SENSELESS : Jacob Black

09

Everything is blurry and my ears are ringing. Hands pull at my shoulders, trying to lift me upright.

My one arm is pinned beneath me, and my other is still in the sling. I manage to push my body off of itself. With my uninjured hand, I rip out my hearing aids and lay them on the seat next to me. Blinking a few times, my vision clears.

The window beside my head is cracked, with tree branches poking through it. I raise my hand up to my head, feeling the blood trickle down the side of my head. I look over at Bella, who is staring at me and breathing heavily.

She mouths something to me, but I shake my head. I can't hear her, and I've never been particularly good at lipreading. I go to put back in the hearing aid, but as I press the right one against my ear, I hear the ringing again. The left one seems fine, so I put that in. It's not as accurate or as good as wearing both, but at least I'll be able to hear Bella now.

"Are you hurt?" she asks, wincing.

"I don't think so," I say.

With that, she opens her car door and pulls herself out of the car. I watch through the windshield as she runs out of the car and pulls out her phone.

"Shit," Alice says from the front seat. She turns around to look at me, clutching her head and then at Rosalie. "Is everyone alright?"

"I'm fine," Rosalie says. "My arm is stuck though, and that damn hearing aid is so loud."

"Bella's going to call emergency services," Alice says. "At least, I imagine she is. Do you mind getting out of the car with your hearing aid?"

I shimmy my way to the other side of the car. With my right hand, I pull at the door's latch and push it open. There is still blood on my hand.

I dig into my pocket and pull out my flip phone. Bella sees me and heads further away. I cannot make out what she's saying without both my hearing aids. From there, I dial Embry, sitting down on the side of the road. I put him on speakerphone so that it is easier to hear him.

"Hey, Fawn," his voice blares out the speaker, almost choppy. "What are you thinking for lunch?"

"We got in a car accident," I say, rubbing my eye. I am sure I'm just smearing blood all over my face.

"Fuck, are you okay?" he asks. His voice becomes more muffled. "Quil! Get Jacob from the garage."

"I'm fine," I tell him. Turning around I look through the windshield at Rosalie and Alice. They look untouched, even though Rosalie's arm has been pinned in place by a tree. "We're going to need you to come and get us once the police come. The car is totalled."

"But you're safe?" he presses. "Untouched?"

"My hearing aid broke, but otherwise..." there's no point in telling him about the scratches all over the side of my head. His voice is already rising, filled with panic. I don't need to add any more pressure than necessary.

"Where exactly are you?" he asks.

I look around, but there are no street signs. Heading back to the car, I open Alice's door. She seems frazzled, looking up at me. Her breath is surprisingly calm. I'm still heaving a bit from the crash.

"Where are we?" I ask Alice.

"Who is it? Jacob?" she asks.

I shake my head. "Embry."