Death's Awakening

Chapter Thirteen: Parrish

The engine was practically silent as she pressed the gas and reversed onto the street. She almost wished they had a louder car. It seemed like the kind of moment that begged for a revved engine and the squeal of tires against the asphalt. But instead, the car's silence seemed to amplify her fear. It said everything was normal when she knew it wasn't. She knew it never would be again.

Parrish checked the rear-view mirror for the hundredth time since they'd left the house, but her mother was still. Her expression was almost peaceful and Parrish wondered if, by some miracle, she was feeling better.

McLean Memorial Hospital was only ten miles from their house. The fastest route was to hop onto the highway, go two exits down, then get off and turn right. She had been there often enough. The way her parents obsessed about Zoe's every bump and scratch had become borderline ridiculous over the past few years now that she was a professional musician.

They'd made a lot of trips to the hospital.

Parrish sped along the familiar path, praying that she wouldn't get pulled over by some eager police officer looking to make his monthly quota. She also prayed the emergency room wouldn't be too busy this early in the morning. Maybe the phone thing was a fluke and all the towers were just down.

She thought of trying to call her dad again, but realized she'd left her phone on the bed in her mom's room.

She gripped the steering wheel and pulled onto the interstate. There were more cars out at this time of morning than she expected. She glanced at the clock. Four-thirty. Too early for morning rush hour, even if it was Monday.

She shrugged it off, weaving in and out of the traffic until she had to get in the far right lane for the next exit. As she turned the corner, though, she had to slam on brakes to avoid the line of cars already in that lane.

At first she was confused. Why would traffic be so heavy this early in the morning? It didn't make any sense. She slammed her fist against the steering wheel and sat up high in the seat, trying to see what the hold-up was. Was there some kind of accident? Could she drive around it? She pulled the van forward and slightly off the road and craned her neck, trying to see around the crowd.

In the back seat, her mother adjusted her weight and began coughing again. Parrish closed her eyes and swallowed down the lump of fear rising within her. She took a couple of deep breaths.

Keep it together. Everything is going to be okay.

But she didn't believe it. She unbuckled her seat belt and turned around in her seat. She put a hand on her mother's forehead, hoping maybe her fever had broken and she was out of the danger zone. She'd stopped sweating, so maybe she was going to be okay.

Only, her forehead felt worse.

How could it possibly be worse than 105? At what point did someone start getting brain damage from a fever?

She couldn't afford to sit here in this stupid line.

Parrish looked ahead at the long row of cars and pressed her lips together in a tight line. Maybe someone up ahead knew what was going on. Maybe they could tell her another way to get to the hospital. She got out and walked up to the blue Toyota in front of her and knocked on their window.

A small Hispanic woman jumped slightly, then slowly rolled down the window. Her dark eyes looked kind, but tired. "Yes?"

"Hey, sorry to bother you, but I need to get to the hospital. Do you know what's causing all this traffic? Was there an accident or something?" Parrish shivered even though it was warm out. Maybe she should have grabbed some real clothes after all.