You're in Ruins

I was dancing around, drink in hand. Strobe lights were flashing all around, and the music made the floors vibrate. I wasn't exactly sure what I was drinking, I just knew it was delectable, and took another slurp. It was Mandi's party, the biggest of the year. Her mom was never around, so that was about the fifth one of the month. It was the wildest, though. I wasn't sure why, but it was. Everyone was bumping, grinding, and bouncing across the colossal house, and it was all in sync with the bass that thrummed so violently. I slid into an uncrowded corner, and took out my cheap phone. It read two A.M.

"Dammit! Ugh, I've got to get home!" I dizzily made my way around the house, trying to find Mandi. People were shoving, and I didn't recognize half the faces I saw...and I'm sure Mandi didn't, either. I was so dizzy...and my vision seemed blurry. I'm just tired... I thought. My head was pounding, probably from the loud music.

Finally, I had come to find Mandi by the pool, drink in hand, with some guy, making out. She pulled away from him. "Yeah?" she asked drunkenly.

"I've got to go...Mom's gonna be pissed if I'm not home soon...." I felt unstudied for a moment, and then proceeded to gain balance.

"Ugh, fine. Ditch me."

"Ha! Like you're so bored," I laughed, and she mimicked me, and then proceeded to plant her face onto the guy next to her. I didn't know who he was...and I doubted she did either. Hooking up was not my thing. I'd drank, I'd smoked, I'd even done some weed, but I'd never hooked up.

I stumbled around, attempting to find the front door (or any door, for that matter), until I felt a hand grab my shoulder.

"Leigh, where're you going?" I turned to see Hannah, one of my friends, talking to me. I told her I was going home. She looked at me, concerned, "Are you sober enough to drive?"

"You accusing me of being drunk?" I demanded angrily, shoving her hand off my shoulder.

"Leigh, no, I'm just asking--"

"Piss off, I'm fine," I shouted, and felt my way over to my little car. I clumsily opened the door, and I saw Hannah standing there, stricken with hurt. Eh...she'll get over it, I thought to myself.

I crawled in, and clutched the wheel. I began to drive.

At first I was doing fine, going the speed limit and everything. Then, things got really, really blurry.

Ugh...I'm so tired.... I thought. I could barely muster up the strength to keep my eyes open, much less turn the steering wheel, or press on the pedal.

Hannah...was...was right. I...I can't...shouldn't be...driving.... And right at that moment, I could no longer keep myself awake. Everything darkened, and the lights went out.

.*.*.*.*.

Lights were flashing. People were screaming. There was pain. A lot of pain. I was on the ground, and my vision was going in and out. I couldn't move.

"Wha...where...where's my car?" I mumbled, and then sputtered at the taste of blood seeped into my mouth. I spied my car, lying only a few feet away from me, on it's side, and another car lying beside it, also on it's side. Both were totaled.

My shoulder hurt. I struggled to find the strength the slowly lift my hand to a stabbing pain in my shoulder, and I felt something sharp sticking out of me, like glass...oh, it was glass. It cut my finger! I peeked down at my legs, covered in red blood, as were my arms. Everything ached so much...and I found I couldn't breathe.

Then I saw a man standing over me, asking me something...but I couldn't make out what he was saying...he sounded so far away. Then I felt people lifting me, and I wanted to scream at them...they were hurting me, but I couldn't find my voice. Slowly, my vision was fading, and I let myself drift into a deep, deep sleep.

.*.*.*.*.

Lights slowly come to my eyes, and my eyelids drift open. There's still an ache..but it feels dull, almost numbed. I'm in a room, a very bright, plain room. Everything's white, and I find myself lying on a very uncomfortable cot. The white blankets are scratchy and the pillow is lumpy. I see several machines around me, attached to me...and then I see my parents. My parents are standing, talking to a man in white, holding a clipboard. I want to tell them I'm awake, but I still cannot find my voice. I can't move at all, and I wonder where I am...ugh, I can't think. I can only vaguely hear what they are saying.

"She hit another car, and she was very intoxicated. There is a chance of a coma," the man in white says. "She will, more likely than not, die. I'm very sorry." And then mom starts crying, and dad is standing stock-still. The doctor nods his head, and leaves the room.

I'm going to...to...to die? In my numbed state I cannot grasp what the man meant by "die". Mom sinks to the ground, sobbing. Dad is frozen, although I can see him shaking.

I began to grow weaker...I had to sleep...there was no point in fighting it...I was going to die anyway, right? Right.

Suddenly people are in the room, all around me. Mom is thrashing, and Dad is yelling at everyone...I can't hear anything...God, I'm so tired....

Slowly, I let my eyes close, and I feel everything in me slip away...and then, once again, all the lights go out.