Crossroads

S I X

The bright light shining through her window caused Bella to gasp in delight. She dashed swiftly towards her window, eagerly yanking the curtain open. She hadn't seen the sun in ages. She longed to feel it against her skin. Her heart plummeted when she saw blankets of snow coating the streets. What she had assumed to be sunlight, was just the reflection of light bouncing off the snow. Bella hung her head in dismay as she got ready for school. It felt as if she would never get to see the sun again.

Sighing heavily, Bella opened her closet to grab her hat and scarf. She frowned when she saw they were missing from their usual spot. Bella remembered clearly how she had hung those up after she had gotten home from school Friday. She hadn't touched them since, so where could they be? Bella searched her room high and low, but she couldn't find her scarf or hat anywhere. Glancing at the clock, Bella decided she didn't have enough time to worry about finding them. If she kept this up for much longer, she'd be late to school.

Running outside, Bella stopped short when she saw her dad crouching near her right front tires.

"Um, dad?" She asked. "What are you doing?"

Charlie stood, wiping his hands against his pants as he said,

"I just put some snow tires on your truck. You shouldn't have any trouble now."

Bella gawked at the silver chains on her tires. She hadn't even realized she needed them. "Aren't you going to be late?"

"Don't worry about me Bells. Where's your scarf? Or gloves? It's in the twenties kiddo."

Bella flushed. "I couldn't find them."

Charlie chuckled causing her to turn even redder. He disappeared into the house only to return carrying a bundle of knitted wool. Bella gaped like a fish as he warped a scarf around her neck and pulled the hat over her eyes. She reached out and snatched the gloves from his hands. She refused to let him put those on her.

"Thanks, dad. You didn't have to dot this," she muttered uncomfortably. She wasn't used to be taken care of like this.

Charlie shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Bells. Now we better start moving or we'll both be late."

Bella was distracted the whole way to school. She couldn't stop picturing the way Charlie put the scarf and hat on her. She hadn't been treated like that since she was a little girl. She also couldn't believe how she had misplaced her scarf and hat. She hadn't lost anything in about ten years or so. Usually if she did, it would mean double the work for her to find both her things and her mother's. She made up her mind she would ask Jessica in Trig if she had left them there. If her stuff wasn't in her closet, they had to be somewhere in the school. Maybe she could check the lost and found.

Bella hopped out of her car, too preoccupied with her thoughts to really notice anyone else around her. The sudden screeching sound of tires caused her to jump and turn towards the noise. A large SUV van had started to spin out of control in the parking lot. Bella stared in horror as she realized the van was heading straight in her direction. Fear seized her heart, and she felt her body go numb. Bella tried to run out of the way of the van, but she slipped on some black ice. She gasped in pain as the back of her head collided with the asphalt. The ringing in her ears mixed with the sounds of screams. Her vision was blurry as she looked towards the van. Bella could smell the burning rubber of tires. It was too late. The van was too close.

The sound of crashing metal was deafening. A scream rose in the back of her throat. She braced herself for the impact, but felt nothing.

"Get her out of there!"

"Bella! Bella are you alright?"

The terrified screams grew louder, but Bella didn't understand. Was she dead? How could she hear the others if she was?