(Thanks to A Mosaic Masterpiece, Michelle Maria Salvatore, LocalTalent53 and jamesss for your reviews!
It's typical, isn't it? My laptop had a problem with the screen (It just stayed black), so I had to get it fixed. Now it's all good, I can get this chapter up.
I have to say, I'm nervous about this chapter. So, it's up to you, the reviewers, to give me feedback! If you don't like it, please tell me why, I would appreciate it for any future stories!
Finally, it might help to know the location to help you envision it, because this chapter is presented from a blind person's POV. The coordinates for Google Earth are 39 59'45.60" N 74 51'54.43" W
Heading down the New Jersey Turnpike, still less than halfway to Baltimore, Dorothy let out a sigh and leaned back in the seat, wiping a small droplet of sweat from her brow.
"I do not think I have been in a coach for a long while..."
"I suppose you don't venture much, do you?" David said, looking up from his game on his mobile phone.
"No." Dorothy smiled slightly. "When I was a young girl, I used to get scared out of my mind being in a vehicle. As I said before, I am wary of vehicles now. Back then, though, I would just refuse. I would stomp my foot down and just say 'no'." Chuckling slightly, Dorothy placed her hand on David's arm. "My dad had to physically drag me into the car just so we could move house."
"That's a good point." David said with interest. "I don't mean to pry, but you never told me about your parents."
Dorothy shrugged. "There is not anything interesting about them, no offence to them. My mother was an eye surgeon. She... spent as much money as she could to research a way to make me see again. Ultimately it didn't work."
"Was?" David asked carefully.
"She retired. Now she lives in New Orleans living the life she always wanted."
"With your dad?"
"No. Dad has gone back to his roots in Canada. They got divorced when I was old enough to understand things like that. In fact, it was when I was fifteen that they explained to me the situation. They were growing apart, they felt that their marriage was not going to hold together. The thoroughly explained that they would remain in contact, and I was the only thing keeping them together. I... argued with them... I was still learning to deal with my blindness – since it was only when I started school and got out in the world I only started to deal with the disability... only started to learn that it was a disability."
"So... when did they separate?" David asked.
"It was the day after graduation. It was a graduation party, everyone was there. I was surprised I was invited, but of course I went. It was the theme of a 'masked ball'." Dorothy smiled again, remembering the memories. "I remember I wore a mask, described to me by my dad, 'Glittered with emeralds and striped with gold. A mask fitting for a princess'... Dad was always nice..." Noticing David's silence, Dorothy turned towards him. "What's wrong."
"Uh... I... nothing. Nothing..." David licked his lips. "You just made me remember my own memories then. Graduation parties are definitely a thing to remember."
"Yes..." Dorothy nodded, slightly confused. The sound of water filled her ears, and she towards David. "Are we passing a river?"
"Uh... not yet. There is a bridge and a river ahead though. Once we start moving again... Christ, I swear we've been stuck in traffic for ages." Shaking his head, David adjusted himself in the seat. "How'd you guess?"
"I heard the water. I suppose the rain is making it rise."
"It is high... but I can't hear water other than the rain."
"Oh...?" Imagining David's confused face, Dorothy frowned. "Perhaps my hearing is better than I expected."
"Well, it is said that if you lose one sense, the others are magnified." Came David's voice.
"Yes..." Dorothy nodded slowly, a cold draft sending shivers up her skin as the coach got moving again. The wind started to howl, like wolves under the moon. The combination of water and wind made Dorothy uncomfortable, and she clutched David's arm.
"What's wrong."
"Those sounds..." Dorothy put her hands against her ears but the sounds were still fresh in her mind. "They hurt."
"Sounds, Dorothy, what are-" David was cut off at the sudden sound of simultaneous smashing. Something sharp whipped into Dorothy's face, like a bee sting. "What!" David stood up, pulling Dorothy up, who was still clutching him.
"What was that? Is that me still hearing things?" Dorothy asked, scared.
"No. The windows just blew out." David said over the murmurs of the passengers. A creaking filled the air. "Oh shit... The bridge..." David didn't need to explain. Dorothy could feel the tilting as the bus, and the bridge, leaned to the side. "Dorothy, come on!" His voice was almost lost in the ever increasing wind and rain. It lashed down against the side of the bus, through the broken windows and onto the people inside. The wind items inside the bus to turn over and blast backwards, it was so strong.
"What is happening?" Dorothy cried over the sound of people reacting to the situation. People were now standing up, calling to the bus driver. Some were crying, while others wrestled to get to the front of the bus as they realised that they were about to fall.
