Chapter 77

The sounds were the worst. Maybe the feeling of moving but having no control of it. The car rolled twice and I was left on the side. The driver’s side door was crushed and the side panel was touching my arm, morphing itself around it.

I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry and I couldn’t seem to focus on any one thing fully. Glass was everywhere.

It was in my hair, on the seats, scattered around my legs. It was everywhere.

I looked around me, hoping that I’d be able to find someone to help. Maybe the person who hit me.

I looked through the windshield, since the window on the door would only show me the sky, but there was no one to be seen. The car that hit me was gone - long, long gone. They must’ve known they hit me, maybe they were too scared to deal with the police or insurance.

I didn’t know, but it was the least of my worries.

The car was teetering on the edge of a deep ditch just an inch away from it. I was sure if the car fell, it would crush the roof and potentially injury me.

Or worse.

I shook the fuzzy feeling out of my head and started to undo my seat belt, but the latch wouldn't budge. The button was crushed and broken. It wouldn’t release the seat belt, so I was trapped.

I cried out for help, begging for someone to hear me, but it was the middle of the day and a majority of people were at work.

The roads were typically dead at this time of day. Usually I loved it, but that day I was cursing and praying for someone to come by.

The wind roared through the broken windows, and shook the body of the car. At one point, it felt like it really was going to fall over, and I braced myself for the worst.

The wind died down, and I was still safe for the time being. I stretched my arm out to reach my purse. It was lying on the passenger side window.

My fingertips struggled to brush against the handle, but I finally got it after a few minutes of trying. I raffled through the pockets, throwing out anything that wasn’t my cell phone, and tears dripped from my cheeks, falling sideways.

I didn’t even realize I was crying.

I dialed Ethan’s number. I didn’t think to call for an ambulance or the police. The only person I wanted in that moment was Ethan. I felt warm liquid dripping down my arm as I held the phone out at length.

The screen was cracked beyond belief, I could barely see the screen as I typed in Ethan’s name. Blood from somewhere on my arm dripped and smeared against the phone scream, and I fought the urge to scream in frustration as the phone rang three times.

I waited, praying to whatever I could that Ethan would answer and come to my aid.

“Ava?” He picked up on the last ring. “Are you okay? I was in a meeting.”

“Ethan!” I choked out between sobs. The crying only got worse and I didn’t even register it.

“Ava?” His voice became increasingly more panicked. “Ava what’s happening?”

“I was hit-” I said between sobs, “Someone hit me and my car was tipped over, I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I'm so sorry…”

I cried into the phone speaker. The adrenaline that was coursing through my body before was slowly running out and I was feeling tired. I could feel the pain from the wound in my arm, and my other hand hurt so bad I couldn’t move it.

In fact, my entire body hurt too much to move.

“Where are you?” His voice was stern, loud, demanding.

I hoped I would hear him in person rather than over the phone soon. I needed to see him. I was so scared.

“I’m-” The phone beeped and Ethan’s voice disappeared. I pulled the phone away from my ear and tried to look at the screen, but it was completely black and unresponsive.

The phone was dead.

I groaned and threw the phone away from me. It hit the windshield and bounced off, landing on the passenger window again. I fell back against the car seat, begging that someone would get there soon. Ethan was probably a lost cause, and I wouldn’t see him since I couldn’t tell him where I was.

I just needed someone - anyone.

I started feeling tired, my eyes kept drooping closed. I shook myself awake, There was a voice in the distance, a man’s voice.

“Ava!” I thought I was dreaming.

I hummed and opened my eyes further. They still were focusing in and out constantly, not able to see any one object clearly.

“Ava!” The voice was closer now, it sounded like Ethan’s, but I was so sure he wouldn’t find me.

“Ethan?” I tried my best to call back out to him, but my voice was raspy and hoarse. I could barely make a sound.

“I’m going to get you out of here.”

I looked out the door window to see Ethan’s head peering down over the side. His face was pale and his eyes were wide with panic.

Despite everything, I smiled. A real and true smile.

“Ethan,” I breathed, the pain becoming close to unbearable. I didn’t want him to worry, though. “You found me.”

“Perks to being mates, I suppose,” He grunted as he tried to force the door open. It didn’t work. “I can feel you.”

I cocked my head to the side, but didn’t ask any questions about it. I’d figure it out later.

“Can you get me out of here?” I asked, sounding far more pleading and desperate than I intended to.

“I’m trying, baby,” He cooed, though his words were rushed, “I’ll get you.”

I braced myself against the steering wheel, grunting at the pain in my arms and silently begging for him to hurry up. I had been on my side for so long.

Ethan got the idea to pull the pocket knife from his trousers and he cut through the seat belt. It gave way easily and he gripped under my arms, lifting me with a strained grunt.

I whimpered and cried out at the added pressure in my arms. It hurt so bad, I thought I’d dislocated both of my shoulders.

Ethan whispered sweet encouragement as he lifted me through the broken door window and pulled me from the car.

He got me out of the vehicle, and with the weight difference, it finally toppled over into the ditch. As I suspected, the roof caved in and was crushed.

Ethan held my torso in his lap, my legs sprawled on the pavement below me.

“I hurt so much,” I whined, my eyes drooping and trying to fully close. “Ethan, it hurts.”

“I know, baby,” He stroked my hair and face, “Stay awake for me okay? Don’t fall asleep until help gets here.”

“I can’t,” I mumbled. “I don’t want to hurt anymore.”

“Ava,” He called my name as my eyes fell closed.

I murmured that I was awake, though I could feel my consciousness fading away. Ethan tried to shake me awake, but my energy was draining rapidly.

In the distance, I could hear the sirens of an ambulance approaching.

“I can’t,” I repeated as my world faded to black.