Bella Notte (31 page)

The juice was
soothing on my dry mouth and throat. It cooled on its way down. I was
grateful for Dominic and his miracle fluid that didn't make me want
to hurl.

We got in my black
beauty and drove out to the highway. The drive to town was nice. I
got to sit back and watch the gentle morning sun filter though the
trees. I felt horrible, but at peace.

We made it to Mike's
house in record time.
How
could I see the trees then?

We waited and
Dominic turned the air conditioner on for me.

“
But the top
is off.” I tried feebly to protest, somewhere in my mind was my
grandpa telling me to roll up the windows while the air was on in the
car.

“
You need to
cool down … like
now
.”
I couldn't argue with his authoritative voice, or how freaked out he
looked.

I was blasted with
frosty air that helped to calm the sweat that was pouring off of me.
Mike and Acacia came out to the car. They got in the back and both
looked at me like I had the plague.

“
Emma, what's
wrong? You look like Hell.” Mike was leaning up next to me from
behind, his brows pulled together with worry.

“
I think I'm
sick … or something,” I sighed out considering that
death might feel better than what I was going through.

“
Why are you
going to school?” He asked with concern.

“
I can't miss
any more classes.” I put my head against the door frame.

“
Are you
contagious?” The sugar sweet voice of Acacia felt like nails on
the chalkboard.

“
She is not
contagious. It is nothing
you
could get anyways.” It was the first time that I'd heard such
venom in Dom's voice, it was like his words were meant to slap her in
the face. I kinda liked it.

The silence that
filled the car afterwards was chilling, well, maybe, if I didn't feel
so terrible. I wanted to share the beauty of the trees blowing in the
wind, but something told me not to disturb the silence. I sat and
watched the leaves swaying to and fro; this way and that, this way
and that. I felt my head shift against the glass.

“
Em, how you
holding up?” Dom asked from behind the wheel as he reached over
and took my hand.

“
I …
feel terrible. Maybe I should go home after you guys get to school. I
mean, I'll drive the Jeep back after you get there.” My words
were hard to string together.

“
No. I'll
drive you back after I drop them off. And don't even argue because …
it won't work.” Dom's voice was set, he squeezed my hand
slightly.

When did Dom take
over for Mike without him even arguing? When did I get pushed out of
his life so easily?
I felt sick and sad and still very confused.

“
Don't worry,
Em. I'm sure it will pass. And you'll feel fine.” Mike's voice
was butter warm.

The drive from his
house to the highway went quickly and within moments we were on the
old metal bridge they had converted into part of the highway, ten
years ago. Why was beyond me, it looked like a rickety old thing,
waiting to come down.

The bridge went over
three miles of the lake that was now part of Mike's backyard. It was
an old, metal structure that looked like it could be a skeletal frame
of some dinosaur.

When I was a little
girl, I actually imagined that all the crisscrossing supporting beams
were in fact ribs of this huge, furious monster, which ate cars for
breakfast.

Today, when we
pulled on to it, the world was still and silent. It was as though a
giant hushed blanket had been thrown over the entire thing. It felt
like death was sitting on top of it- like a vulture pecking on its
prey.

My flesh prickled
and flashed with goosebumps. “Something is wrong. Dominic,
something is very wrong.” I whispered the words that were
clinging to my tongue like a life raft.

“
Emma. What is
it? We're kinda stuck here. There's some kind of morning traffic, or
something.” Dominic obviously didn't feel whatever it was that
I was feeling, but his eyes told me that I had freaked him out.
What,
now I am attune with the force? The Jedi masters would be proud.

“
We have to
get off the bridge
now
!”
My voice reached normal capacity.

“
What is
wrong?” Dominic and Mike said together.

It started as a low
rumble. The sound was similar to that of a far away freight train.
There was a shudder I was certain they all felt it yet they still
only looked mildly alarmed. I wanted to tell them that this was
serious, but when I opened my mouth an earth shattering
crack
broke through the silence. The groan became more pronounced and was
followed by a sudden splash.

I could remember
every time that I had wished for something amazing to happen, to me,
to the town, anywhere that I came into contact with. Now, at the
pivotal moment, when something finally did happen to me, all I could
think was 'not me.'
Not
me. I don't want to die on this bridge, in this small ass town …
when I haven't seen or done the things I want to do. Not me
.

The moment stretched
out for far too long … and then panic prevailed. All the other
cars were trying to either back up or pull forward to safety. It
looked like a scene from a disaster movie. We were in the dead center
of the bridge- thus nowhere to go.

The movement from
all the cars and all the screaming people increased the instability
of the structure. The groans and shudders became louder and more
intense than the crash of cars and the shrieking of people.

“
I'd say that
is our exit note.” Dom hopped out of my Jeep and helped Acacia
out of the back. “You coming, Emma?”

