The Family (VOL. 1)

Chapter 2

My head pounded, sharp and heavy, as I lifted my face from the deployed airbag acting as a pillow. Every breath that filled my lungs was followed by an intense ache that tore through every inch of my body. The smell of smoke and burning oil that wafted in my nostrils had my stomach churning and bile rising in my throat but I swallowed it down.

Oh, God! What happened? Where am I? Thoughts raced through my head and I wished they would slow down so I could take a moment to breathe, to figure out what happened and what to do next but the endless bombard of emotions wouldn't relent long enough for my mind to regain clarity.

I raised my hands up to massage my pounding temples and noticed the bruises, scrapes, and cuts covering my arms all the way down to my fingertips. Tiny shards of glass from the shattered windshield covered my lap and every other surface, some fragments even still embedded in my skin.

"Matt!" I shouted weakly, my voice hoarse from all the screaming.

He laid slumped over the steering wheel with his eyes shut and a consistent stream of blood pouring from a gash hidden in the hairline above his left temple; his head must've bashed against the window to get an injury like that and I knew right away just from how much blood was gushing that he was in need of stitches.

When he didn't respond, I unbuckled my seatbelt and winced at the burning sensation wrapping around my waist due to how tightly the lap belt had gripped my lower stomach. "Matt, you need to wake up!" I begged, shaking his shoulder rather harshly. "Please, open your eyes! C'mon!"

His shoulders were the first to move and he drew them inward and arched his back, his once limp fingers straightening out as he stretched. I released the breath I hadn't realized was caught in my lungs upon seeing the green of his irises peek out from behind his thick lashes. The pad of my thumb wiped away the oozing crimson liquid from his eyes while he muttered something incoherent.

"You're awake! Oh, Thank you, God!" I rejoiced, delicately kissing his forehead as to not aggravate any of his injuries.

"Ma- tilda" He choked on the words as blood from a split in his bottom lip seeped down his throat, staining his teeth and sending him into a coughing fit.

"I'm right here, honey," I assured, unbuckling his seatbelt to relieve some of the pain I knew he must've been experiencing.

He peeled himself off the steering wheel only to cry out in agony and clutch his arm to his chest. "Oh, God! My arm! I think it's broken!" He squirmed in his seat, tears welling in his eyes and streaming red as they mingled with the blood and cascaded down his cheeks.

"Lemme see," I said, examining his arm which was red, swollen, and totally broken. "Oh, crap! Yeah, I think you're right. We need to get you outta here and to a hospital, okay?"

"I don't think I can." he clenched teeth and inhaled deeply through his nose in an attempt to breathe through the pain instead of letting it consume him.

"Okay, just stay right there. I'll get out first and come around to get you"

I twisted around in my seat and grabbed the metal handle. With a few firm shoves, the door popped surprisingly easily open; my sore body was grateful for that. The fresh air that rushed to fill my lungs as I stepped out was a welcome treat. Though the burning odor was still present, it was less severe outside of the car and helped ease the nausea the smell had caused me.

Broken glass crunched beneath my boots as I stumbled towards the front of the car to inspect the damages all the while scanning the road for any sign of what could have caused the accident. Thick grey clouds of smoke billowed from beneath the hood only emphasizing the fact that the whole front of the car had been crushed as if it was nothing more than an aluminum coke can.