Red

Chapter 5

Everything was dark and calm until it wasn't. A ringing sounded in my ear and I was drowning in pain. I heard a horrible scream pierce the air. I struggled to open my eyes. Mas-Mason! My eyes popped open and pain ignited all over my body. I went to open my mouth but realized that the cry of pain was coming from me. I shut my eyes and struggled to push the pain down. Mason. My dad. Mom... Concentrate Brielle.  I needed to stop the screams and concentrate. At least long enough to check on my family.

Finally I stopped screaming. My breathing became heavy but I still managed to push through it. I finally opened my eyes and blinked away my tears. I tried to look around but was not able to. Why couldn't I move? I struggled for a while until finally I was able to move my arms and turn my head. Every movement was agony but I just kept pushing through it. I turned and tried to look at the front seat but my eyes were still blurry from the pain. I blinked a couple of times and my breathing became more ragged as I struggled to stay conscious.

I lurched forward and realized something wasn't right. I looked around and saw that things were different. It all looked the same but wasn't. Then it hit me. The car was upside down. I turned my head to Mason's side of the car praying he was okay. Looking over at his side I was shocked. It took what little breath I had completely out of my body. His side of the car was completely smashed in. His little body trapped in between the door like a twisted version of a sand which. "M-Mason. Mason. Mason. Mason. Mason." I kept wailing his name hoping he would answer. I shook him but he wouldn't move. His face was dark and from where I was sitting it looked permanently scared.

I kept crying out his name, unable to stop. I sucked in another painful breath and tried to take off my seatbelt but I was stuck. I need to get to him. Maybe if I moved him he would wake up, maybe if he wasn't being crushed anymore. I struggled for a bit until it suddenly locked and pulled in on my already battered rib cage. I gasped at the pain but still struggl d to reach him. I pulled the seatbelt around my body and leaned over. Finally, I reached Mason and touched his head lightly. Only coldness greeted me. His once warm smile now a cold terrified scowl. At that moment I knew for a fact that he was dead and I would never be the same.

My adrenaline was running low and everything was hitting me all I once. I slammed my hand on the seat in front of me and started to sob loudly. I opened my mouth begging for help but my voice came out in a choked whisper that was almost unrecognizable. I looked into the drivers seat and joy reclaimed my heart making the pain dim a little. Tears stung my eyes and fell down to the roof of the car. I saw my dad peacefully sleeping in his chair. He looked uncomfortable and his arm looked...badly broken but he was there and breathing. Good, at least he's there and... mom. My eyes widened and I started to panic. I looked around and could see her. My eyes settled in the giant hole in our windshield. That's when the panic set in. "Mom? Mom! Mom are you okay? Where are you mom?"

My choked screams grew louder as I struggled to find her. I was about to call out to her again when I heard my father groan loudly, clearly in pain. "D-dad?" His eyes fluttered as he struggled to gain consciousness. After a few minutes he groaned again and opened his eyes slowly. The minute they were open his head snapped to the back seat. His eyes settled on Mason and I heard him suck in a breath. I couldn't help let out a quiet moan as the tears flooded my face again. Hearing my discomfort his eyes shot to me and he softened a bit.

"Brielle. Are-are you okay?" I nodded my head even though my entire body burned with pain. I tried to talk about Mason but my father gave me a pained smile and reached out his hand to comfort me. He patted my hand gently and then surveyed the damage. When he looked at the passenger side and the windshield I saw his eyes glaze over in panic. "Brenda. Oh god Brenda." He looked around anxiously and paused. "Shit. I'm coming just hang in there a little longer. Brenda w-we lost Mason but we still h-have our baby girl. So please hang in there." I turned and tried to see what he was staring at. I knew it was mom, I just couldn't see her.

Struggling to see through the darkness I made out the faint outline of a body pressed up against a tree visibly shaking. My dad struggled to get out of his seat but was stuck just like me. After he realized he was stuck he panicked again and pressed the emergency button on the car secerao times. Trying to signal someone for help. He turned to me and tried to keep my attention in him. "Sweetheart. Look at me. By little girl. Don't worry. You're not alone. I'm gonna get us all out of here safe. I promise you, you won't be alone. Ever." Listening to his words I felt a sudden peace and started to lose consciousness. I struggled to keep my eyes open and stay with him but I no longer had the energy to fight and succumbed to the darkness.

I don't know how much time passed after I fell asleep but all I knew is that when I woke up my dad was no longer there and the world was no longer upside down. Looking for any sign of my dad I noticed that his door was missing and his seat was ripped up. A heavy feeling grew through my chest but I shook my head thinking that he's fine and that maybe the paramedics have already grabbed him and we're gonna come for me next.

My relief was short lived when I turned my head and looked past the headlights. I saw my mother laying on the ground. Her body convulsing as she started to move towards the car. "M-mom." My voice come out as a low croak and I knew there was no was she could hear me. I tried to clear my throat and swallow but my mouth became unbelievably dry. I tried again and managed to clear my throat a bit. I called her name and I saw her body stop moving.

She lifted her head and squinted through the lights. When she saw me a look of happiness followed by fear crossed her face. She started speaking but for some reason my ears started ringing and I couldn't hear her. I couldn't make out what she was saying but all I knew was that it was urgent and something extremely important. A loud thumping sound followed by slurping sounded near the car and I struggled to turn and see what it was. I looked back at my mom and she was staring at something just past the car. She looked disgusted and absolutely terrified. She then snapped her attention back at me and signaled for me to not make a noise. I put my shaking hands over my mouth and nodded not sure what was going on.

A loud booming laugh broke the silence and I jumped in my seat making it cream slightly. What was that? Who was that? My mom was now staring angrily at a dark patch of trees. I followed her gaze and nearly screamed. What stood there was nothing close to human. The look on its face was one of pure enjoyment. It looked as if it was a hungry beast watching its prey squirm for freedom. It looked her up and down and licked its mouth. Or what I assumed was it's mouth. It walked forward slowly savoring every second of my mothers struggle. She started crawling away from the car and looked back at me. I immediately realized she was trying to get it away from the car.

She didn't want whatever it was to notice me. It bent forward as she crawled further, getting ready to attack. It then ounces and all I saw was a blur until it flung her right in front of the car. The headlights illuminated the scene as if I was watching a gruesome play. She started to scream as it slowly ripped her apart. Tears fell down my face and I whispered lightly as it continued to eat her. Taking one hand off my mouth I reached down for my seatbelt and struggled to unbuckle it. Finally it clicked and swung against the door making a loud sound. I froze in my seat tears filling my eyes.

I slowly looked up and the creature was no longer there and neither was my mothers body. I started to panic and tried to force my body to move. But it froze when I heard a noise right next to my side of the car. My breathing hitched and I didn't dare turn to look at whatever was next to me. I held my breath and prayed for help as the sounds got closer. The last thing I heard was the creak of the car door before everything turned black.