Song of the chapter:Katy Perry - ET
I can smell fuel and dirt and something pungently metallic. It fills my nostrils, seeping into my head before I feel the pain. In that quiet moment before my other senses are assaulted with the destruction around me, I feel at peace. I feel still and whole. For some reason my consciousness knows I'll look back on this and wish I had this moment back. Wish I could remember what it was like before.
The pain comes first. Even before my head can clear the fog away enough so that I can open my eyes, the pain comes. There are no words to describe the agony of feeling like you have a million knives entering you and ripping you apart, just to withdraw and start all over again. And again. Endlessly.
In that second between unconscious and consciousness, I feel this jagged pain. My eyes fly open, frantic breaths gulp for air. Each breath hurting, burning, laboring. My eyes see the devastation around me, but my brain doesn't register the shattered glass, smoking engine, and crushed metal. My mind doesn't understand why my arm, bent at so many odd angles, won't move to undo my seatbelt. Why it can't release me.
I feel as if everything is in slow motion. I can see dust particles drift silently through the air. I can feel the trickle of blood run ever so slowly down my neck. I can feel the incremental inching of numbness taking over my legs. I can feel the hopelessness seep into my psyche, take hold of my soul, and dig its malicious fingers into my every fiber.
I can hear her.
Can hear Sophie's gurgled breathing, and even in my shock-induced haze I'm mad at myself for not looking for her more quickly.
I turn my head to my left and there she sits. Her beautiful wavy light brown hair is tinged red, the gaping gash in her head looks odd to me. I want to ask her what happened to her but my mouth isn't working. It can't form the words. Panic and fear fills his eyes, and pain creases his fair, flawless face. A small trickle of blood is coming from her ear and I think this is a bad thing but I'm not sure why.
She coughs.
It sounds funny, and little specks of red appear on the shattered window in front of us. I see her hand travel across the car, fumbling over every item between her and me as if she needs touch to guide her.
She fumbles aimlessly until she finds my hand. I can't feel her fingers grip mine, but my eyes see the connection.
"Jordy," she gasps. "Jordy, look at me." I have to concentrate really hard to raise my head and eyes to meet Sophia.
I feel the warmth of a tear fall on my cheek, the salt of it on my lips, but I don't remember crying.
"Jordy, I'm scared." I watch her unsuccessfully attempts to take a deep breath but my attention is drawn elsewhere when I think I hear a baby crying. I swivel my head to look, but there is nothing but pine trees and the sudden movement makes me dizzy. Then I realise it is my cry.
"Tony, To look at me," he pants in short bursts of breaths. I swing my head back. It's Gabriel. What's he doing here? Why is he covered in blood? Why is he in Sophia's seat? In Sophia's place?
"Tony," he begs, "Please help me. Please save me." He sucks in a labored, ragged breath, her fingers relaxing in mine. His voice is barely a whisper. "Tony, only you can save me. I'm dying. I need you to save me." His head lolls to the side slowly, his mouth parting as the blood at the corner of it thickens, his beautiful blue eyes expressionless.
I can hear the screaming. It is loud and piercing and heart wrenching. It continues over and over. It's my scream, wailing for help, wailing for Sophia to wake up.
