Green light

Chapter 2

Delia

At first, it is a lot like floating, laying on a perfectly shaped cloud. A cotton candy cloud. Cherry cotton candy. I love cotton candy. It's pink and fluffy and sticky. Even two hours after you ate it, you can still taste it on your fingertips. I have good memories linked to cotton candy. Once in college, Betina and I ate way to much of it. We dare each others to eat as much as we could at a fair and ended up curled on our dorm room's floor, holding our knees to our stomach, alternating between laughing our ass off and crying tears of pain. We had the worst case of stomach ache of the history of all stomach aches. It was a great night. Cotton candy became our thing. Laying down on the floor with your best friend, after doing something silly put things into perspective. They are cotton candy situation, cotton candy person. She is my cotton candy person. Someone who sticks to you throughout everything. Someone you want close by, always.

Then, I'm not floating anymore. I'm falling, a free fall nothing can stop. The first raindrop of a wild storm, when the sky cracks under all the electricity and it feels like it it might fall on your head. It's scary because you know that what's to come is going to be horrible. It's the moment when you realize your parachute won't open, you pull and pull on the string but it just won't open. The ground comes closer and closer so you just close your eyes. You might pray God for help. You might think about your family, your regrets, your life. But strangely, before my head collides with the asphalt, I only see the genuine smile of a stranger at a crosswalk.

Next comes the pain, only unbearable pain.

Colson

Everything happens so fast, way too fast for me to do anything about it. She steps on the road, the car comes closer and closer but it doesn't slow down, it keeps on going unaware of the red light. One moment she is standing in the middle of the street, the next she is in the air, a limp body suspended by invisible treads, a puppet in the arms of mad man.

A sound I will never be able to forget, a sound so unnatural, so disturbing, it's gonna haunt me until the day I die, shakes the street. Her head hits the ground in a thunderous noise. Everything is quiet. Time has stopped. She lays motionless, cheek to the earth, arms to her side. One of her heels is gone. It stands a couple of feet from her body. The car comes to a screeching stop breaking the silence. I rush toward her, my heart beating furiously in my chest. Be okay, please be okay. I need to show you how to smile, the only mantras I can think about kneeling down next to her.

There is blood everywhere, matting her hair, running down her face. It pouring from a large cut on the back of her head. Her eyes are open but they can't focus.

«Hi, you're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay» I tell her running my hand on her body trying to find where she is hurt. She grunts when I reach her stomach. It's hard and bloated. Internal bleeding. She is bleeding inside and fast. Her mouth is moving. She is trying to talk but I can't hear her.

Someone comes flying next to me.

«Is she gonna be all right ?» a man in panic keeps asking. «Is she gonna be all right ? I didn't see the light. I was day dreaming. God I didn't see a light !» He is screaming now, losing it completely. I grab is sleeve and yank at it.

«Listen ! She needs medical assistance. And she needs it yesterday. Call 911. Now !»

The man looks at me and seems to snap out of it. He grabs his phone and makes the call.

A small cold hand touches mine.

«Hurts. It hurts» she whispers through the pain. Her eyes zoom on me, her pupils two dilated holes burning into mine.

«I know» I tell her, putting pressure on the cut on her head with one hand , caressing her cheek with the other. «Help is coming. You have to hold on, okay ?»

She tries to shake her head but cries out in pain. I steady her as much as I can.

«It hurts. It hurts and I'm so cold.» Tears are drifting down her face, mixing with the blood. «I can't feel my legs anymore. And I'm so cold.» She closes her eyes. Her breathing turns laboured.

«Hey, hey. You've got to stay with me. Open your eyes please» I gently tap her cheek.

She does but I can see how much it costs her.

«Good girl, you've got to stay with me until the ambulance arrives. Tell me your name. Talk to me.» Her eyes close again. «No, no, no. Come on, what's your name ?»

They flutter open again. They are bloodshot. Shit. She is losing it. She is not gonna make it. I can feel the life leave her body. «Darling, what's your name ?» I ask her softly, trying to calm the rising panic inside of me.

«Delia Amerson» she whispers on a small breath before her heart stops beating.

I don't even hesitate a moment. I won't let her die. I refuse to let her go. I put my hand on her chest and starts compressions. One, two, three, four, five, six.... I press and press steadily, willing her heart to beat on its own. I put my mouth to hers and breath into her lungs. Her chest lifts up but crashes down as soon as I stop. I don't care. I won't stop until she lives again. Sirens can be heard in the distance. They are coming. And I keep on going.