Heart of Christmas

~19~

I get back to the cabin. My legs carrying me inside. I push the door open and burst in, looking at the side wall where keys hang. My eyes linger on all of them before finally seeing the key I need. I take it without another thought and take off back outside.

I jump off the deck and over to the covered up truck. I take the covering off and get my phone out of my pocket, trying to dial 911 again. Yet there's no service.

"Damn it, damn it!" I shout, cursing periodically as I get the key to the hole of the truck. My heart skipping, racing, aching. My hands tremble as I get into the drivers seat, feeling my whole body ache and flashes of riding in the car with my mother flashes through my mind as I place the key into the ignition.

To the left, to the right and back to the left. The car begins to go out of control as I glance to my mother in the driver's seat. I look back to the road feeling the car scratching the ground we drive on as my body jolts in sporadic movements. And as I feel my body go flying to the left the car swerves to the right and my eyes shut tightly.

My chest heaves up and down. Hitting the pedal and the car jerk forward going fast. I keep both my hands on the steering wheel. Tears welling into my eyes but I try putting my focus on Alycia. Alycia who's unconscious. Who's bleeding from her head.

A shaky breath escapes my lips hitting the gas. It's not long before I get back to Alycia. I park the truck right beside the car and place it in park. My body shakes. That ghostly feeling spreading from head to toe as I rush out of the car and to the girl. I open the door and reach over, unbuckling her seat belt.

"I got you baby. I got you," I whisper breathlessly as I carefully grab a hold of her and carrying her out of the car bridal style. Blood slides down the side of her head. Tears flying down my cheeks as i can see my cold breath fill the air. The air crisp and chilly. I shake my head feeling myself shivering as I get around the truck and carefully pull the passenger door open and setting the girl in. I lean her head back and get her legs in. I pull out of the truck and slam the door running back around the truck and getting in.

I pull the door shut. A lingering feeling of guilt creeps up. My eyes squeeze together tightly as I put the truck in drive hearing a little voice in my ear.

"I'm right here. It'll be okay," they whisper but it wasn't just any voice.

"M-Mom?" I whisper. My heart races more as I feel a cold chill wash over me. I let out a breath and feel even more chilly then before. But my eyes open and I glance over to Alycia. Her eyes still closed. My foot hits the pedal and I take off.

"It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay."

<<<<>>>>

"Help! Somebody please!" I scream holding Alycia in my arms. The whole er looks at me before doctors and nurses rush over. One doctor points to a bed and I rush Alycia over and place her down easily. My heart racing, my stomach twisting as they begin crowding her. My eyes stay focused in the injured girl. "Please don't let her die!"

"Hey, what's- Alycia?" A familiar voice speaks. I turn my head and see Mr. Shepherd's eyes on his daughter.

"Mr. Shepherd-" His eyes turn to me. Our eyes meet and he walks over to me, wrapping his arms around me. He squeezes tightly and shakes his head. I drape my arms around him and squeeze my eyes together. Doctors and nurses shouting. Chaos beginning. "I'm so sorry."

"Y/n, what happened?" Dr. Shepherd asks pulling away slightly. My eyes open, tears falling down my cheeks. Except my eyes trail over to see them taking Alycia away. I gasp and move away from Dr. Shepherd going to say something but feel the man grab me and place his hands on my shoulders.

"You got to trust them. They're going to save her," Dr. Shepherd said. My eyes following Alycia and the doctors. "Hey-" Dr. Shepherds hands cup my cheeks in the palm of his hands forcing me to look at him. Our eyes meet and he nods. "It's going to be okay."

"You don't know that! She was in a car accident!" I shout, few eyes lingering over onto us. Dr. Shepherd's eyes stare at me, widening.

"What-" he pauses and glances around. His hands drop from my cheeks and gently grabs my arm, tugging me out of E.R. He opens a door to an office room. He carefully pulls me in and shuts the door behind us, letting go of my arm. I cross my arms over my chest breathing heavy but not as much as I was.

"She wrecked her car? How?" Dr. Shepherd's eyes flicked back and forth between mine. I shake my head.

"I-I don't know. She was gone for a while so I went looking and found her wrecked and unconscious. I... I don't know how long she was like that," I say truthfully.

Dr. Shepherd drops his head, his hands firmly placed on his hips.

"Wait a minute..." His lifts his head and our eyes lock. "How'd you get here if the car was wrecked? Let alone so fast?"

I look down and sigh. "I drove the truck."

"You drove?" I hear my father's voice. Swiftly my eyes go to my father who's entered the little room. Our eyes lock and a knowing look spreads his face. He walks further in, closing the door behind him. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him as he squeezes me tightly.

"Are you alright?" He asks in a heavy whisper. I nod and pull away.

"I'm fine. Alycia.... Alycia's not," I whisper as we pull away. Silence fills the room. All of us looking at one another or the floor.