From Dusk Till Daylight

Healing

The loud ear splitting sound of police sirens filled my ears; I blinked, all around me were people in uniforms scurrying about, carrying equipment and gear. Struggling to focus on one thing in particular amongst the frenzied movement, I turned in a full circle amongst frantic surroundings. Smoke polluted the air as a group of men in yellow outfits fought through the blazing flames to extinguish a red car in the distance. Fire engines, hospital gurneys covered the street. People swiftly passed me, some who wore visages of distress while others were completely calm, as if they dealt with situations like these were the norm. Water from a nearby fire hose suddenly sprayed my side, and I abruptly realized how cold I was.

Without warning a throbbing pain erupted from within me and everything inch of me began to ache. My head stung, scorching like an egg frying at high heat in boiling hot oil. I brought my hand to my face and suddenly a sensation of pure disgust rolled over me; deep crimson blood smothered my hand and droplets ran down my wrist. Wrapping my arms around myself, I shuddered and walked towards the closest paramedic, hoping she'd answer some of the frustrating questions streaming around in my head like a hive frenzied bees.

"W-w-what's happened here?" I stuttered, overcome with fear. She looked up at me, I could clearly see she was young. After staring at me blankly for a long moment, she took a deep breath and sighed.

"There's been an accident." She paused, debating with herself whether or not to go on; she continued anyway, despite the look of pure terror on my face, "A young man drove off the side of the road and crashed into this car." Her gaze motioned to a yellow car which sprouted flames nearby. Stupefied and startled, I struggled to keep my calm by distracting myself with something she was holding something I couldn't see. And much less didn't want to see.

"Where's the body?" I asked, my voice a near whisper. She looked towards the black body bag yards away, then pulled out a tissue, and gave it to me; apparently without having realized, my eyes had spewed tears.

"It's not a pretty sight." She frowned and scurried toward the ambulance, carrying a clear Ziploc baggy full of what appeared to be the deceased' belongings. Waiting till she had fixed her attention on something else, I drifted toward the bag, as if carried by a current of blood, lust and anguish; I guess it was true what they said, that the feeling controls you. I knelt and reached for the zipper, uninterested in whether or not people were watching me.

Almost completely paralysed, I held the zipper, stiffened by fear. Pulling myself together, I unzipped the body bag in one swift movement. The corpse was exactly who I feared, but that didn't stop me from screaming. The jet black hair, the bronze skin, the muscular figure...it was all so familiar, too familiar. My nerves ached and shrieked as I stared down at the lifeless body of my lover, soul mate and best friend.

"No," My mind pleaded for a rational explanation of some kind."No! No!" I jumped up, gasping for air; tears streamed down my face. "Please! Somebody help!" Choking for air, I searched for help through the sea of people.

"Miss?" Asked a man stepping toward me and Jacob's body; I continued to yelp miserably, but nobody noticed as if unable to hear my distress. Faintly managing my strength, I strained to heave his dead-weight body out of the bag.

"Miss!" Yelled the man who drew nearer, hesitantly from the corner of my eye.

"He's not dead!" My screeches echoed in the distance as people began to acknowledge my hysteria. My eyes darted towards the woman, the same plastic bag in her hands as it was two minutes previous. Suddenly I couldn't find the words to speak; as she gazed at me as if I was some kind of grotesque creature. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move; I was dying inside. Shivering in anger, I could see the man step hesitantly towards me from the corner of my eye.