Speak To a Girl

Chapter 21

Tim POV: 

The writing idea was simply a plot to distract Audrey while I run out. I already talked to Mack about it, and told him to take his time, since I need a while to decide. Standing here in front of the case, I now feel the pressure packin' on. I point to a ring in the back of the display case, the old woman behind the counter opening it up and retrieving it slowly. She sets it out in front of me, before I pick it up, holding it between my finger and my thumb. 

"She must be real pretty if you're having this much trouble pickin'." She lets out with a smile. I laugh and nod, feeling the nervousness in my chest. I set the ring back down, before nodding again. 

"I'll take that one." I finally decide. She smiles, and dashes away for her notepad for transactions. I stare down at the ring on the counter, picturing it on her finger. 

The drive back in grueling... Traffic is crawling on the interstate, leaving me with nothing to do except search for a good radio station. I spin the dial, letting it land on a random station. I listen for a few moments, before spinning it again, watching the construction truck in front of me, loaded with tools, wood, and metal piping. I tap on the wheel impatiently, before looking over at the ring box beside me in the passenger seat where she normally sits. 

The moment is interrupted as the car behind me suddenly slams into me, launching me forward. My truck crunches against the tail bed of the construction truck, sending all of the gear falling onto my truck. The windshield shatters, the metal piping falling into the cab. 

I feel winded as something pierces me in the stomach. I look down to see one of the larger metal pipes sticking out of my torso. It begins to grow harder to breathe as realization sets in, I wrap my hand around the pipe and give it a tug, before feeling my torso go with it. Everything inside me twists, as I hear myself release a gut-wrenching scream. I start to feel a little faint, my heart pounding as rain begins to pour down. 

I grip the pipe once more, giving it a harsher tug. I screech, releasing it almost immediately. It's in deep... I look down to see my jeans slowly turning purple with blood. I force myself to look away, breathing deeply to try and stay calm. 

The calm lasts for a few moments, before I notice black smoke billowing in the rearview... All out panic strikes me, as I wrap both hands around the pipe and pull as hard as I can. I look away, biting my shoulder as I feel my insides tense up. I let out a scream before letting go. I look down at the pipe, trying to see how much came out. I break down as I notice that I've only progressed a few centimeters, if that. Tears fall quickly, as I try to search for more options. I notice the red lights flashing around me, spotting an ambulance in the mirror. 

I lay back, before one of the EMT's pries open the door. They freeze when they see me, and return with backup. Someone holds a saw, like they're going to try to cut the pipe. He grabs onto the pipe, and begins to saw, causing the most unbelievable pain as the pipe moves back and forth. He stops, stepping back. 

"Call next of kin, alright?" He says to another EMT, before turning toward me. "Alright sir, my name is Will, and I'm going to get you out of here, okay?" He starts, looking a little unsure, but confident at the same time. "What's your name?" He asks, as the others scramble around him. 

"Ti... Ti..." I stutter, unable to spit out my entire name. 

"Tim?" He guesses, while I nod. "Alright, Tim. Can you take a deep breath for me?" Will requests. I try to breathe in as deeply as I can, but I barely get any air in. He takes a deep breath, as if he were trying to coach me through it. 

"Fire..." I spit out, panicking still. 

"We've got that taken care of." He reassures me. 

He sits with me for a half hour, telling me to breathe, and stay calm. My eyelids are growing heavy, as there seems to be a commotion nearby. 

"Where is he?" I hear Audrey shout, before she pushes her way toward the car. "Tim..." She lets out, before leaning in and kissing the side of my forehead. "Oh my god..." She lets out, looking at the four-inch diameter pipe sticking out of my stomach. 

"Miss, I'm going to need you to hold onto him as we remove this, okay?" Will says, making my chest tighten. Audrey looks like a deer in headlights. "He's going to scream, but it's your job to distract him, and try to keep him calm." He asserts, as firefighters get on the truck in front of me, and position themselves around the pipe. I feel panic grow in me, before Audrey places her fingers on my chin, turning my head toward her. 

"Look at me." She directs, taking on a whole new persona. "You're going to be alright, understand?" She releases sternly, before I feel a little tug. I look at the pipe, before she turns my head again. "Keep your eyes on me." She orders, before I hear Will speak up. 

"Take a deep breath." He directs. I take a deep breath in, unable to exhale before they start pulling on the pipe. 

Everything inside of me clenches, as they pull. I desperately grab onto her hand, while her free hand lies on the side of my face. She presses our foreheads together, as I grunt in an attempt to hold in a scream. I break, letting out loud sobs, as it feels like it's taking a lifetime. 

"It's okay..." She reassures me, before I feel myself fall limp onto the steer wheel. She pulls her hands away in a moment of sheer panic, before placing a trembling hand onto my back. "Tim?" She calls out. 

"It's out!" Will shouts to the firefighters, leaning into the car, and looking at me. "What happened?" He asks, panicking as well. He takes my vitals quickly, as I hear myself wheeze. "His heart rate is dropping!" He screams out to the other medics, who are rushing with supplies. I force myself to breathe, my chest feeling like it's wrapped in barbed wire. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to push out each breath through the agony. Audrey runs her hand along the side of my head, tears in her eyes, as they overwhelm my facade as well. 

"I love you..." She whispers, as if she were afraid to say it. I open my mouth to say it back, but a whimper comes out instead. 

"Love." I force out, causing the smallest, and most painful of smiles to appear on her. She bites her trembling lips and nods, before I feel my blood run cold. I feel really weak, before her eyes are drawn down to the wound. 

"Shit..." Will lets out, rushing into the truck. His warm hands press over the wound, but aren't large enough to cover the whole wound. Audrey presses her hands over it as well, her hands shaking. "He just burst an artery..." He tells her quietly, as I watch shock and horror hit her. She looks at me, and falls apart, while my eyelids grow heavier. 

"Baby?" She calls out, as every blink feels like an eternity. "I love you..." She repeats, taking one of her hands off the wound and kissing me. I try to repeat it, but all that comes out it a weak breath. She presses our foreheads together, one of her hands on the back of my neck, the other still over the wound, while Will shouts at the other medics and gives them directions. I try to hold on, but my body fights against me. 

My vision goes blurry, as I feel my heart stop, along with my lungs. Audrey falls apart slowly, beginning to shake so hard, I can hear it in her breathing. Tears fall fast down her cheeks, as she grabs her stomach. My body falls limp into her arms, and she holds me, her hands crossing my back in a soothing motion, as Will shouts for more medics to assist, unaware of what she and I both know. 

"He's gone..." She lets out quietly, her voice breaking, as she presses her lips against the side of my cheek. Will stares at her, before looking at me. "He's not... not... breathing..." She stutters, before he presses his fingers against my neck to check for a pulse. He takes it away and looks at me with sorrow. He nods slowly, turning around and sitting with his back against the tire of the truck while Audrey holds me.