"Fuck if I know. A freak hurricane? Damned if I know. Let's get off the-" Once again, David was cut off as the bus tilted. He tripped into Dorothy as the bus went 360 degrees, spinning around and sending passengers flying. The thuds and cracks of bodies and bones were heard before the bus hit something solid. The sound of splashing and the torrent of water confirmed that they had hit the river. The water poured through the broken windows, drenching Dorothy to the bone. Her clothes were instantly drenched, weighting her down.
Dorothy was too frightened to move, to stiff to react. Thankfully, a hand grasped her arm and pulled her. On the way up her arm sliced on something sharp, but they suddenly broke the surface.
Gasping for air, Dorothy could only see darkness, but could feel the wet of water, the rain pelting her face. More than ever before she wished she could see, know what was happening.
"Dorothy! Dorothy, are you okay?" Came to slightly pained voice of David as he put a hand against Dorothy's cheek.
"I am f-fine..." Dorothy sputtered, as she held onto him for dear life. "What happened?"
"The bridge just collapsed out of nowhere... shit, shit! The storm just... is it a Hurricane? Fuck, I don't know!" David squeezed Dorothy's arm unintentionally. "We're in the river now, the... the bus is under water, there are bodies... shit!" Frustrated, David squeezed Dorothy again.
"D-David, that hurts..."
"Sorry, I... I'm glad you can't see this... otherwise-" The sound of roaring engine, unique to a motorbike no doubt, caused David's voice to trail off. He pushed Dorothy back suddenly as something hit the water. Dorothy was thrown over the surge of the waves, and tried to swim back. As she swam, her fingers brushed against bodies. The clammy feeling of death itself... Shivering, Dorothy tried to feel for David.
"David! David, where... David!" Frantically, Dorothy splashed through the water, but couldn't hear any sign of David. Her mind started to run amok, each body she felt was David's, each scream she heard was David's... Her leg suddenly caught into something sharp, impaling just below the knee. Dorothy let out a pained gasp, and felt across her leg. It was thick, almost an inch wide, and had gone straight through the leg, grating against the bone.
Before she could figure out what to do, something hit hard on the top of her head. Dazed and pushed into the water, Dorothy sunk for a moment, before regaining her senses. She swam up, but hit something solid in the water. Dorothy pushed up, but whatever the thing was wouldn't budge. Unable to move because of her leg, Dorothy was stuck under water, her breath rapidly decreasing.
Finally, with her lungs feeling like they were going to burst, Dorothy's mouth was forced open in a desperate attempt for air. Water rushed in, through her throat down into her lungs and-
XXX
Dorothy gasped, suddenly squeezing hard.
"Ah, Christ!" David cursed, as he pulled away. "Dorothy, what was that for?"
Dorothy stayed staring, unresponsive, almost comatose. Her mind was running the scenario over and over the again. It felt so real... it was real. Her mind wasn't that imaginative... but it wasn't real. They were right here, on the coach... but if she saw... could...
Her mind so confused, Dorothy couldn't tell that she was sweating and hot. In fact, she still felt wet from the river and cold from the wind and water. She felt David's palm on her forehead, but took no notice of it.
"Have you got a fever? Damn, Dorothy..." David lightly grasped Dorothy's arm. "Dorothy? Let's get some fresh air." David stood up. "Hey, driver! Can you stop, my friend's feeling ill!"
"He can't just stop because she feels ill." A voice in front hissed.
"Bullshit he can't." David cursed, worried for Dorothy. His voice faded in and out as Dorothy tried to fight the deeper darkness.
For Dorothy, there were always two types of darkness. One when she was awake, and one when she was asleep. It was the latter which was threatening to overcome her now. Just before she felt herself fall to the floor, she heard a voice, a shout of panic from outside the bus.
"Stop! Stop the bus, stop the goddamn road! Stop!" Came a male's voice.
"Jason, stop it, what's wrong?" A female whispered, although loud enough to still be heard. "You haven't... have you..."
"Not now, we are going to die!" The male voice replied in a shout, her voice echoing over the rain and wind. "It is a fact, this isn't about drink, this is about that goddamn... I don't know, vision! Whatever the fuck it was, was not my imagination! That storm is about to increase to the point of death! Everyone, you cannot go on that bridge, hell not on this road! Get away from the trees, get away from the road, get away from everything! Go! Now!"
(Right, so I hope this works well. You will, eventually, find out the main vision, but for now you'll have to stick with Dorothy's 'vision'. You can find a few hints about people from the story, although not many. My plan is, as of now, to reveal things gradually and carefully. I hope this works.
Well, 'till next time!