I grab the phone and pull it back to my ear.
“There is a woman injured. I think she was hit by the car while walking on the side of the highway,” my voice is shaky as I speak.
“Is she conscious?”
“Larkyn? Can you talk to me?” I ask, tapping her gently on the shoulder.
A soft moan escapes her lips.
“She’s not speaking, just moaning.”
“I don’t want you to move her. The ambulance is caught up in a storm, a tree fell blocking their way, but they should be there in less than ten minutes. Without moving her, check to see if you notice any obvious injuries.”
My eyes water as they search over her body. She’s injured, everywhere. Blood coats her skin, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from.
The operator said not to flip her over, but there is so much blood pouring around her body. I need to know. I flip her over, cradling her head as I do, to prevent any damage.
I see a massive piece of glass sticking into her stomach, along with smaller pieces of sticks and glass all over her body.
She moans again but doesn’t open her eyes. Her breathing is frail and shallow. I check her pulse, and it’s just as weak. I don’t know what to do about the blood. If it’s better to leave the glass in, or not.
“There is a large piece of glass sticking out of her stomach and a lot of blood. She’s barely breathing, and her pulse is weak,” I tell the operator.
“Okay, stay with her and make sure she continues breathing but don’t touch the glass.”
“How much fucking longer?” I ask, knowing she won’t make it much longer without assistance.
“Nine minutes.”
My eyes widen as she strangles her breath. Her breathing stops for a second.
“Breathe Larkyn!” I shout, not allowing her to die in my arms.
The phone falls from my hands, and I glance over at my car, then Sebastian and Naomi. Both thankfully stopped laughing, realizing the seriousness of their fuckup.
The wind picks up, and I know it’s going to be longer than nine minutes. Storms in this town come from nowhere, and destroy everything in their path. This is one of those times.
The hospital is five minutes away; less, if I drive as fast as I want to. I’m not waiting.
I scoop Larkyn into my arms and race toward the car.
“Get in the fucking car,” I shout to Sebastian and Naomi.
They do, Sebastian sits in the back, holding out his arms to hold Larkyn, as I lower her into the car.
Her eyes flicker open at me, and I swear she peers into my soul at that moment. Then, they close again as if I imagined it.
“Make sure she’s still breathing. If she stops, tell me,” I shout at Sebastian as I hop into the driver’s seat, speeding as fast as I’ve ever driven to the hospital. I hope Sebastian is now sober enough to notice if she is breathing or not.
Sebastian fucked up.
I fucked up.
And now Larkyn is paying the price.
She moans again, letting me know she’s still breathing.
Thank fuck. Keep breathing Larkyn. I can’t live with myself if you die.