For those of you who know me, I like to try and write in different ways every once in a while. Well… this is something completely different for me. The story is quite sad, so I'll warn you. Or at least I think it is…
This may be good, it may be bad. Either way… let me know. Thanks…
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kim Possible characters…
Kim Possible… She can't do anything
Kim sat in her chair with head down holding onto a linen handkerchief with one hand, and the other was clamped down on Ron's. Every once in a while she would dab at the tears on her cheeks with the handkerchief, and sniff.
Ron brought his other hand over, gently patted her hand, and whispered into her ear asking a simple question. "Are going to be OK?" She nodded her head, and then turned her face up towards the gray sky. It looked like the same sky that was over them when it had happened.
I.
On their way back from a mission in the Alps, two teen heroes had to catch a ride on a tour bus. Not one like the time when Team Impossible was keeping them from getting a ride, but a regular tour bus… with children, and families.
"Ladies and gentlemen, loved ones of all ages. It is with a sad heart that we have to place someone so young back into mother earth. Someone who's entire life was in front of them."
Kim began to cry a little bit harder, and Ron gently took her head and held it against his chest. The tears were freely flowing from Kim's eyes, and he too couldn't hold back any longer. They both wept freely for the life that was cut so short.
II.
Everyone on the bus seemed to be so happy, and Kim and Ron couldn't help but smile at the camaraderie that everyone felt towards each other. The entire group was coming back from a skiing trip, and the bus ride was to be only a few hours. A few hours on a sometimes slick, and perilous road, but it was the only ride Wade could get for them on short notice, and the two teen heroes agreed.
As the priest droned on, reading passages from the Bible that he thought pertained to the somber occasion, Kim couldn't help but wonder if there had been something else she could have done. After all, she was a Possible, and she could do anything… right?
III.
The driver of the bus had been doing this route for about 5 years, and he had seen many different road conditions, but this was slightly different. There had been a short burst of cold rain the previous day, and then that night, the temperature plunged to about 10 below zero. The huge fluctuation in temperature was not unknown in these parts, but it was rare.
Kim continued to just stare at the small coffin as it sat on the steel frame over the open grave. This was the part of the funeral where the priest would say his last words, and those in attendance would then walk by the coffin to pay their last respects.
In the church it had been about three times as many people, but here at the gravesite, it was only direct family. As a result, the number was reduced to just over a dozen.
IV.
The driver didn't see, but then how could he… the black ice patch on the road up ahead. It was near one of the sharp curves of the mountain road, so he did slow down, but not quite enough. He tapped the brakes to start the slowing of the 3-ton bus, and it responded at first, since he was still on an area with packed snow.
Just as the tires hit the area of road he thought was open pavement he had tapped the brakes one more time. This time there was no traction at all, and immediately the back of the 3-ton vehicle started to swing out.
At the end of the service, the Priest asked everyone to turn over their program, and sing the hymn printed there. "If you don't know the song, just follow along." He said. The song was "Nearer My God to Thee", written by Sarah F. Adams.
Sniffing her tears back, Kim started to sing the song, as she had done in church all those years ago when she was a child.
Nearer, My God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee,
Even though it be a cross,
That raiseth me . . .
V.
Most of the women on the bust screamed out at the sudden sideways motion of the bus, but Kim just held on with grim determination with the hand that had shot out and took hold of Ron's. The back of the bus swung around and crashed through the guardrail. The force of the impact was enough to dislodge the lock and latch that held the emergency exit door closed, causing it to swing open.
The people in attendance at the gravesite were now starting to stand as they sang, as did Ron and Kim. The woman next to Kim took her other hand and openly cried. Through their tears, they continued to sing, and lift their voices.
Still, all my song shall be,
Nearer, My God to Thee,
Nearer, My God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee . . .
VI.
The impact also threw people around the inside of the bus, and one child, who was not in her seatbelt, as she should have been, went careening out of her seat and began to tumble down the center aisle while everyone else clung for dear lives to their seats. The girls mother screamed out in panic, and started to go after her, but she was held back by her husband.
Ron let go of Kim's hand with his right, and held her tight against him as he took her hand in his left. Kim's cheek never left his chest, and he just held her tighter. The woman on Kim's right continued to hold her right hand, and Kim could feel the woman start to buckle, and go down.
Though like the wanderer,
The sun goes down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone . . .
VII.
From the momentum of the bus swinging around, the back ¼ of it was now hanging over the edge of a 300-foot sheer cliff. Almost immediately the bus started to inexorably slide along its steel frame and started to tilt backwards over the edge. The young girl started to slide towards the open door, which now was looking like a gaping maw, ready to devour the child.
Kim immediately yelled out, "Everyone, get towards the front of the bus, NOW! Even though she told everyone to go to the front, she started to head to the back, towards the 10-yr. old girl.
