The accident

Chapter 6

Kirk's pov

I stood there, staring at Stacy, but it felt like my heart wasn’t inside my chest anymore. It felt like someone had reached in and pulled it out with their bare hands.

Everything around me went silent. I could see her crying, shaking, trying to explain… but my ears refused to hear anything.

My own brother. My own blood.

And the woman I had started to love… had slept with him too.

My throat felt tight. I swallowed hard, but the pain sat there, heavy and sharp.

Arnold stood behind her, almost amused. My mother looked disgusted. My father tried to act calm. But me? I was breaking inside. Completely.

“Stacy…” I said softly, even though my voice sounded like someone else’s. “Why?”

She reached for me immediately. “Kirk, please. I swear I didn’t know. I never planned any of this. I never…”

“Enough,” I cut in quietly, my voice was as sharp as a sword.

My voice shook. Not with anger—no, anger came later. Right now it was hurt. Pure hurt.

Her tears fell harder, wetting her face. “Kirk, please look at me. Please don’t leave me like this.”

I forced myself to stare into her teary eyes. And all I saw was pain. Pain that matched mine. Pain that was eating both of us alive.

But the truth still stood between us like a wall.

“Kirk, I didn’t know…” she whispered. “I didn’t know you two were brothers. If I had known, I would have never—”

My red eyes pierced into hers. “But you still slept with him,” I said, my jaw tightening.

She froze.

“And you still slept with me.”

She covered her face with her hands as her shoulders shook. I wanted to pull her close. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to forget everything and just protect her from every single tear.

But I couldn’t. Not tonight. Not after this.

My mother hissed under her breath. My father placed a firm hand on her shoulder to silence her.

I let out a slow breath and forced myself to speak.

“I need space,” I said quietly.

Arnold let out a bitter chuckle. “I told you Stacy… You're worthless!” he hissed and left.

My chest tightened so hard it hurt. I turned around before my tears could fall.

“Kirk!” she cried loudly.

Her voice cracked the air like lightning.

I kept walking.

“Kirk, please, I’m begging you.”

She tried to follow. I heard her steps behind me. I heard her sobbing. I heard her call my name again and again like her life depended on it.

“KIRK, PLEASE!”

But I couldn’t face her.

I reached my car, opened the door, and sat inside. My hands shook as I held the steering wheel.

She reached the car and banged her palm on the window. “Kirk, please. Please don’t go. I can explain. I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t hide anything from you. Please, please, please…”

Her voice broke into small pieces. Pieces that stabbed me right in the heart.

I started the engine, my hands shaking.

“Kirk!” she screamed.

I couldn’t look at her. Because if I did… I would stay. I would forgive. I would forget. I would love her more.

And loving her already hurt too much.

I pressed the accelerator and sped forward. I didn’t look back, or at least—I tried not to.

But something made me glance into the mirror.

And what I saw stopped my heart.

Stacy was running after the car.

She was running blindly, crying and calling my name.

Then a bright light came from the side - A car, speeding and coming towards her.

“NO!” I shouted.

The vehicle hit her hard.

Her body flew slightly and then dropped on the ground like a broken leaf.

My world shattered in a single second.

“STACY!” I screamed as I hit the brakes violently. “Jeez…”

The tires screeched. I jumped out of the car before it fully stopped.

Regrets flushed over me like a wave. I should have stopped.

“Gosh!”

She lay on the road, unmoving, her face was so innocent.

Her dress was torn at the side. Her hair scattered.

I ran, my legs almost giving out under me.

“Stacy! Stacy!” I fell beside her, my chest rising and falling.

Her eyes were closed. Blood touched her forehead. Her hand lay limp on the cold ground.

My breath stopped. My heart crashed.

“No… no, no, no…” I whispered, touching her face gently with trembling hands. “Stacy, open your eyes. Please. Please talk to me. Don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

The man who hit her rushed over too, shaking and stammering. “I-I didn’t see her! I swear! She just ran into the road!”

But I wasn’t listening to him. All I could see was my Stacy - the one I walked away from.

The man helped me lift her gently. I carried her into my car, my entire body shaking.

Her head rested on my lap as I sped to the hospital. My tears fell on her face but she didn’t move.

“Please, stay with me,” I whispered. “I love you. I know I didn’t say it right. I know tonight was terrible. But I love you. Just wake up. Please…”

The drive felt longer than life.

When we got to the hospital, nurses rushed out and took her from my arms.

The moment they pulled her away from me, I felt empty.

Almost dead inside.

I followed as they pushed her on a stretcher. Her hand hung loosely by the side. I wanted to hold it but they pulled me back.

“Sir, please wait outside.”

The doors swung shut in my face.

And just like that… she was gone from my sight.

I placed my hand on the wall and leaned my forehead against it, breathing hard. My heart hurt so badly I felt like I would collapse.

Minutes passed.

Then hours.

I sat on the cold hospital chair, my head buried in my hands.

I kept replaying everything.

Her tears. Her voice calling my name. Me driving away. Her running after me.

Her body hitting the ground.

My chest burned with regret. I felt terrible… If I had just listened and stopped, we wouldn't be here now.

“If anything happens to her,” I whispered to myself, “I will never forgive myself.”

The man who hit her sat far away, shaking, praying, crying. But I didn’t care about him. I only cared about the door in front of me.

The door that kept her away from me.

Finally, after what felt like forever—the doctor came out, his expression unreadable.

I jumped to my feet instantly.

“Doctor,” I said, my voice cracking. “How is she? Please tell me she’s okay.”

The doctor looked tired. His face was serious.

“She is alive,” he said.

My knees almost weakened in relief. “Thank God…”

“But…” the doctor continued, his voice low.

My heart stopped again.

“She is in a coma.”

The word hit me so hard I felt dizzy.

“What?” I whispered. “A coma? For how long? When will she wake up?”

He sighed. “We can’t say. It may be days… weeks… or longer. Her body is under severe emotional stress, and she also suffered internal injuries.”

I swallowed painfully. “So she might… she might not wake up?”

“We will do everything we can,” the doctor said softly. “But right now… there are no assurances.”

My chest rose, my heartbeat grew louder, and I could swear the doctor could hear it.

It felt like the floor disappeared under me. I pressed my hand against the wall, trying to breathe.

The doctor placed a hand on my shoulder. “Prepare yourself. This won’t be easy. But the good news is,” he paused, flashing a warm smile. “The baby is fine.”

I stared at him. I didn't even know what to do.

Was I supposed to be happy? Was that supposed to be good news?

I don't care about the baby.

Correction: I do… I care about the baby, but… maybe not now. All I care about right now is to hear Stacy's voice again. I want to tell her I was sorry.

But… but…

What if I lose her… before I ever get the chance to make things right?