Noumena: Sophie and Oliver

Chapter Eight: Tea and Truths

Chapter Seven

I felt like I was drowning. I fumbled around in my pocket for keys and jammed them hard into the ignition. My car roared to life and I hardly noticed it was raining until I almost hit a curb. I switched on my wipers and took some deep breaths. I stepped on the accelerator – the back wheels whirred, I eased off a bit and finally they stuck. Jolting forward I headed onto the main road.

You can’t run Sophie.

“Shutup!”  Pain shot through my throat when I screamed at the voice. My eyes blurred and stung as tears streamed down my face. I let go of the wheel momentarily to wipe them away. I knew I was speeding, but my emotions had taken hold of me and put me into shock; I couldn’t slow down. Something white and fuzzy stepped out in front of my car, I slammed on the breaks. Trees and houses came into line with the windshield as the car skidded sideways. I knew better then to slam down the breaks in wet weather; my car had become a prison of death as it moved quickly towards a parked car. I only had a few seconds before impact. Time slowed down, I became aware of individual droplets of water falling through the air, memories of the people I loved flashed through my mind

‘Come and have a cup of tea dear,’ said my mum smiling at me. I remembered my dad telling me to be careful every time before I got in my car. I could see his stern face now.

I imagined Will and Lara continuing at the concrete table at school, perhaps they would make a new friend. I was momentarily sad that I had left without saying goodbye to them. They’d be okay without me, though. I was only a metre from the parked car now. I said goodbye to the world; then everything blurred into nothing.

                                                                               ***

The smell of leather filled my nose as I opened my eyes viewing my dark round steering wheel. A small chunk of reality had been lost as I viewed the blood on my fingers. I pushed myself up and the horn blared. I jumped a little and moved my hand. The world moved past my eyes and I closed them to stop the spinning.

After a while I braved opening them again, blood stained my white, woolly steering wheel cover. I strained my neck to look at the nearby parked car.

How had I stopped?

The iron-like taste of blood filled my mouth and I traced a small weeping cut on my forehead. My lungs ached and I couldn’t seem to take a deep breath. Spots formed in my eyes as I hyperventilated -- my skin felt as if it vibrated. I opened my door and fell sideways onto the wet pavement. My stomach convulsed and vomited on the concrete. My stomach heaved again, and I wiped my mouth.

Sophie calm down you’re going to hurt yourself

 The putrid smell of stomach acid filled my nose. I moved away from the mess.

“Shutup, this is your fault,” I whispered to the voice.

I rolled onto my back and let the light rain fall on my face reminding me I was alive. I smiled, glad that I’d survived. My head rolled to the side. The white figure I’d tried to avoid sat on the road a few feet away from me. I blinked water away from my eyes and peered at it.

What was this thing?

The cut on my forehead throbbed and itched. I investigated the wound and found light scar tissue.

Just lay still you’ll be okay in a second

“I thought I told you to shut up. Leave me alone!” I didn’t care that the voice was trying to help me; I wanted all voices to stop.