In 27 Days (Watty Award Winner 2012)

Chapter 29

My first reaction at seeing the car speeding straight towards me was to throw myself out of the way.

I forced my legs to move, to sprint back to the sidewalk, but it was like my feet were glued to the ground. No matter how hard I tried to take even a fraction of a step, I couldn't.

The distance between me and the car was quickly becoming shorter and shorter. I wasn't stupid. I knew what was coming.

"Come on, move - "

I whipped my head up and sure enough, my worst suspicions came true. I caught a glimpse of two multicolored eyes behind the wheel before the car slammed into me.

It was almost as if I was having an out of body experience when the car finally slammed into me.

I was sent spinning into the air at the force and any air I had in my lungs was immediately taken away.

It felt like everything fell into slow motion and I was flying through the air for several moments before I rammed into another car. I hit the roof with enough force to leave a massive dent underneath me and went rolling down the front windshield before I hit the ground.

I heard my head smacking against the pavement and the sickening sound of something cracking.

I couldn't breathe. That was the first thing that registered with me when my vision finally shifted into focus again. My chest was constricting and my ribs were cracked and I couldn't get any air past my lips.

I knew I should have felt pain. One would expect feeling pain after being hit by a car. But I didn't. Maybe it was because I was in such shock I wasn't feeling anything or hearing anything.

I was lying in the middle of a packed street after being hit by a car and I was not stupid. I knew what was to come of this.

Death was right. Havoc had come after me after all. I really was going to die.

Huh, I thought dazedly. I never thought I'd end up going like this.

"Well, well, well...look at you, little Hadley."

I was at least able to move my eyes to see Havoc crouching down beside me, a rather smug, interested look on his face.

"You know, I expected better of you," Havoc said conversationally, reaching out to prod me in the cheek. "You're a strong willed girl, Hadley. Full of bravery and courage and strength. You could have done much, much more than to reduce yourself to a pathetic, love sick sap willing to die for somebody who probably doesn't feel the same way you do. Such a shame, really."

I tried to speak, to splutter out something, but it was pointless. Everything was starting to shift and fill with splotches of black.

"I'm sure Death will be pleased to see you, you know," Havoc continued. "Oh, he won't be too happy with me, that's for sure. But I think you're getting what you deserve, quite honestly. So goodbye, Hadley Jamison. I don't expect you'll be seeing much of me ever again."