The woman on Kim's right continued to hold onto her hand with a steel-like grip, and started to take Kim down with her towards the chair. Some one behind them, a woman from the voice, screamed out when she saw her start to collapse. Everyone else continued to sing the melancholy tune as Kim was pulled to the ground by the weight of the grieving woman, and a couple men in the group immediately came to help, setting her on a chair. Kim sat down beside her, still holding on to her hand.
There let the way appear,
Steps unto Heaven,
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy given!
VIII.
As Kim tried to move as fast as she could down the center aisle towards the girl, she could see that the girl was losing her grip on a leg connected to a chair in the last row. Just as the girl's grip let go, Kim launched herself forward, leaping the last 7 feet. She was able to catch her hand just as the girls waist disappeared over the edge of the bus.
A small glass of water in a plastic cup was handed to the woman who almost collapsed, and she gratefully took it. She downed it two gulps, and looked Kim directly in her eyes. They locked for a moment, and Kim immediately felt an uneasy déjà vu.
IV.
The weight of the girl pulled Kim further down the length of the bus, and she was able to reach out and grab a leg on one of the last row of seats. Kim ended up dangling out the end of the bus by one hand, and hanging onto the little girl with her other. She was barely able to look back up the center aisle, and saw that no one had left the bus yet, as they're weight was keeping the bus upright, at this point. She saw the fear in Ron's eyes, and before she could yell at him to stay back, Ron leaped out and slid down the corridor towards her.
From the weight of all three of them, the bus started to lean back precariously, and Ron screamed out, "Kim! Give me your other hand! I can't hold on to you like this!" Ron was holding onto her one hand, and with his other he had a death grip on another leg of a chair.
The bus slid some more with the screech of metal, and then stopped with a jolt, shaking the two teen heroes. "Kim! We've gotta get out of here! I'm NOT letting you go!"
Kim was able to look down as she dangled out the end of the bus, and saw two very frightening scenes. The close one, and most important, was the little girl that she was hanging on to. The second, was the cold jagged rocks about 300 feet below. Through her exertion, and the girls fright, both of their hands were slick with sweat. She could feel the little girls hand slipping
Oh how Ron wished he had on leather mission gloves. He could have had a better grip on Kim. But he didn't. He called out again. "Kim! I need your other hand!"
Kim looked down at the girl again, and their eyes locked. It was as if the girl knew what was going to happen, and that Kim could do nothing about it. She did try to reach up with her other hand, but was unable to get a good hold, since Kim's hand was still clenched around her slipping other hand.
Ron's voice cut through her thoughts again. "Kim! The bus is going over the edge… We've got to get out of here!"
The girl's hand continued to slide through Kim's, and she tried in vain to grip harder, but it only seemed to make things happen faster. By now the 10 year old had stopped struggling, and she looked up at Kim one last time. This little 10-year old girl who was about to die a horrible death spoke four words that shocked her. "I don't blame you."
The small hand suddenly slipped out of Kim's grip and a voice wailed. "Nooooooooo!"
Ron immediately felt the change of weight, and dropped his head in sorrow, but only for a moment. "Kim! I need you're other hand! Please!" She didn't move. "Kiiim!"
Ron could feel her hand starting to slip further, and he almost thought he felt Kim let up on her grip. There was no way he was going to let her go. Once again he screamed at her. "Kimberly Anne Possible! Give me your other hand… NOW!"
Kim just hung there watching the small body fall without a sound. It was after the impact that Kim realized it was her that was screaming and not the girl, who never made a sound. For almost a full second, which actually seemed much longer to Kim, the thought of just… letting go, passed through her mind. She had never seen anyone die before. Especially like this. Especially someone so young.
A voice then cut through her melancholy and pulled Kim from the deadly reverie. Once again it was Ron. "Give me your hand… NOW!" In Ron's position, he couldn't have seen what had happened. Only his arm was over the edge of the bus, holding onto her hand. She then reached up and took hold of his wrist, and started to haul herself back inside.
By the time she had pulled herself up Ron's arm and into the bus, a rope was tossed towards them, which Ron quickly tied to the loop on her belt with his free hand. She let him do this as her eyes continued to stare out into nothingness. Ron then grabbed onto the rope as it was quickly yanked, and the two heroes were pulled out of the bus just before it plunged 300 feet down to the bottom of the cliff and exploded.
The mother of the little girl suddenly looked into Kim's eyes, and they looked as clear as a summer's day. A small smile crossed the woman's features, and she said four words that shocked Kim to her core. "She doesn't blame you."
Kim Possible… The girl who thought she could do anything… Realized that even though she really couldn't… She needed to keep trying.
The end.
Sorry if I made y'all cry.