Fragile Lines

"So, you're not mad?" I laughed.

"Oh I'm sure as hell mad. But that bi-," I looked around, "that butt deserved it." Mari smirked. "What happened afterward?"

"She fell on the ground and started crying. I think I broke her nose." I tried to put on a disappointed parental face, but failed miserably and instead broke into a grin.

"God I really shouldn't be laughing right now."

"No, you really shouldn't. You're supposed to be telling me that what I did was wrong, and that I'm grounded for my actions."

"Yeah. But, is there anyone to do that for you when you're living on your own?"

"Touché."

"Even so, I swear that until you move out I'll never let anything bad happen to you."

"Thanks Audrey," Mari gave me an embarrassed smile and I smirked.

"Yeah, so the next time Chloe and Sasha try to pick a fight, they'll be up against me." Mari laughed.

"I'm looking forward to it."

At that moment our food arrived, and we dug into the pancakes like we hadn't eaten in days.

><><><><><><

We drove home, singing at the top of our lungs and overall having a blast. We both mourned for the songs from the early 2000's, so that's what we were playing. Our playlist ranged from 'Hollaback Girl' to 'I Gotta Feeling', and we knew almost all of the words. As we drove into the heart of the city, one song came to an end, and 'Sugar, We're Goin Down' began to play. Mari turned to me in delight.

"This is my favorite song!" I smiled.

"I know." My younger sister sang her heart out as I navigated through the city streets of 11 am Chicago. I chimed in for the chorus, as it was the only part I knew.

Just as we pulled up to a red light at a busy intersection, the second verse begins to play. Sitting in the left-turn lane, I drum my fingers on the steering wheel and wait for the light to change.

Drop a heart, break a name

We're always sleeping in, and sleeping for the wrong team

We're going down, down in an earlier round

And Sugar, we're going down swinging

The light turns green and I'm the first car to make the turn.

I'll be your number one with a bullet

A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it

I pull forward.

A truck slams into the passenger side of our car, and time slows down as our small vehicle flips from the force of the collision. We roll multiple times, and I can't tell which way is up. Every part of my body throbs with pain. My face stings and burns, blood running into my eyes and adding a red tint to my vision. I taste copper. A wave of excruciating pain crashes through me as I feel my left leg crushed by the weight of the vehicle. Our car grinds to a stop, upside down. There's a loud ringing in my ears and I can't hear anything else. Still strapped into the seat, I look to my right.

I feel like I'm choking.

The car had hit the passenger side.

It hit her.

Oh God.

My baby sister.

Sometime during the crash her seat belt had torn, throwing her to the ground. Mari was laying on her side, facing me. A long, broken piece of metal had speared Mari in her throat. Her eyes were open and unblinking. Her lips were parted slightly, a thin line of blood running from the side of her mouth.

I hear the echo of a voice. Someone was pulling on my arm. I look slowly to my left and see a blurry figure trying to pull me out of the car. Their mouth is moving, but I can't hear them. They reach across my waist and unhook my seat belt, causing me to fall on a bed of glass, and the stranger drags me a couple feet from the car. The ringing in my ears has faded enough so I can hear what the person is saying.

"Come on! We need to go!" They grab my arm again and I shake them off, refusing to move.

"No. No!" The raw grief and panic in my voice causes the stranger to wince.

Staring at the wreckage, I can see the orange flames emerging from under the hood.

I promised. I grit my teeth and force myself to drag my body over the debris until I'm back inside the car.

In the distance I hear someone yell, "Get away!"

I sit on the glass covered ground inside the burning vehicle, tears streaming down my face.

I gather my baby sister in my arms and hold her to me.

"I promised I'd never let you go Mari."

The flames cover the entire car.

"I'll never let you go."

The gas tank catches fire.

"I promised."

We're going down, down in an earlier round

And Sugar, we're going down swinging

I'll be your number one with a bullet

A loaded god complex, cock it and pull it