Heartbroken

Chapter 34: Allegra

 The car flipped twice, coming to a stop on the side of the freeway after being crushed from all sides. We were completely upside-down, my seatbelt the only thing keeping me from falling out of my seat. I didn't have time to catch my breath. I hit my seat belt, falling to the roof of the car. Milo's head was bleeding, the glass broken beside him. Mr. Chans lay slumped over the wheel, the airbag deployed. I scrambled to Milo, catching him as I unbuckled his seat belt. I wrestled the door open, carrying Milo on my shoulder. I didn't feel the extra weight. I set him down away from the car, turning quickly to go back to get Mr. Chans.

The car that had hit us ws completely totaled but standing straight. The driver was leaned against the seat, and I could barely see his face through the shattered window and blood. It was my uncle.

I couldn't breathe.

Focus, Allegra. Mr. Chans first.

I ran to the car, ignoring my uncle's body. I positioned my hands underneath the car, heaving for only a second before I flipped it. With no time to spare I broke the front door off to get Mr. Chans. His seatbelt had somehow been severed, and he had fallen on his neck, the flesh broken, but he wasn't bleeding anymore. I didn't understand. I felt a hand on my arm.

"Allegra, we need to go," Milo said, trying to pull me away.

"But your father, I – "

"He's already gone, Allegra." He choked on his own words. "We need to get away!" His voice became frantic.

"But – "

He grabbed my arms with both his hands and made me face him. "The car is going to blow up!" he yelled, and had just enough time to pull me away before the car burst into flames. The force of the blast knocked us to the ground, and Milo fell on top of me, protecting me at the expense of himself. The heat alone almost rendered me unconscious, but I fought to stay awake. The fire continued to burn, spewing hot oil and bits of metal. I could feel Milo shaking, and a tear slipped down my stained cheek.

The heat dulled to a small bonfire. I rolled Milo off easily, cradling his bleeding, unconscious head in my arms. I turned to stare at the wreckage. A drop of blood slid down my cheek as I held Milo close to me, watching the car and the man that I had loved, burn. Milo felt heavy in my arms, but I felt no pain. In shock, I glanced down at him, scared and panicked and confused. He was still breathing, and I hoped that he was only bruised from the crash. But I knew it wouldn't be true. Heat emanated off the car and singed my hair, the smell of burning metal and flesh filling my nostrils.

I didn't have time to think before I lost hold of my head and everything went dark.

The light pierced my eyes like a needle, the stabbing pain awakening my senses. My entire body felt hot, as if I had just entered a sauna that was 200 degrees too hot. My head pounded, and the tingling sensation in my limbs came back again, though this time it was just my body regaining feeling. My ears popped painfully, and I heard a small beeping, keeping pace with my heart. I was lying flat on my back, the bed comfortable with my head sinking into the pillow. I groaned, reaching a hand up to my head, but it didn't even make it halfway. Something cuffed my wrists to the bed. Panicked, I shuffled my legs; they were stuck too.

My eyes adjusted as I struggled, craning my neck. The room was small, the walls a plain cream color. My legs were covered with a warm plaid blanket. The only thing that stood beside me was the heart monitor and an IV I hadn't noticed snaking itself into my bare arm. This wasn't a hospital. Annoyed, I snapped the plastic bands around my wrists, leaning over to remove the ones over my legs after waiting for my pounding head to subside.