Heart of Sin

A Miracle

"MOM!"

"AHH!"

Screams and smoke fill the air as we toss and turn.

"MOM! DAD!"

"AISHA!"

The car flies onto its last roll.

"MOM!!" silence. "DAD! PLEASE!" silence. "SOMEONE!"

"Hey hey!"

"I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!"

"I'm gonna get you out of here."

"MY MOM! DAD! I CAN'T SEE!"

He pulls me out, carrying me on his back as he runs up the hill.

"They're on their way."

"PLEASE! I-I-I CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING!"

"Stay here." he places me down on the road, waving his arms out.

After the flashing red and blue lights followed by sirens, I open my eyes.

And he's gone.

**

"You got it, you got it!!" grandma Reese exclaims.

I hiss in pain as tears stream down my eyes.

"You're doing amazing! Wow!" grandpa begins to cry as well.

"Okay okay." I sit back down on my bed. "I can't believe it. Years of therapy and shots and I'm getting it all back."

"We are so proud of you, Ai." grandma rests her fragile hand on my shoulder. "Your mother and father would be so proud as well. You're so strong."

"Grandma, please." my eyes dwell with tears. "It should've been me, not them."

She shakes her head and sits next to me. "They wouldn't want you to think that, so please don't. Don't ever blame yourself or feel guilty. Everything happens for a reason and they would want you to move on. You're a strong young lady and you've come so far."

I look down, frowning.

"The three year anniversary is in two days and the town is already starting to talk about it again. This time every single year since it, grandma. How am I gonna move on of the town can't? I just want this living nightmare to over." I massage my legs.

It was a tragedy that hit the town, hard.

The pile up, the flames, the honking, smoke, screams...

something this town can't forget and they call it The Tragedy on I-85.

That's the title of my story.

This is also the time of year the press try to reach out to me to talk about it and how I am. It's triggering, really.

I hate it.

I hate reliving that moment, but this time every year it just shows up on the news to remember the lives of every single person involved.

Nobody made it out alive.

Besides me and I came out unable to walk for three years.

And it haunts me every single night. I have to go to a counselor and psychiatrist weekly and take so much medication to help me sleep without as many night terrors.

Sometimes I just wished I went with everyone so I don't have to be stuck with all of this.

That night was the night I was supposed to go, it was my time. I really believe that.

I don't remember much, but I do remember that shadowy-blurry figure that saved me.

I was getting weaker and weaker and he pulled me out.

He's the reason I'm here to today and I wish I could find who he was, but there's absolutely no records of him.

I gave up on that last month.

If I've gone three years without any evidence of someone even having me, what makes you think I'll ever find that person?

I won't.

**

"You've got it!" Freya and Camilla hold my arms.

"You guys can go ahead, I'm just tying you back." I sigh, falling on the bench in exhaustion.

"No way. You're our best friend." they sit next to me.

"We'll wait as long as you need us!" Camilla hugs me.

"You've come so far." Freya joins.

I smile and hold them. "Thank you. You have no idea how—""

"UGH!"

We look up to see a pile of black smoke in the face of two girls as a motorcycle speeds off.

"What's that all about?" Freya raises an eyebrow.

"Ohhh." Camilla exhales. "There's apparently this big mysterious bad boy that entered the town and every girl is just falling at his knees." she ends with an eye roll.

Freya makes an O shape with her lips. "Sin Parker."

"Sin Parker?" I push my eyebrows together.

"That's his name." Camilla tugs her lips to the side. "Pretty fitting for an asshole like that."

"Yeah, he's one to stay away from." Freya rubs
my back.

I clench my jaw.

"Ready to try again?" Camilla asks.

"Yeah..." I carefully stand back up with the help from the girls.

We keep walking around town for a good two hours, but with a lot of breaks.

I'm so thankful to have them. They've been so patient about all of this and never left my side.

We're been best friends since middle school and now we're twenty. It's amazing everything we've been through together.

I hear that same motorcycle zoom by and shake my head in annoyance.

"He can be a little quieter." Freya rolls her eyes.

"That's Sin for you I guess." Camilla says with a bit of attitude.

"Well how are you feeling, love? I know tomorrow is the anniversary." Freya stops herself. "I don't mean to bring it up again—"

"It's okay, really." I frown. "Nightmares have been worse this past week. I just hope nobody tries to reach out to me, you know? I have so many scars on my body and I don't want any of them to open."

They sadly smile.

"We have your back." they place their hand on my back.

"I just wish things would get better, you know?" I frown.

"It was a tragedy that hit our town hard. You're the only survivor so people think it's okay to bombard you with questions. They mean it out of the good of their heart, but it's not good for you." Freya exhales.

"If I hear someone mentioning it, I'll tell em off!" Camilla winks.

I chuckle and check my apple watch. "I better get going. It's getting late and I'm tired and just wanna sleep through tomorrow."

They tug their lips to the side.

"Okay love, I'll drop you off." Camila rubs my back.

We make our way to the car and start our journey home.

Until that motorcycle speed around us, instantly causing me to have a panic attack, reliving the sounds.