Disclaimer: all reconisable characters do not belong to me.
Being hit by a car is something that no one ever wants to happen to them. Hitting someone in your own car is even worse. The nightmares from that fateful night still haunt me...
Well, technically I wasn't driving a car - I was driving a fire engine, my fire engine. She was called Jupiter.
Three and I half years ago I had been called out to a standard emergency (I can't exactly remember what it was, I think it might have been a cat up a tree). I was the only firefighter going to that call as it was a busy afternoon and we were already missing a person due to illness (Newtown were supposed to send an extra man but as per usual they had forgotten).
The job was easy. I did what I needed to do, packed up my equipment and set off back to the station.
On the way back I went past the quay to quickly pick up a tow rope I had leant Charlie the day before rushing off again.
I was worried that there would be another emergency before I got back. Although S.O Steele would be able to update me over the radio I might not have had the correct equipment for the job.
As I was nearing the end of a street where I would turn left in order to head to the station a figure ran out in front of me...
I braked sharply and shut my eyes. As soon as I heard a thud I knew I had hit them. My heart sunk. What had I done?
...
I climbed out of the cab, I couldn't see much in the darkness but what I could see shocked me to the bone.
Scarlet blood was all over the road and the body at my feet. I knelt down and felt for a pulse. There was one but it was weak. It was only then that I noticed who it was I had hit.
Sprawled on the wet road was Elvis. 'What was Elvis doing here?' I thought 'he was supposed to be sick.'
I quickly reached for my radio and sent a report to the station. "I'm going to need an ambulance at my location right away."
"Okay Sam, what's the emergency?"
"I was driving back from the last emergency and someone ran out in front of me... I couldn't stop quick enough Sir I'm sorry"
"Okay Sam, the ambulance has been despatched. I've sent Penny to come and meet you. Luckily the emergency rush has seemed to have died down. Stay calm, help is on its way. Any ideas on who it was?
I felt a tight-knit in my chest.
"...Elvis..." I said weakly starting to shiver; I knew I was going into shock.
I could hear the sound of approaching sirens.
'At least help had arrived.' I thought to myself.
Penny quickly got out of Venus and rushed to Elvis' side, covering him in a blanket. To make matters worse, it had started to rain.
Penny looked up at me, "You Ok Sam? The paramedics will be here very soon."
I just stood there. Staring. My head was spinning, whirring even. I didn't know what to do, or think, or say.
Luckily, a few moments later there was a familiar sound of sirens in the distance; before I knew it, the paramedics had jumped out of the ambulance and had started tending to Elvis.
I raised a hand to my head and looked up at the sky letting the rain pour down on my face - it felt kind of unreal like I was in a dream.
Someone had put their hand on my shoulder and was saying my name.
"Sam come on, help's here now. I'm sure Elvis will be ok." Said Penny quietly, her soft hand moved to my back, stroking it gently in continuous circles. She wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, "Gosh Sam, you're soaked and freezing. Come on let's get you warm."
But I didn't move, I couldn't; it was like my body was frozen in place only able to replay the past few moments. More tears flooded my cheeks creating a river, the moment of impact just kept repeating over and over in my head. 'Thud, thud, thud,'
Penny wrapped her arms around me, I could feel her heat soaking into my shivering wreck of s body. I was led to the car and she made me sit down before sitting down in the driver's seat.
"No!" I called. 'What if she hit someone when we were driving, what if it happened again?'
I buried my head in my hands.
Penny rubbed my back tenderly. "It's ok," She said, "it's all ok."
I heard penny get out of venus, lifting my head up I could see her talking to the paramedics before they drove off. I then saw the police arrive and she said something quickly to them too. Finally, I saw her take out her phone and put it to her ear.
...
At the Floods house, Helen's phone was ringing. Helen quickly picked it up upon seeing that it was Penny.
"Everything alright?" She asked.
"Not really Helen," Penny replied, "there's been an accident on church street. Elvis and Sam were the only people involved - Elvis has already been taken by the paramedics to the hospital with some fairly serious injuries. But I would like your opinion on Sam. He doesn't have any obvious injuries but he is clearly very shaken up. Can you get down here?"
"Sure I can Penny, give me a few minutes. Try and keep him calm in the meantime. See you soon." Said Helen rushing to grab her stuff and jump into her car.
Mandy watched her leave. 'What's happened now?' Mandy was supposed to be grounded after the incident with the paint but with both her parents out of the house she could go and play with Norman at his house for a while.
...
I saw Helen's ambulance come done the road and put my head in my arms, Continuing to shiver. By this time Penny had rejoined me in the car and had her hand on my trembling shoulder. All I could think about was Elvis, was he ok?
"Elvis?" I ask Penny slowly.
"He should be ok Sam," replies Penny, "Now I need to make sure that you are."
Helen opened the car door next to me and reached for my wrist. Felling my pulse she looked up at Penny. She looked very concerned and I felt a twinge of guilt.
"Take him to the station," she said, "I'll meet you there."
...
Mandy arrived at the Cut Price Supermarket where she Norman hiding by a display of tins when he saw her looking at him he put his finger to his lips and Mandy nodded in reply. As soon as she walked in, Mandy could hear Dylis shouting Norman's name. 'What has he done now?'
Mandy walked into the shop and was met with a sea of cans scattered across the floor, It looked as if they should have been stacked up at the end of one of the isles. Norman was standing next to the till with a ball under his arm, he was laughing. However, Dylis was definitely not laughing and she plunged into a rage about Norman's idiocy. Mandy mouthed the words 'outside in 10' before running off. She didn't want Dylis to have a go at her too, Dylis was fuming
...
When we arrived back at the station Penny helped me out of the car and into the staff room which, apart from Helen, was empty.
"Sit down then Sam," said Helen to me.
I did as she said. "I'm ok though," I said, "just shaken up."
"Hmmm," Said Helen chuckling, "Apart from the nasty bump on your head. You know shock can be dangerous and can also distract you from other injuries so I need to take a look at you."
Reluctantly, I nodded and took off my fireman jacket to reveal my station uniform underneath. "Do what you have to do."
Helen shone a torch onto my eyes, tested my blood pressure and used a stethoscope to listen to my breathing. It was only after all this that she was finally reassured that I was ok and told me to go home- she'd check up on me in the morning. Upon hearing that I groaned but I suppose it is nice that she cared.