Never Again

‘I’m alive.’ I thought to myself, as the car stopped moving.

I couldn’t hear anything but the slow hiss of the engine as it cooled down, and a few leaking tires. I couldn’t see much either, for the smoke haze through the car was thick.

Shaking my head in shock, I turned and saw Gerard slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious and with a bloody gash on his head.

“…oh no,” I gasped. I could hardly breathe, coughing as I crawled over the bent interior of the car to see if he was breathing.

Thankfully, when I got closer I could just see his chest moving, although he still hadn’t stirred. But what about everyone else?

I kicked open the door to let the smoke out, ignoring the pain in my leg. Walking numbly over to the back door, I tried to open it - but it was jammed.

“Hey!” Suddenly, I heard a voice calling out.

Turning around, I could just make out the driver of the semi-trailer running towards me, a terrified look in his eyes.

“You okay, man?” he sounded genuinely worried, as I managed to cough out some of the smoke and dust, and gasp out some words.

“…the door, it’s stuck.” I spat on the ground, feeling like I was going to faint any second.

“Here, we’ll get it open - the ambulance is coming, it’s gonna be alright.” The man ran back to his truck, pulling out a tire lever to wedge the door open.

I was still standing in the same place as before when he came back; frozen in shock. By now there were a few people standing around, some calling the emergency services, others staring in horror. No one really knew what to do - least of all me.

I helped the man to lever open the door, the fresh air entering the cabin rousing Bob and Mikey, who had both ended up on the passenger side of the car.

“Come on,” the helpful truckie helped Bob out, who sat down with a stunned expression on the grass curb.

Next was Mikey, who struggled to stand on his own - crying out in pain, he fell to the ground.

“C’mon, dude… we’d better get you to an ambulance.” I muttered hoarsely, cringing at the sight of my friends in such pain.

“That everyone?” The truck driver had recruited some help, and was getting people away from the car, the engine of which was beginning to smoke alarmingly.

I shook my head, pointing wordlessly to Gerard in the front seat.

The truckie nodded, getting to work levering the front door open. It was a difficult task, as the front driver’s door had taken most of the force from the accident.

I helped Mikey sit down next to Bob on the curb, before going back to help get Gerard out. By the time I got to the car, the front door was open; but under the bonnet I could see flashes of light, and the smell of gasoline was everywhere.

“Here, gimme a hand to lift him!” The truckie called, beckoning me over.

Moving closer to the car, I winced. The wound on Gerard head was bleeding still, and he had cuts all over him from the broken remnants of the door.

I grabbed his arms, supporting his head as the other guy pulled his legs out of the car. We carried him gingerly to a clear patch of grass, laying him down, still unconscious.

Slumping down beside him, I stared at the road, the shock blanking out the rest of the world as the sun set.