Freak of Nature

Prologue

Roxanne Winarta

You know how life flows smoothly until that instance where it suddenly it decides to stop, crash and burn? That's my life right now. Literally. What was a family vacation is now a disaster.

I crawl out from the wreckage, wincing as the pieces of glass dug into my arms and knees. I clutch my baby brother, Hayden, tightly against my chest. His chubby little hands latched onto my shirt as he wailed loudly. Laying down on the asphalt road, I pant, trying to process what happened.

The radio in our honda civic was turned up to the max. As the panic! At the disco song came next, my sister Alexandra and I belted the lyrics as loud as our teenager vocal chords could manage.

"Alex! Roxy! Turn it down or the car's gonna crash," Dad joked while Mom in the passengers seat tried to placate a sulking Hayden between us.

It all happened in the split of a second. A sudden glow of bright lights. The screeching of tires against asphalt.

I lunged for my brother, sheltering him with my body. The sound of shattering glass and collision of metal against metal rang through my ears.

The impact left me breathless.

I felt the car tip over on my side. A searing pain surged through my body. Following my instincts, I unbuckled myself then Hunter and crawled out of the window, not caring about the glass digging into my hands.

Getting up off the road I quickly take off my jacket and wrap Hayden in it. I place him on the side of the road far away from the wreckage but close enough to monitor. Tears cascaded down his face as I left to get my sisters.

I limp back towards the car, blood dripping down my calf trailing after me. Struggling, I finally open the door and unbuckled my unconscious sisters dragging them out before carrying them to Hayden.

I check every inch of them, despite a few bruises they seem perfectly fine. I could feel blood flowing down the side of my head but I could care less. I need to save my family that is all that matters.

Adrenaline rushed through my body helping me temporarily forget about my injuries. I open the driver's door. I unbuckle my father, as careful as I can, try to yank him out of the car. His giant body crushed mine as I excruciatingly lifted him on my back and drag him towards the rest. I rushed back to get my mother and belongings out.

Her shoulder is bruised badly and most probably broken. Her arm seemed broken too. My father's head is bleeding from when his head was slammed against the car door. It hurt to see my parents like this.

Cradling the still crying Hayden, I tired to calm him down. I take out my phone, sit down and dial 911. The operator finally picked up.

"Yes hello? Help me please, my family and I were in a car accident. And now they are all unconscious and I don't know what to do!" I sob into the phone, all the adrenaline finally drained out of me leaving me frightened and vulnerable. Her soothing voice flowing through the phone helped calm me down slightly, she asked me where I was.

"We're on the highway to-(hell)" That was all I could get out before exhaustion and blood loss finally caught up to me. My eyesight blurred, I felt light headed. The phone slipped out of my hand. Unconsciousness engulfed me, dragging me down into the dark abyss of my mind.