Thump thump
What happen? I listen.
Thump thump
Where am I? No voices.
Thump thump
I should move. Willing my mind to send signals to my body, I try to budge my arms, first one then the other. Nothing!
Thump thump
I try to tell my legs to lift. Nothing! It’s surprising but I don’t panic.
Thump thump
Maybe if I open my eyes. Then I’ll at least know where I am. Nothing! It’s still black. Are my eyes open?
Thump thump
“Are you okay?” The male voice comes from somewhere close to me. Who’s that?
Thump thump
His voice cracks, “Chl…oe?”
My name. My ears work at least.
Thump thump
I open my mouth and a grunt is all that escapes my lips.
“Chloe? Are you okay?” The boy sounds shaky.
Thump thump
“Are you kids, okay?
A woman’s voice. She sounds far away!
“Jesus, please take care of these kids.” I hear her say softly.
Is she praying for us?
Thump thump
Why can’t I move? Why can’t I feel anything? No pain, no nothing! Move, Chloe. A groan sounds distant. Was that my voice?
Thump thump
What’s that noise? Over and over? “Shut it off!” I scream in my head.
“I’ll be right back,” the woman’s voice calls out.
“No, don’t go,” I want to say. Somehow the woman’s presence is comforting even though I don’t know who she is. Do I?
Thump thump
Thump thump
Thump thump
Sirens! I hear sirens far away. A dream. No! They’re coming closer! Move, I will myself. Still nothing. I have no feeling and no ability to move. Am I paralyzed?
Thump thump
I hear the sound of sirens outside as they arrived like the calvary, one after another. The noises blend. I can’t distinguish one from another.
Thump thump
Men and women’s voices meld together in a clatter of clambering chaos. Why can’t I see? Shouldn’t I see flashing lights?
Thump thump
“I’m back,” the first woman’s voice calls to me.
For some reason I want to cry. She came back.
A man’s voice said, “I need you to step back mam.”
“No!” My voice sounds strangled. I found my voice.
Thump thump
“Don’t go,” I call out to the woman. I can’t breathe properly. “Don’t leave me.”
The woman pleads with someone, “Please?”
Thump thump
A long silence. My heart is pounding in my ears.
“Please?” The woman repeats to whoever she’s speaking to in the blackness.
Thump thump
I try to wiggle. Nothing!
I clear my throat, “Don’t leave me.”
A man’s voice answers, “Don’t worry. I won’t leave you.”
Thump thump
“Not you. I want that lady.” I need that woman. She prays like my mom. I swallow hard.
“Let her stay with the girl,” a different woman’s voice says from father away.
Thump thump
There is a shuffling noise beside me. “I’ll stay here and work on the car. You can talk from behind me,” the man’s voice is muffled like he is talking into his hand.
Car? There’s a car?
Thump thump
The woman’s voice is soothing, “I’m here sweetie.”
My cheeks feel wet as tears fall. “Don’t go,” my voice sounds husky.
“I won’t.”
My heartbeat slows down a little.
Thump thump
I have to ask. “What happened?”
A pause follows. “You don’t remember?”
“No.”
Before she can answer me, a different male voice calls out, “Excuse me mam. You’ll have to stand back for a minute so we can use the jaws of life.”
Thump thump
Jaws of life! What is going on?
A different woman with a deep voice seems to be right beside me, “I need to put these on your head to cut the sound.” I feel something cover my ears.
Before I can say anything, a loud whirling noise drowns out anything I might say. It stops and the headset is taken away.
Thump thump
A voice barks out startling me. “Someone turn the engine off. It should have been done right away. Those wipers are annoying.”
I listen and the thumping stops. Finally.
“Sweetie, I’m back,” the calming female voice says.
“There was a car accident.” I have no memory of it.
“Yes. I didn’t see it, but I was first on the scene. I left to grab my cell phone to call the police.”
What happened? A car accident? Where is that boy? Who is he? I try to remember. What do I remember?
I was at my friend, Cindy’s house. We were watching television, and her older brother came in to join us. Try as I might I could not remember anything beyond that point. Was he driving the car?
My thoughts are interrupted by the now familiar soft voice, “The paramedics are going to transport you to the hospital. Do you want me to call anyone?”
I strain to see her face. Nothing! I’m blind and I’m paralyzed. My mind went to my parents. They’ll be so worried.
“Call my mother,” I call out. Mom is going to freak out. “Tell her I’m alright.” I’m blind and paralyzed. “Tell her I’m okay.” I say my home number.
“I’ll call her and tell her what you said.”
“Promise,” I feel my cheek wet from tears.
“I promise,” she said. Then I hear her softly praying, “Lord Jesus, take care of this dear girl.”
The lady’s voice fades into the background, as it all goes dark.