Chapter Six

Soren’s POV

Traffic was its usual mess today. I glanced at my wristwatch. We have barely thirty minutes to get to the company before the meeting starts.

I’ve always pointed to my workers that punctuality is the key and have taken it upon myself to show them an example.

“Frank, can’t we go any faster?” 

Frank glanced at me through the rearview mirror as I readjusted my tie. “I’m sorry, I am already driving at over hundred and twenty miles per hour. Driving any further will be breaking a  traffic rule. 

I groaned knowing that he would never break a traffic rule.

I glanced at my watch again. Twenty-eight minutes more and I'm getting anxious. This deal could make my company hit the billion dollar line and I can't afford to be late and miss it because of “traffic”.

I was about to let Frank know that I wasn't paying him for his principles when something caught my eye. It was an accident. It was obvious that the car had been knocked off by a hit and run driver.

“Stop the car.” Frank stepped on the brakes and I unbuckled my seatbelt.

“Is there a problem sir?”

“Can’t you see the accident on the other side of the road? I am going to check for any survivors.”

“There are no survivors. No one can survive that. I think we should call 911 and be on our way.”

“Some people die not because their situation killed them but because the people around them are waiting for 911 to save them. We are their emergency service.” I stepped out of the car and ran towards the upturned car.

Seeing the car this close told me that the other driver was in a truck. No normal car could have done this damage. The driver’s side was crushed.

“Hello?” I called as I approached the car with caution.

Through the driver’s side, I saw that there were two people in the car. I coughed and waved the smoke from my face.

The other victim was a woman and she was familiar. I could recall the structure of her face even in a dream. Maya Moore. 

I hurriedly ran to her side of the car and tried to pull her out but she was still hooked to her seat because of the seatbelt. I tried to unbuckle her while ignoring the pain from the scratch i got from the broken window.

“Sir, there’s a gas leak. The car might blow off any minute from now. We have to go.” I ignored him and tried to pull the door open when I couldn't get to her. I felt restricted by my jacket and pulled it off in an instant.

“Sir please, ” he called out again in between coughs, “there’s nothing we can do. They are both dead.”

I shook my head. She is still alive. This can’t be the last time I'll see her. How am I supposed to survive?

“Sir, please. I called 911, we can go now.” 

I used my hand to hit the back window. It wasn’t bulging. Why was the window too strong?

“I think this will be more effective.” I nodded and took the rod from his hand and hit the window as hard as I could.

It took a while but we were able to get her out of the car. We laid her at the backseat of my car and Frank tried to feel her pulse.

“I can’t feel her pulse sir, I think she’s dead.”

“My God, if you proclaim her dead one more time, I promise to feed you your tongue. Drive to the nearest hospital.” Then I remembered that there were two victims and came down from the car. “Drive to the hospital, send me the address and I'll meet you there.”

I ran towards the car but before I could get any closer, there was an explosion and I was thrown backwards. 

Just then, help arrived. Firemen rushed to the burning vehicle. I shook my head and got back into the car.

Frank took off immediately. I tried calling her name but she wouldn’t respond. I pulled her eyelid but her eyes were blank.

“Drive faster or I will throw you out!” I barked at Frank when he kept watching the speed limit.

I did everything I could remember that I was taught at camp during an emergency. I placed my fingers under her nose. She wasn’t breathing.

I pinched her nose, sealed my mouth over hers and breathed as hard as I could, willing air into her lungs. 

I started compressing her chest. 

“One, two, three. Four…” I kept counting aloud, using my elbow to keep the sweats from getting to my eyes.

I kept going even as I didn't get any response. I kept going till Frank announced that we were at the hospital. I kept going till the door opened and nurses urged me to move away so they could help.

“Please, save her life.” I grabbed the nearest person in scrubs.

They placed her on a stretcher and rolled her away. I tried to follow them inside the room they took her to buy one of the nurses stopped me.

“I'm sorry sir but you have to wait here so we can take care of her.”

I nodded and grabbed her hand. “Please save her.”