I was struggling to
get my seat belt off. Mike jumped into the front seat behind the
wheel.

“
I see the
struggle to leave your car behind,” he joked as he reached to
help me with my belt.

Time slowed down. I
watched and heard everything happen in slow motion. Mike's hand
grabbed hold of the clasp.
CRAAACCCCCKKK-CRACK!
A sound stopped everyone. Dominic and Acacia looked up in horror.
Something
is terribly wrong.

Dom said something I
couldn't understand and was gesturing with his hands, wildly. Mike
got the clasp undone and held out his hand to help me out. Acacia
jumped toward the car and was caught by Dom. Then, a giant metal
chunk slammed into the top of my car … trapping

Mike and me inside.

“
Mike, you
okay?” I shouted.

“
Yeah, Em. How
you holding up?” His voice sounded fine. The roll bar had
separated us but I could still see most of him, just not his face.

“
Emma! Are you
alright? Emma!” Dominic was close to absolute panic.

“
Dom, I'm
okay. Get help, okay?” Someone clearly had to take handle on
the situation.

“
Acacia is
getting help. We'll get you out. Don't worry.”

Clear panic.

CLUNK.
My beast slid toward the left of the bridge.

“
Mike, what
was that?” My nerves were coming out.

“
Don't know.
Try not to move. Maybe it's settling.” He sounded bleak.

CLUNK
.
We dropped a foot lower and leaned toward the right now.

“
Dominic. GET
US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” I shouted. I tried my door but
nothing budged. I heard Mike's failed attempt as well.

“
Em. We got to
stay calm. If it does fall, I think we're over pretty shallow water.
We'll wait for someone to get us out.”

Way to go, Mr.
Optimistic.

I sat still and
prayed the bridge would hold.
CRUNCH.
SPLASH. SPLASH.
More things fell into the water that didn't sound so shallow.
I
so
don't want to drown!

“
Dominic!”
It was a shriek this time.

“
Emma, stay
calm, we're trying to get to you.” He sounded further away.

“
See, Em. All
we have to do is wait.” Mike sounded certain now.

Just got to
wait...

CLUNK. CRUNCH.

“
NO!” I
shouted as the small amount of metal and concrete holding up my car
gave way. The air went by in a whoosh. The fall felt like minutes …
in reality, it was only seconds.

The water hit my
black beauty hard. I heard yet another crunch this time it was some
part of my glorious car getting it. It slammed my head against the
metal, causing a cut that dripped blood down into my right eye.
Everything in my body felt like it had shattered with the impact-
like my broken Jeep.

The icy water was
above my door and was pouring in. I was freezing.
At
least I'm not going to drown.

“
We're okay,
Em. We'll just wait for help.” Clearly the last time he said
that wasn't enough to deter him from ever saying it again.

The mud holding up
my car began to give way and we began to sink.

“
You sure you
want to wait for the Calvary?” I shouted angrily at him.
Great!

The water flooded
into the car at alarming rates and my head was woozy from the hit.
The irony-metallic scent of blood was pouring into my nose as my
mouth was being covered by it.

I felt Mike hitting
against the metal trapping us. I tried too. We sank faster.
Bad
idea
.
The water was up to my chin now.
This
is not how I'm going to die!

I felt my illogical
rage coming on. Mike was coughing out water.
Stupid
freaking car! Damn bridge!
My temper was all I had left as I took my last lungs full of air. I
held my breath and the water engulfed me.

The grayish brown
water was hard to see through and smelled like wet earth. My ears
filled with freezer cold water and the world became muted, as though
I had stuck cotton balls in or something.
Am
I deaf now on top of everything else?

The sun filtered
down like it had through the trees and played with the reflections
coming through the water. It was peaceful- only it wasn't because I
was pissed.
I
am not dying! Sure as Hell not like this!

And then, something
changed.

Suddenly my ears
could hear again. I could hear the flow of the lake and the fish
swimming curiously nearby. Mike was struggling against this watery
grave that could claim us at any second. My eye sight was clearer in
the brackish water. I could see Mike's body tightening against
itself.
What
the heck?

Then his left foot
shot across the gap toward me- the shoe was gone and his foot was
huge and hairy.
Mike's
foot doesn't look like that.

I tried to see more
but everything was obscured by swishing auburn hair. I felt no need
for more air, but I knew something was wrong with Mike.
I
must help him.

I licked my lips- a
pointless action when completely submerged in water- and I tasted the
blood that had stuck to my face. No. Not just any blood, my blood …
my life source. The taste had changed from sharp and metallic to
sweet and flavorful. I licked my lips again.
Delicious
.
I felt all my bones in my body shift into place; like I had been a
toy that was bent, broken, and disjointed and somebody came along and
fixed it all at once. I could hear the crack of things setting, yet
felt no pain.