Chapter 20 – Sirens

AN: Hey Guys! Thank you for the AMAZING response that I got from you guys last chapter. Sorry I left it with a cliffhanger, but you have to keep things interesting, right?

Well, exams have officially started for me, which is kind of depressing. I updated this story later than I would have like to, but I have been really stressed out with all of the studying and such. Also, my grandmother cracked her head open so i have been spending a lot of time at the hospital and taking care of her.

Anyway, please enjoy this chapter of the story!

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Troy's P.O.V

Sirens filled my ears as I stood in the chilly evening wind. Some were screaming, some were crying, some were questioning.

Me?

I was frozen.

I had just found out exactly what had happened here. The witnesses claimed that the car was swerving back and fourth on the highway before finally, the driver turned the car around so that the back of the car was hit by on coming traffic. A speeding car smashed into the back of the car, causing the car to turn and roll over and over again before it finally fell into a ditch on the side of the road.

This accident was caused on purpose.

McBricke intended to kill Gabriella.

Screaming tore me out of my thoughts, and I turned to face the commotion. When I heard what they were yelling, my heart dropped even more.

"The gas valve has been broken! Get them out QUICKLY!"

"The backdoor is jammed!"

"Get the Jaws of Life!"

The backdoor, the seat that Gabriella was in, was jammed. I quickly bolted towards where the officers were, and that was the first time that I caught a glimpse of the car.

If you could even call it that.

The back of the car was completely dented in and flattened. The roof was intended as well, probably from all of the rolling. I walked towards the car, ignoring the protests from the officers and paramedics, and walked over towards the back window.

My throat chocked up when I saw what was inside. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me back, but I didn't even notice.

My eyes were still witnessing the horrid scene of the car.

The metal scrunched and compressed into almost nothing.

The glass shattered all over the seat.

The blood.

The person pulled me back towards where the police cars were, and held me there. I watched as huge tools were brought over to the mangled car by fire fighters. The police were setting up their police tape, keeping the onlookers a far distance from the dangerous vehicle.

"Hurry! Pressure's building on the gas!" I stared in horror as more fire fighters ran towards the car. Two bodies were taken out from the front seat, and immediately rushed over towards the ambulance. Soon after one more was taken out.

Not one was Gabriella.

The fire fighters began pulling at the door with their tools in hopes of getting it open.

A hissing sound started to emit from the car.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT CAR! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!! IT'S GOING TO BLOW ANY SECOND!

"THERE'S STILL ONE MORE PERSON!"

Gabriella.

"I'M ORDERING YOU TO LEAVE THAT VEHICLE!" the head officer yelled towards the fire fighters around the car. One by one they began to drop their tools, heading towards the edges.

They were leaving Gabriella. Leaving her in a car that was about to blow up into pieces.

"NO!!" I yelled, as I struggled to get out of the officers arms. "BRIE'S STILL IN THERE!" one officer locked eyes with me, and I could tell he saw the desperation in them. He quickly turned around and headed towards the car, taking out the powerful electric saw and beginning to cut away the car door.

"OFFICER! STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE!" The head officer yelled again, yet the man continued at his work. The hissing sound continued to get louder and louder.

It was going to blow up.

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Sharpay's P.O.V

In the middle of the night, I was awoken by a phone call.

In most circumstances, I would have made sure that the person who called me at that time would pay for disturbing my beauty sleep.

However, I didn't.

Troy had called me. The second I saw his name flash across my blackberry's screen I knew something was different. I never got phone calls from Troy, simply because he still hadn't forgiven me for abandoning Gabriella. I quickly answered, and was met with a hysterical boy who had a hard time getting his sentences straight. After ten minutes of calming him down, I finally managed to get the gist of what he was saying.

Gabriella had been in a car accident with the kidnappers.

