For a moment, I was flying through the air. I was weightless. Time slowed. The pavement whipped towards my windshield. Blaring car horns and screeching tires went were silent; the only audible sound was the cracking of my windshield as it cracked under the pressure of my rolling vehicle. My seatbelt dug into my stomach and chest, pressing the air from my body, and then forcing me against my seat. It was not until after all of this that time finally sped up. My head snapped forward, slamming into the wheel. My brain felt as if it had been thrown around repeatedly. Everything was a blur. The last thing I heard before everything went black was a loud crunch. My last thought: I hope I die.
"Ma'am, can you hear me?" My head felt light and red spots speckled my vision. The onslaught of pain forced me to shut them. When I finally managed to open them, I could feel something went dripping down into them, making them sting. I was lying face down on ice cold cement, the pavement digging into the side of my face. The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth, but more concerning was the pressure on my legs. My entire body hurt, but at the same I felt no pain. A hand touched my forehead and I saw a small light as someone looked for signs of light. The shadow standing next to me finally moved. My eyes were drawn to the red and blue flashing lights that must have belonged to a cop car. I blinked and tried to speak. No words came out. I could not even move away or turn my head away from the hands that touched my forehead and then my neck, checking for a pulse.
"Miss, I need some sign that you are aware of your surroundings." I flinched as the man grabbed my arm, jerking it towards him. I could see him grabbing my wrist, but strangely I could not feel him touching me. The man pulled at my arms, but it was as if I weighed more than he could pull, as I did not budge. Someone screamed… but, was that my own voice? I had been me who had screamed. I felt nauseous and a rushing noise had begun in my ears. It was slowly getting louder. Soon, the pressure on my legs was lifted. I opened my eyes, staring at the tree above me while some people strapped my neck steady. Four crows stared down at me, dark eyes staring at me while I was being wheeled to into an ambulance. I tried to close my eyes and just drift away, but a man kept trying to put a mask over my mouth. I struggled to pull it off. I wanted to die. I had killed him. If only I had gone with him then he would still be alive. He would not have been upset as he drove away, leaving me on the street corner.
"My parents want us to visit. I think it will be good for us." I snapped my gaze onto Jasper, wanting him to just go away. For the first time in our relationship, I wanted to be away from him.
"Go by yourself, I'm not going." I snarled, crossing my arms and turning my back to him. Jasper sighed, placing his face in his hands and rubbing his temple. He looked almost as tired as I did.
"I think if we got away, maybe we could heal. After what happened a few months ago…" His voice trailed off as tears rose in my eyes. I wiped at them, wondering if I would ever be able to stop crying.
"I'm fine,"
"You are not fine!" Jasper yelled, his voice rising. He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more than it already was. "Listen, I already have all of our clothes. We do not even need to go home; we just keep driving until we get there."
"I'm fine," I repeated, my anger barely contained.
"You are not!" You always look like you are ready to cry. You don't eat. You don't sleep. You wake up in the middle of the night, sobbing about hearing a baby crying for you. I…I just… I just want you to be happy again." His brown eyes stared sadly at me, making my heart clench a little and my stomach drop.
"So we go to your parents' house?" I snarled.
"My mother might be able to help you. She went through the same thing." I tensed up.
"She wouldn't know."
"Ashlin," He began to plead.
"I'm not going,"
"Please,"
"I'm not going!"
"But,"
"Just leave me alone Jasper," I snarled again.
"Ashlin!" His voice sounded almost panicked. I could not take it anymore. I opened up the car door, turning to look at him as I got out.
"Jasper, I hate you." I stared down into Jaspers brown eyes, full of hurt. I had hurt him, made him feel pain. I stopped, my hand holding onto the car door, ready to slam it shut. I was ready to throw him out of my life forever. I stared down at my hand, daring it to shut the door. The door thudded shut, the sound ringing in my ears. That sound would haunt me for the rest of my life. Three crows watched me from a tree. What I did not know was that only three hours later I would see Jasper again, this time; he would be lying in the hospital morgue.
