Smoke

Chapter One: The Accident

First I want to say a short thank you to all who are reading this story. Although it is a rough draft of a short story I am creating I would appreciate any feedback that can be provided here. If I misused grammar, or misspelled a word, I would be very interested to know. My goal is to get better. If you have any suggestions, or want to learn more about my characters please let me know! Thanks again! -Tina

 Chapter One: The Accident

David and Leonora Wallace were the perfect couple. Everyone said so. They weren't high school sweethearts. In fact they never grew up in the same area. They met through mutual friends at a Christmas party four years ago, and from that moment their lives were connected forever. They became inseparable, and only seven short months later they were married. 

Their lives weren't perfect. There were those moments when they got on each others nerves, as is normal in long relationships. However, they were happy with each other. Their lives were full of happiness, and love. They shared numerous memories, jokes, and laughter throughout their short three year marriage. Then the accident happened. 

David sank down onto the bed in the room that he shared with Leonora. That he had shared with her until two months ago. His hands gently held a picture of her, and silent tears were moving down his cheeks. Every day that passed made the pain lessen a little, but it never fully went away. He didn't want it to either. If it did he was afraid he would forget her, that he would forget their life together. 

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The accident happened late in February. The snow on the ground was fresh, and Leonora wanted to go for a walk to experience the final snowfall of winter. Unfortunately, David was still at work at the city hospital. He was a registered nurse, and although his shift would soon be finished it wasn't unusual for him to have to stay over to finish charting on his patients. They lived in a safe neighborhood so Leonora didn't think anything of leaving the house alone, although the sky was beginning to darken. 

She slipped on her boots, and wrapped herself in a heavy brown coat before stepping out and locking the door behind her. The street was busy with cars trying to get home before the snow got too thick. She could hear the first signs of ice crunching under her feet as she walked down their front steps onto the sidewalk. Cold air hit her face, but she didn't mind at all. Winter was her favorite season. She saw it as a fresh start to the world, everything was wiped clean and brought back new. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she watched the world turn white.

Leonora stopped four blocks up to wait for a traffic light to change green before continuing her path. David would be off work soon and she wanted to be home to start dinner for him. She was lucky that her job only required her to be at work until five o'clock. As the owner of the neighborhood daycare she was able to make her own hours, but worked from open to close anyway. She loved the children, and her employees were all friends. In short, she loved her career. 

The red light switched over to green and Leonora continued forward, crossing the street. The next block she would loop around and head back home she decided. That would be enough to time to get dinner started at least. She was enjoying the peace and quiet that seemed exclusive to winter nights. Snowflakes were sticking to her shoulder length brown hair and melting. Her footsteps were deliberately slow as she neared the corner to turn. A buzzing sound drew her out of her reverie, her phone was going off in her pocket. 

She drew it out and smiled when she saw Davids face on the screen. She hit the green accept button and spoke,

        "Hey babe, how's work?" 

        "Oh, it's been interesting today. We had a patient they found out on the streets tonight. He was homeless and confused. I've spent most of my shift in his room trying to help him reorient to his environment. I'll be home soon though, just finished charting."

        "Good, I'm out walking but I'm heading back too. I should have dinner started before you get home." Leonora turned the corner and started to quicken her pace a little, excited to be home to see her husband.

        "I wish you would have waited for me. I don't like you out walking after dark alone." He sounded anxious over the phone line, but she had heard this before. David was always worried that something bad would happen if she went out alone after the sun had set. 

        "I'm fine. I'll be home soon, and when I get there I will make you the best dinner. Don't worry."

        "Nora, just be careful. I'm leaving the hospital now. Be home in twenty minutes tops."

        "I will. I love you, drive safe."

        "Love you too, bye." 

She pressed the end button on the phone, and looked up from the screen. Two more blocks and she would be home. Although she loved winter she was ready to feel the warmth of their home. Crossing the street she was surprised to see a small kitten shivering in the cold by the street lamp. 

        "Here kitty." She tried calling it to her, but the calico colored feline wasn't moving. Too scared she assumed. She slowed her movement and crouched down a little. "Here. Come on, kitty. We can get you a bowl of warm milk when we get home. Come here." She made soft clucking noises, and the kitten began to move slowly toward her. 

        "That's it." she continued to murmur soft phrases, each bringing the shivering cat closer to her. The sound of an approaching car reminded Leonora that she was still crouched in the middle of the street. She made a small grab for the cat, but the quick motion scared it and the calico ran the other way. "Great." she sighed heavily and began to rise back to her feet as a car turned the corner towards her. Leonora turned to look at the oncoming headlights and quickly realized that the driver had already lost control. They had taken the corner too fast and were now fishtailing forward in her direction. She tried to move fast to the other side of the street, but too fast. Her foot flipped and she toppled to the pavement instead. 

She tasted blood in her mouth, her chin had hit the ground hard. Quickly she began to get back to her feet as she heard the screeching tires too close for comfort. She scrambled towards the side of the street, but wasn't fast enough. The smell of burning tires, and her scream filled the air. She was hit by the oncoming car. Her body was pushed forward into the main street, as the car slid foward through the intersection. 

The cars momentum slowed as it crossed into the middle of the main road. Screeching tires filled the air as other cars tried not hit the now damaged car. The sound of impact was deafening as two more cars collided with the first. 

When the medical team arrived it took a few hours before the were able to find Leonora in the wreckage. Unconscious and badly injured, she was life-flighted to a hospital nearby. Her trauma was too severe, although the doctors did everything that they could. The car had crashed into her going forty miles per hour. She was in a coma in the ICU when David found her.