Elsa's eyes snapped open. She felt something warm and wet drip onto her cheek and trickle down to the corner of her mouth as she struggled to get her bearings. She was on her side and could see broken glass and twisted metal. Her left shoulder felt excruciatingly painful and she couldn't move. She felt the warm drip again, tasted salt in her mouth and looked up to her right. Kate was above her, head lolling down towards her, blonde hair matted with blood which dripped steadily onto Elsa's face. Suddenly everything flew into sharp focus and Elsa remembered exactly what had happened. She could smell petrol and knew they had to get out of the car.
“Kate?” there was no answer from her friend as Elsa struggled to release her seat belt, no longer aware of the pain in her shoulder. Grant was still in the drivers seat, silent and unmoving. The seat belt would not release and Elsa pulled it as hard as she could until it finally gave way and she slumped to the side of the car, the glass of the broken window crunching underneath her.
Kate gave a groan and Elsa struggled to her feet, “Kate, it's okay,” she said, not at all believing her own words. Kate had a deep wound that was oozing thick, dark blood from her head. Elsa felt suddenly dizzy, the heavy, sickly smell of petrol was so strong and she knew they were in real danger as she felt heat and saw the orange glow of flame. Later, in the hospital, she would be unable to explain what happened next, she wasn't even sure she could remember. All she knew was that when the flashing blue lights arrived, she was lying exhausted at the side of the road with Kate and Grant lying unconscious beside her and the car was engulfed in flames.
“You,” said the doctor, peering over his glasses at her with a warm smile, “Are a very lucky young lady.” He turned to Elsa's father, “Other than bruising from the seat belt there's no damage, she'll be absolutely fine Mr Shaw, just keep a close eye on her for the next 24 hours.”
Marcus Shaw put his arms round his daughter and pulled her close. “Thank god,” he said, “And her friends?”
“Cuts and bruises, a couple of broken bones, nothing that won't heal given time.”
“How did you all get out of the car?” Marcus asked his daughter.
“I don't know,” she said, “I really can't remember.”
“Well, let's just be glad you did.” his voice cracked and Elsa hugged him tight, knowing what he was thinking. She looked to the doctor then, “Can I see my friends?”
"The young man is in surgery at the moment but your friend Kate is with her parents on ward 5, you can see her if you like but she's a bit groggy.” Elsa nodded
“I'll come with you,” her father said, “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Dad really, I'm okay,” Elsa said smiling, “I'll just pop in for a few minutes, you wait in reception, get a drink or something. I don't think we should crowd Kate with visitors.”
Marcus looked at his daughter and eventually smiled himself, “Ok,” he said, “But if you're not there to meet me in 15 minutes, I'm coming back to find you."
“Deal.” Elsa hopped off the hospital trolley and gave her father a quick kiss before walking out into the hallway.
Once out of Marcus’ sight she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning for a moment against the wall. There was a strange smell in the air of the casualty ward and it was making her feel nauseous but she dare not tell the doctors, she wanted to get out of here, away from the smell and back to her own bed and she wasn't going to give them any excuse to keep her in. She crinkled her nose and was trying to decide what the smell reminded her of when she thought she heard Kate's voice drifting up the hallway. Elsa shook her head to herself, it obviously wasn't Kate's voice, she was already on a ward. She set off in search of Ward 5, remembering her father's request that she wasn't gone long.
On the ward, Kate's parents were at her bedside and Kate appeared to be asleep.
“Elsa!” Kate's mother saw her approach and jumped up to give her a warm hug, “Thank goodness you're all right.”
“I'm fine thank you Mrs Owen. How are they?” Elsa asked.
“Grant is having to have his leg pinned, Kate had a dislocated shoulder, a very deep cut to her head and a concussion. She's had a lot of painkillers so she's quite sleepy.” Mrs Owen looked over to her daughter, “They will both be fine.”
“It's a miracle you all got out of the car.” Mr Owen spoke solemnly, “Thank goodness it landed upright.”
