though. It looked unnatural.
Her mum was completely obscured from view. Laura tried to reach forward and brush the back of Jackie’s neck but her seatbelt was holding her too tightly in place. Then she noticed an arm she could reach. It was flung backwards.
It shouldn’t be able to be flung that far backwards.
“Mum?” she whispered, teasing at the thick woollen glove covering her mum’s hand until it came off. She touched soft skin, ran her finger along the length of Jackie’s palm. There was not so much as a twitch of acknowledgement.
They can’t be dead. They can’t be dead.
That was the mantra Laura repeated to herself again and again as she sat upside down, staring straight ahead, as frozen as the scenery outside. She did not know what to do. Her brain was desperately trying to push her into movement but the body wouldn’t work, it wouldn’t listen. There were too many other voices screaming in her brain too. Telling her she must get out. Telling her that everything was fine really, and she was completely over-reacting.
All the voices tore at her, leaving her paralysed with indecision. Keeping time with it all was the soft percussion of blood dripping.
Time passed. She was getting cold. How long had she been sitting there? So cold… She could not feel her hands or feet. Or perhaps something else was causing that; perhaps she was hurt. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there in shock. Staring straight ahead, listening to her brother’s life slowly disappearing.
There was another drip too, coming from beside her and slightly behind. Something that smelled familiar, and made her brain scream even more urgently for her body to pay attention.
Petrol. Oh God, the petrol tank was ruptured.
The realisation kicked Laura’s heart like a jackhammer, and suddenly it was thumping hard. She had to get out immediately. She had to get help.
A low groan. Marcus was alive! Maybe Mum and Dad were too.
CHAPTER SIX
~ Adonis ~
Sorrowful Remembrance
Laura patted herself frantically, trying to find her mobile. Thought back…yes, she remembered picking it up before they set off; she had had to undo her massive padded jacket in order to pop it into the inside pocket. She tried to wriggle her hand to reach it but it was impossible to pull down the zip because of the way the seatbelt was pulled so taut against her chest.
Whatever had frozen her immobile had gone now. Marcus was alive! She had to save her family. Laura was transformed into all thought and action. Desperate to get free, she put one hand over her head, above her, no below her – working upside down was so disorientating. Falling out of her seat might hurt, but that was fine, it had to be done. She hooked one hand around, undid the seatbelt and fell onto the ceiling. Managed to just manoeuvre herself so that she didn’t kick her brother and injure him further.
It was still too cramped for her to reach within her stupid inside pocket.
Frustrated, she yanked at the door handle, pushing and pushing, but something was stopping it from opening.
She had to get out of the car!
The dripping blood, the groaning, the pattering petrol all seemed to be speeding up, the panic building. There was another smell that joined the nostril-burning petrol, and the metallic tang of blood. Smoke.
Laura kicked out at the crazed glass of the passenger window. More cracks formed but it did not give way. She kicked again, as hard as she could, screaming in frustration and rage and fear. The glass shattered. Still on her back, she scooted forward, feet first, hearing the crunch of glass beneath her but she did not care and none of it shredded through the thick layers she was bundled up in.
Panting, she got to her feet, grabbing for the phone. There! Yes! It was undamaged! She looked at it triumphantly…and noticed a glow of orange dancing behind it. Fire.
Laura stared at it, mesmerised, caught in indecision. Should she dial for help, or try to save her
Her mum was completely obscured from view. Laura tried to reach forward and brush the back of Jackie’s neck but her seatbelt was holding her too tightly in place. Then she noticed an arm she could reach. It was flung backwards.
It shouldn’t be able to be flung that far backwards.
“Mum?” she whispered, teasing at the thick woollen glove covering her mum’s hand until it came off. She touched soft skin, ran her finger along the length of Jackie’s palm. There was not so much as a twitch of acknowledgement.
They can’t be dead. They can’t be dead.
That was the mantra Laura repeated to herself again and again as she sat upside down, staring straight ahead, as frozen as the scenery outside. She did not know what to do. Her brain was desperately trying to push her into movement but the body wouldn’t work, it wouldn’t listen. There were too many other voices screaming in her brain too. Telling her she must get out. Telling her that everything was fine really, and she was completely over-reacting.
All the voices tore at her, leaving her paralysed with indecision. Keeping time with it all was the soft percussion of blood dripping.
Time passed. She was getting cold. How long had she been sitting there? So cold… She could not feel her hands or feet. Or perhaps something else was causing that; perhaps she was hurt. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there in shock. Staring straight ahead, listening to her brother’s life slowly disappearing.
There was another drip too, coming from beside her and slightly behind. Something that smelled familiar, and made her brain scream even more urgently for her body to pay attention.
Petrol. Oh God, the petrol tank was ruptured.
The realisation kicked Laura’s heart like a jackhammer, and suddenly it was thumping hard. She had to get out immediately. She had to get help.
A low groan. Marcus was alive! Maybe Mum and Dad were too.
CHAPTER SIX
~ Adonis ~
Sorrowful Remembrance
Laura patted herself frantically, trying to find her mobile. Thought back…yes, she remembered picking it up before they set off; she had had to undo her massive padded jacket in order to pop it into the inside pocket. She tried to wriggle her hand to reach it but it was impossible to pull down the zip because of the way the seatbelt was pulled so taut against her chest.
Whatever had frozen her immobile had gone now. Marcus was alive! She had to save her family. Laura was transformed into all thought and action. Desperate to get free, she put one hand over her head, above her, no below her – working upside down was so disorientating. Falling out of her seat might hurt, but that was fine, it had to be done. She hooked one hand around, undid the seatbelt and fell onto the ceiling. Managed to just manoeuvre herself so that she didn’t kick her brother and injure him further.
It was still too cramped for her to reach within her stupid inside pocket.
Frustrated, she yanked at the door handle, pushing and pushing, but something was stopping it from opening.
She had to get out of the car!
The dripping blood, the groaning, the pattering petrol all seemed to be speeding up, the panic building. There was another smell that joined the nostril-burning petrol, and the metallic tang of blood. Smoke.
Laura kicked out at the crazed glass of the passenger window. More cracks formed but it did not give way. She kicked again, as hard as she could, screaming in frustration and rage and fear. The glass shattered. Still on her back, she scooted forward, feet first, hearing the crunch of glass beneath her but she did not care and none of it shredded through the thick layers she was bundled up in.
Panting, she got to her feet, grabbing for the phone. There! Yes! It was undamaged! She looked at it triumphantly…and noticed a glow of orange dancing behind it. Fire.
Laura stared at it, mesmerised, caught in indecision. Should she dial for help, or try to save her
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