“Sorry I can’t answer that question now. I’m concentrating on the road” Debra kept a straight face, focusing on the road ahead; then she slowly stuck out the tip of her tongue and withdrew it back knowing it would get on her friend’s nerves. Sarah was about to make a comment when a song started playing from the speakers and they both reached to increase the volume, giggling. It was their favorite song of the moment and they knew the lyrics by heart, soon they were singing along with loud voices excited.
“Like sunlight burning in midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me…”
Debra took a left turn towards the airport road and unbuckled her seatbelt, adjusting in her seat and moving her body to the rhythm of the song. Sarah gave her the warning glare but she just ignored it and continued shouting to the song playing from the speakers.
The next events happened so fast. First Sarah saw Debra steer the wheels to the left, to the next turn then suddenly she saw a big vehicle whose model she couldn’t place rushing towards their direction uncontrollably, like it had a brake failure. She could see Debra trying hard to control the wheels of the car to avoid collision with the oncoming vehicle with raw fear in her eyes. She felt the first collision immediately it happened with the oncoming vehicle smashing into the driver’s side of the car. She could hear screaming voices but couldn’t recognize if the screams were coming from her or Debra and she watched in horror as she windows smashed into Debra face, shreds of glass and metal cutting across her face and neck. She could feel their car spiraling out of control and saw her friend hit her head on different parts of the car, eyes wide open in fear, silently pleading for her life. In that moment, Sarah could see their lives flash before her; their years of friendship and love, of family, their future plans, Debra was supposed to get married with her being the chief bridesmaid. What was happening? Her friend and sister, was bleeding too much… and what was wrong with that expression on her face? She looked like she was being drained, drained of life. Sarah could feel herself hit her head a couple of times on the door of the car and headrest; she felt the window of the door at her side shatter but she felt no pain. She was numb. What’s happening to her senses? When the car finally came to a halt, smoke filled the whole vehicle and was clogging her nose but she didn’t care instead she stretched her hand towards her friend and tried to shake her awake. Her best friend opened her eyes slowly, like she was using her last energy to open them. Her face was covered in blood and she was bleeding profusely from her neck region. Sarah’s gaze met Debra’s, she saw her friend give a weak smile as a drop of tear slid down her face. She was struggling to draw in the next breath. Sarah shook her friend and pleaded with her eyes to her friend to stay awake. She couldn’t let go now. She couldn’t die. She shouldn’t close those eyes