Troy begged me to tell the others, because he was rushing to get to the accident scene. I agreed, and at three in the morning I was calling Taylor, Kelsi, and the three friends that Gabriella had made at school when we weren't speaking, Tim, Jackson, and Samantha. I also hesitantly called Chad, because Troy insisted they were on speaking terms and he needed to know what was going on.

By five in the morning, all of us were gathered in my living room, watching the news for any updates on the accident. Besides the three new faces, the scene was almost exactly like what it had been when Gabriella and Troy were first taken.

The news was having constant coverage of the accident. The car was completely destroyed, and there were already speculations that no passenger in that car would be leaving without serious injuries.

"I can't believe what's happening." Kelsi said quietly from her seat on the corner of the couch.

"I know. Just when we thought things were getting back to normal, this has to happen." I added.

"It's not fair to Gabby. She didn't do anything." Samantha said. Suddenly our eyes were drawn towards the TV.

"Breaking News! The car accident that happened on Highway 4 towards Arizona has just gotten more serious. It seems that a gas valve has been broken on the car, making the car dangerous to be near. We take you live to the scene to speak to our reporter. What can you tell us?" I gulped.

Gas valve?

"Well, as you mentioned the gas valve is broken. What also complicates the situation is that the car is so damaged that officers and firemen can't get access to the back seat, where a young girl is still trapped. One brave fireman is still attempting to free her as the car continues to get more and more dangerous. It – " A loud hissing cut off the reporter. The camera zoomed in on the car, where a man was clearly seem trying to cut the door open. The hissing sound continued to increase. Just as the man finally put down the machine and ripped the door off of the car, flames suddenly erupted from the scene, debris flying everywhere. A loud sound filled our ears.

The car had blown up.

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Troy's P.O.V

I watched in horror as the car exploded into hundreds of pieces. Debris flew everywhere. Firemen rushed forward in an attempt to get control of the flames, pouring water onto the now melting car. My eyes scanned the scene, but I still could not find Gabriella at all.

Had she blown up with the car?

I couldn't bear to thing.

The firemen continued to put out the flames until there was nothing left but black, burned, debris.

Tears sprung to my eyes. My body started shaking with sobs as I fell to my knees.

She couldn't be gone.

The man who had been holding me back crouched down to my level.

"Calm down son."

"CALM DOWN? MY GIRLFRIEND JUST BURNED TO DEATH!!!!" I screamed.

"You never know. That fireman might have gotten her."

"YEAH RIGHT!" I screamed. The man put an arm on my shoulder, and I tried to shrug it away. I continued to cry, especially as I watched the pieces of the car being taken away from the scene. All that was left was a large black mark where the car once was. The trees hadn't caught fire, and their darkness scared me.

I listened out of the corner of my ear as the news reporters talking about what was happening. I couldn't bear it when they said that the victim was most likely dead. A scream emitted from my mouth as frustration and anger soared through my body. My fists were tight fists, and I threw them down angrily against the ground.

"NO!" I yelled. I continued to pound against the ground.

"Son, calm down." Two more officers, including Ginger, had come up to me.

"NO!"

Then, my attention was taken by a stirring in the woods. All camera reporters stopped talking as the cameras turned to see what was causing the commotion. The police officers and firemen came closer to the sound.

Then, a man covered in soot limped out of the woods.

In his arms was a lifeless, soot-covered figure.

Gabriella.

The fireman had saved her! He had gotten her out of the car in time.

She hadn't blown up.

Then, my heart dropped at what I heard the man yell in his hoarse voice.

"HELP! SHE'S NOT BREATHING AND BLEEDING FAST!"

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AN: Dun, Dun, DUUNNN!!!!! I know it's a cliffy, but I got to keep you interested! Plus, it keeps suspense up.

Sorry the chapter was short, but I have been so busy that I have had rarely any time to get any stories out. My exams are taking over my life, and I have been studying like crazy for them. I promise I will try to make it up to all of you guys when they are finished in a week.

Please, review if you want the next chapter!

Xoxo,

Lar