Elsa blinked, she knew the car had been on its side when she'd come to but she didn't say anything, not wanting to discuss the accident any more than was necessary. Kate stirred and opened her eyes and Elsa moved to her bedside.
“Hey,” she said, “You okay?”
“Mmm,” Kate sounded groggy, her blonde hair was still matted with blood. Elsa leant in to give her friend a gentle hug but was suddenly overcome by dizziness. She sat back quickly.
“S'ok,” said Kate quietly, “I won't break.”
Elsa smiled nervously, not wanting anyone to notice the sweat she could feel herself breaking out in, “Can't be too careful.” she said with forced brightness in her voice.
“Glad you're here,” said Kate, her words coming out slowly and deliberately, as if it was an effort for her to speak. “Wanted to thank you.”
“What for?”
“Getting us out.”
Kate's parents both looked at Elsa, “You got them out?” Mr Owen said with surprise and disbelief.
Elsa frowned, “No,” she said, confused, “I mean, I don't remember but I couldn't have could I?” she looked to her friend for confirmation but Kate's eyes were closed again.
“She's confused,” Mrs Owen decided, “She's had a lot of medication.”
Elsa was fast developing a headache, “I can't remember,” she repeated, suddenly desperate to leave, “I have to go and find my dad, he doesn't want me out of his sight for long, please could you tell Kate I'll come back and see her tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Mrs Owen hugged her again, “Take care.”
Elsa nodded and hurried out of the ward, making her way to reception. Her father was waiting for her.
“Everything okay?” he asked, “You look very pale.”
“I just need to go home, I hate hospitals,”
“Doesn't everyone?” Marcus smiled and put a protective arm around her shoulders, “Come on, we'll get you home.”
Once out of the hospital and into the cool evening air, Elsa's head started to clear. By the time she got home she was feeling much better.
“Can I get you anything?” her father asked.
She shook her head, “No thanks, I’m just going to shower and go straight to bed.” She gave her father a hug and he kissed the top of her head.
“There's arnica cream in the bathroom cabinet, it will help with the bruising to your shoulder.”
Elsa paused on her way up the stairs; her shoulder wasn't even hurting anymore. “Okay,” she said carefully, “Goodnight Dad.”
“Goodnight sweetheart, love you.”
“Love you too.”
Elsa went into the bathroom and opened the cabinet, taking out the tube of arnica cream. She took off her jacket, which was caked in dried blood, none of it her own, as miraculously she didn't have a scratch on her. She put the jacket in the sink and turned on the taps to rinse it out. As the water ran through the material and dissolved the blood it became pink, then red as it flowed down the plughole and Elsa watched it, mesmerised. The strange smell from the casualty ward returned to her senses and she realised what it was. Blood. She placed her hand in the flow of water, watching the rivulets of pale red stained water run through her fingers. She could feel her own blood rushing in her head and she breathed in deeply. Suddenly perturbed her hand flew to the tap and she turned it off quickly before flinging her jacket into the washing basket. What was wrong with her? Maybe she had banged her head after all. She looked in the mirror intent on finding a bump that the doctors had missed but it was something else she spotted, something else that wasn't right. At the hospital, the doctors had spoken of bruising to her left shoulder caused by the seat belt and she'd seen for herself the band of angry red and purple that was developing. She raised her hand to feel across the left side of her chest and shoulder, there was no pain at all and absolutely, definitely no bruise to be seen.
Elsa undressed and stepped into the shower, checking herself all over. No cuts, no bruises, no marks at all. A strange feeling gripped her as she stood under the warm water and tried to wash it away. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened in the car, how they had got out. But she couldn't.
Unable to shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her, she got out of the shower and dressed for bed. Just as she was about to leave the bathroom, she saw the tube of arnica cream on the side of the sink. She picked it up, slowly unscrewed the lid and squeezed a good quarter of the tube straight down the sink before rinsing it away and putting the tube back in the cabinet. This done, she switched off the bathroom light and went to bed.
*A/N - Thanks for reading, please comment and vote if you are enjoying it!*