Chapter 8
The perfect moment was soon interrupted by a noisy intruder bursting through the Crashdown's doors.
"Max! Max! You've got to come quick!" Michael frantically ran into the room, filthy and bloody.
Liz and Max flew to their feet and rushed over to Michael.
"Michael! What happened? Are you alright?" Liz shrieked, as she looked him over. He had a large gash in his head and it was bleeding severely. His shirt was covered in filth and blood. Liz shuddered as she thought of what had happened.
"Its Maria… you've got to get to her Max… we were in an accident and… and… the car… it just kept flipping… I don't know if she'll make it… just please… please Max! Go and help her!" Michael grabbed Max's shoulders and shook them violently.
"It will be alright Michael… just tell me where she is…" Max said, trying to release himself from Michael's firm grip.
"Just… just two blocks away… please hurry… please…" Michael's eyes pleaded with Max. He knew that Max was the only one who could save her.
"Alright… Michael you stay here with Liz and I'll go check it out."
"No!" Liz screamed. She couldn't stand the thought of not being able to help her best friend. "I have to go with you. I have to see if I can help!"
"No, Liz," Max replied coolly. "Stay here with Michael and help clean him up… I'll be right back." He started for the door.
"Max!! I am going with you!" Liz screamed in a hysterical voice.
"NO! You MUST stay here! You HAVE to!" With that, Max bolted out the door, praying he would find Maria soon enough.
"Michael, we have to do SOMETHING! I can't just stand here and do nothing while my best friend could be dying!" Liz began to pace the room, not caring about the petite rose petals she was demolishing. "I'm going to call 911." She started for the phone but was abruptly stopped by a large, firm hand on her arm.
"No," Michael stated firmly. "Max will help her and right now I need your help. My head won't stop…"
"How the heck is Max going to help her more than the paramedics? And what good are we doing just sitting here?! I'm going to find her!" Liz turned and ran for the door, but Michael was close behind.
"NO, LIZ! You can't! You just have to trust me on that!" He grabbed her arm and held it tight.
Liz turned to him with fire in her eyes. "Let go of me right now! I am going to Maria and you can't stop me!" She twisted her arm and kicked Michael's shin. When he let go, she ran out the door but Michael was right behind her.
"Liz! Don't!" He yelled after her but he couldn't keep up. The throbbing pain in his head grew more and more and soon there was nothing but darkness around him.
Liz heard Michael collapse behind her but she couldn't stop. She had to get to Maria. If Michael was right and she didn't have long to live then she had to see her before she died. She had to. She had to tell her everything. She turned the corner and halted to a stop at the sight before her. All air left her lungs and she had no power in getting any back; she stood in complete, horrified awe. She saw before her Maria's car, or what used to be Maria's car. Now it was a mass of twisted metal. All the windows had been shattered and a small fire was beginning to show its flames in the front of the car. She then noticed two figures on the ground beside the car. She slowly began to walk forward when she realized it was Max and Maria. She didn't get very far, however, because the sight of Maria made her stomach churn and caused her head to swim. From where she was, she couldn't see detail but she could see enough. Her best friend's face was covered in blood and her long blonde hair was stained with crimson red. Her clothes were also stained a sickening scarlet and there was gash along the whole front of her abdomen. There was no movement coming from her body at all. Liz closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that when she opened them all she had just seen would disappear. That wasn't the case. She opened her eyes to find the same horrifying nightmare still in front of her. She tried to move forward again but stopped when she saw Max tilt Maria's body slightly and put his hand on her wounded abdomen. Liz watched in utter amazement as a small white light came from Max's hand and onto Maria's stomach. Her amazement then turned to disbelief when she saw Maria lift her head and smile. Did she really just see that? All she knew and all that she had researched came like a steam engine roaring through her head. She knew deep down what had just happened. Max had just healed Maria. Healed.
Suddenly terrified of her sudden realization, Liz gasped and turned on her heels. She paused only a moment when Max called her name, for he realized she had seen everything. She didn't dare turn back around; panic and fear ran its course throughout her entire being. Suddenly she was engulfed by confusion and pain. She couldn't bear to be near Max at the moment and began to run back towards the Crashdown. As she ran, she could hear Max in the background, his voice becoming louder as he followed her. She couldn't let herself stop; she was just too scared. Too scared of what she saw, of what she knew. Too scared of the truth and all that it entailed.
"Liz! Please! Stop! Please!" Max called out, desperate for Liz to let him explain what happened.
She didn't respond; she just kept running. She soon saw her car in sight and quickened her speed, desperate to get to the safety of the vehicle. She knew Max was getting closer to her because she could hear his quick footsteps. Only a few feet away from her car, she saw Michael's body in a heap on the ground. Why don't you heal him too, Max, her mind screamed at him as sarcasm filled her thoughts. She finally reached her car and sighed with relief to find it unlocked and the keys left in it. She grimaced when she thought of her excitement that she had earlier in the night. She knew now that things would never be the same. Never. But there wasn't much time to think of that. She quickly got in the car and locked the doors. The exact moment she cranked the car, Max banged on her window, begging her not to go. With an unaffected face, she stared straight ahead and put the car in reverse, leaving Max completely defeated in front of the Crashdown.