Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Five

I immediately lost the ability to move. It was as if I were paralyzed. I was standing so still and stiff that I could be mistaken for a statue. My cellphone slipped from my fingers and hit the floor. The screen shattered, but that was the least of my concerns.

Anti-Caleb and Mary Sue glanced at each other, and then back at me. They asked at the same time if everything was alright. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I was filled with so much worry, so much fear, that I had no clue how to break the news. My mom and dad must have figured that something was up because they ran to me, Anti-Caleb, and Mary Sue.

"Cindy?" Dad said my name. "Cindy!"

"Why is our daughter not responding?" Mom questioned with shakiness in her voice. She looked at Mary Sue and Anti-Caleb. "Do either of you know what is wrong with Cindy?"

Mary Sue shrugged. "It is a mystery, Mrs. Banks. Maybe her stalker called her over the phone."

"A stalker? There is a creep stalking my daughter?!"

I finally found my voice. I needed to intervene before things could blow out of proportion.

"I am not being stalked!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. My voice echoed throughout the room, and my other friends and the rest of the guests stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Dead silence filled the room.

"What is the matter, sweetheart?" Dad spoke softly. "What is troubling you? And where is your husband?"

How would I be able to bring myself to do it? How could I tell the guests that Caleb was in an accident? The people here either like Caleb or adore him. They would be heartbroken to know that he was suffering yet again. Why was Caleb even driving to begin with? He said that he was making a trip to the bathroom.

"I know where Caleb wandered off to," Kara announced as she scooted a chair over to me. My legs quivered, and I sat down. I leaned back and wiped my forehead that was drenched with sweat.

"How do you know?" Mom questioned Kara.

"Caleb told me. He said that if Cindy or anybody else was looking for him, they would have to wait until his return."

"Did he leave the party?"

"Yes. He wanted to get some fresh air and took his and Cindy's car for a drive. He sounded angry and upset."

"Why...why was he angry?" I piped up. "That does not sound like Caleb Night."

"He said that he was angry...with you."

I pointed at myself. "With me? You cannot be serious."

"I am not making this up, Cindy. Do you have any theory as to why he may have been mad at you?"

"...we did have a small argument."

"What was it about?" Anti-Caleb wondered.

"It was not a huge deal for me, but Caleb acted as if I committed murder."

"What did you do that Caleb did not approve of?" Mary Sue asked.

"A person who shall remain nameless said things that frankly ticked me off, so I gave her a taste of her wickedness by slapping her brain out of her skull."

Kara ran a hand through her hair. "Did you seriously knock her brain out? 'Cause that would be amazing."

"It is a metaphor, Kara. I wanted her to feel the pain that she was inflicting on me and Caleb. I managed to do that and would have done a lot if Caleb had not intervened." I sighed and was on the verge of tears. "I got a call from a police officer."

Dad tapped his fingers on his cheek. "Why the heck would an officer call you?"

"Caleb...Caleb was in an accident."

The room erupted with gasps. Some were more dramatic than others. Then came the whispering.

Mom patted my shoulder. "Honey, I...I do not know what to say. I am praying that he will make a miraculous recovery."

I glanced up at her and Dad. "Where...are Caleb's parents?"

"They have not arrived yet. We should call them and tell them the news."

I spotted the television that was hanging on the wall in the corner of the room and pointed to it. "Please switch on the television. The officer told me that the accident is on the news."

Dad dashed out and returned with the remote. He pressed a button, and the television switched on. He changed channels until the news came on. It was breaking news about a recent crash, and the picture showed a car that was flipped. Our car. The street was surrounded by the woods, and part of the car was hidden in said woods. Police cars and fire trucks were at the scene, and two firefighters reached into the car and pulled out a person.

My eyes widened. "Caleb!" I shouted.

He was not awake. Was he unconscious...or dead?

I prayed to God that my husband was alive as the firefighters handed him over to the paramedics. The paramedics quickly and carefully set him in the ambulance. Ten seconds later, the ambulance drove to the hospital.

I leaped to my feet. "I need to get to the hospital," I said. "I need a ride."

"We can take my car," Kara volunteered. "I will drive."

I could not have thanked Kara enough.

Minutes later, we were at the hospital and burst through the hospital doors. We scurried up to the lady at the front desk and asked her if a young man was wheeled in here.

"There was a young man that was identified as Caleb Night," she stated.

"Caleb Night is my husband," I replied. "Where is he?"

"I am afraid that I cannot disclose that information. He is in critical condition and will not make it if there is interference."

I stormed over to a vending machine and punched it. "Caleb..."