“We will try our best, sir.” She smiled and turned away.

The door was shut immediately. I stood outside the room as I watched the closed door praying that she would survive.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see Frank standing beside me. He handed a towel to me and I stared at him in confusion.

“Your hand.” He gestured to my palm. I followed his gaze and saw that my palms were covered in blood.

“The driver couldn't survive it. He is in the morgue.” I nodded not expecting him to.

No one would have survived that blast. I couldn't imagine the pain his body must have felt before he died.

I felt goosebumps all over my body as I thought of Maya being in the same situation if I had not stopped to help or I was a minute late.

My phone kept ringing in my pocket and I handed it over to Frank.

“It's Mr….”

“I'm busy.”

After what seemed like forever, the doctor was finally out. I rushed immediately to him with hope in my eyes.

“How was it?” I tried to read his face but he gave nothing.

“The surgery was successful and the patient is in recovery mode.”

A breath I never knew I was holding was released and I almost hugged the doctor.

“Thank you doctor. Can I see her?”

We will need you to fill some forms first.” I nodded and followed the nurse he pointed to.

I sat beside her watching her as her chest slowly rose and fell. The way she stared at me indifferently even after I introduced myself to her will forever haunt me. She didn't remember me. I didn’t expect her to because we were never close but yet, it still felt like a needle ricked my heart when she stared at me like she was meeting for the first time.

It's been four hours since she was put to sleep by the nurses after she found out that Aiden was getting married to her stepsister. During my little research, I found out that she and Aiden had gotten married but it was not publicized and they recently got separated. It made more sense why she was hurt and at the same time, it didn't.

She should have known that he never loved her but what I don't understand is why he got married to her in the first place because it was his choice. 

I was happy that she was no longer with him. Which meant that she would be starting on a new slate and I have a chance of being with her. I wonder if she would have still married him if I had told her about my feelings then.

The doctor said she would be discharged when she wakes up.

I stared at her closed eyes. I want to be the first person she sees when she finally wakes up. I want to explain everything to her and tell her thank you. 

My eyes felt heavy and for the first time in five years, I felt sleepy.

The air was choking. I heard someone call my name. I felt my throat tighten and I forced my eyes open. 

It took me a moment to realise that I was still in the hospital and I was still in Maya's room. Something is wrong.

I struggled to search for her with my eyes. The place was too smoky and I couldn't make out anything.

“Soren.” I heard her weak and faint voice call out. I followed her voice and saw a figure lying on the bed. 

I tried to stand up to her but I was yanked back to the floor. I was tied. I tried to budge out of the rope but it bit more into my skin. My skin was getting hotter.

“Don't worry, I will save you.” I assured her as I tried to untie myself the way I could remember. I moved my hands anticlockwise until I felt the rope loosen.

Then I heard an explosion. It forced my back to the floor and I bit my lips. My body was on fire.

I struggled to a sitting position and kept trying to untie myself with my eyes on her.

I saw her eyes close and I shook my head. “No no no. Maya, please stay with me!” I screamed out to her but her eyes didn't open. I saw her hands drop. 

No, this cannot be the first time in five years i was seeing her and also the last time.

I finally untied myself and tried to crawl to her ignoring the burning sensation I was feeling then I heard another explosion. I screamed out loud.

I could smell the burning of human flesh. My skin. Maya's skin.

I could hear voices outside promising to help us and asking us to hold on. How could I hold on when my body is on fire?

I kept screaming and all I could imagine was the pain that Maya had been in all her life. The research I carried out when she was knocked out was enough to let me know that she wasn’t living her dream life like I hoped she was, which made me not reach out to her when I was finally worthy to stand in her presence.

I blamed myself for not reaching out.

I prayed that God would give her a second chance to live her life for herself not to please others. I prayed that God would let her experience the peace that she gave others selflessly. Then, I closed my eyes. There was nothing to live for if Maya was not in this world. A world without Maya was a world of endless pain. I felt like I was dragged into a vacuum where everything inside was white.