me go!" I scream trying to remove myself from his grasp. His hands are under my arms pulling me backward out of the car.
"Please! I'll do anything, just let me go please!"
"Lyssa!" he yells. "Lyssa, stop it's me, it's Ryder."
I freeze and look over my shoulder to find Ryder staring at me confused and concerned. He drags me across the hood and carries me bridal style away from the car and sets me on the ground.
"I...I thought you were someone else," I say through ragged breaths.
I look at the accident and find that we're alone, no other car in sight.
"Wha--Where's the...?" I stutter looking confused at Ryder.
"I heard the accident and ran as quickly as I could over here," he explains.
"Did you see him?" I asked the fear still pulsing through my body. I'm still on edge, looking around the scene trying to see into the dark expecting to find him lurking in the shadows.
"See who, Lyssa?" Ryder is staring at me like I'm crazy.
"The guy, the car that hit me?"
"Lyssa, there was no one here when I got here, no car. Just you. I ripped the windshield off and cut out of the driver's seat."
Speechless, I just stared at him, tears still streaming down my face.
"Look," he says sitting down next to me. "I called 911, they should be here any minute, okay?"
He reaches out to touch my head, but I flinch away. He drops his hand and sighs.
"Are you okay? What hurts?" he asks inspecting my injuries.
"I'm fine," I say, wincing as my ribcage stabs me again.
"You're far from fine Lyssa, Christ, you're lucky to be alive." He shakes his head at me and follows the sound of the sirens down the street.
"Finally," he sighs. He stands up to wave down the ambulance and police cars and points at me to stay put.
The EMT's hop out carrying a stretcher my way.
"Hi, I'm matt, can you tell me you're name," the younger looking guy asks.
"Um, I'm Lyssa."
"Hi Lyssa, can you tell me your last name?" he kneels next to me and starts inspecting the cut on my forehead I didn't realize I had and I wince in pain.
"Richter," I say.
"Okay good, now can you stand for me?"
"Umm, yeah, I think so." I bend over to push myself up and double over in pain hissing as my ribs stab me yet again. Fuck, that hurts.
"Okay, Lyssa, no worries, can you lay down flat for me on the floor?"
I do as he says and the other guy places the stretcher down on the ground next to me.
"Okay, Michael is going to place a brace around your neck to make sure you don't have any spinal cord injuries, okay?"
I give him a thumbs up and watch Ryder talk to the police officer to our right. I can't hear what he's saying but he looks upset with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Okay Lyssa, we're going to roll you on the stretcher on the count of three okay. Stay really straight for me. One, two, three..."
"Fuck!" I cry out in pain.
Ryder immediately walks to my side and looks at me with a worried look on his face.
The tears have returned betraying my constant reiteration to the EMT's that I'm fine. Ryder unexpectedly grabs my head. I flinch, but relax and let him comfort me.
He follows me into the ambulance and sits across from Matt. Matt starts to hound me with questions and Darren's face won't leave my mind. I start crying, I can't help it squeezing Ryder's hand.
"Hey, look, can these questions wait," Ryder asks Matt giving him a dirty look. Matt shuts up and focuses on putting an IV in my arm.
We reach the hospital a few minutes later, and the sirens turn off. The doors are thrown open and in a blur, I'm rushed into the emergency room and the EMT is relaying information to a nurse. A doctor comes over and flashes a light in my eyes.
"Hi Lyssa, I'm Dr. Oso, I hear you had a little bit of an accident. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Umm, I was driving and then someone hit me and then...and then I umm..." I can't speak as I start to choke on my cries as someone removes the gauze covering the gash on my head.
"Okay, Lyssa, we're gonna move you, I need you to stay very still okay?"
I try to nod and remember my neck is in a brace and whisper okay. I see another nurse lean over me and start to cut open my t-shirt, that's when I remember Ryder. I look around the room and the Dr. follows my gaze telling one of the nurses to get him out of here. I hear her tell him that he can wait in the waiting area. He goes hesitantly but allows her to push him past the curtains that are drawn around me.
After my t-shirt is removed the doctor places some gel on my stomach and rolls puts an ultrasound machine over my ribs and stomach.
"We've got a bleeder," he says, "let's get her to the O.R."
"I...I feel funny..." I stutter. God, I sound like I'm drunk. What the hell is going on with me?
Everything starts fading to black and I give into the sleepiness that's taking over my body.
____________________________________________
I know, I know, another cliff hanger. Hate me all you want, but keep reading.
love y'all
Elodie
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The Secrets We Keep (Formally WAIT)
Roman pour AdolescentsI was terrified of small spaces and he knew that. I could feel the sweat pooling in the crease behind my knees. My arms were hugging my knees to my chest and my chin rested on my knee and I waited for Darren to unlock the closet. I couldn't reach m...
