AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The thought jolted his memory, he had been in a car accident. Only he hadn’t been alone in the car. Clara and Naomi were in it too.
Fear for the woman he loved was enough to propel his body into motion. His eyes opened, and it was like waking up in his worst nightmare.
The car was wedged against a tree, the front scrunched up like an accordion. Clara was slumped against the passenger window. Blood streaked her face. She wasn't moving. Naomi was draped across the steering wheel. She wasn't moving either.
Taking quick stock of his own injuries, his head hurt but other than that he didn’t see or feel anything else to be overly concerned about. He focused his attention on Clara. She was so still. If anything happened to her it would destroy him. He had already almost lost her once, he couldn’t go through that again. “Clara?” He gently eased his hand between her jaw and her chest to reach her neck, where he placed his fingertips, greatly relieved to find a pulse.
Other than the lump on her forehead and resulting blood, he couldn’t see anything else of immediate concern, so he turned his attention to Naomi. Her head injury looked worse than Clara’s, or at least it had bled more. Pressing his fingers to Naomi’s neck he felt her pulse, but it was weak and thready.
Jonathon was just about to pull out his phone and call for help when he smelt it.
Gas.
The impact of the car hitting the tree must have ruptured the tank.
Which meant there was a chance that the car could explode.
They had to get out now, only he was the only one conscious. He couldn’t carry both women and was debating whether there was any way he could manage it, when he heard a small moan. His attention reverted to the front of the car, and he saw Clara lifting her head.
“Clara? Honey, can you hear me?”
“Jonathon?”
“Right here, baby.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly, to soothe himself as well as her.
“What happened?” Her eyes were blinking open, squinting as she tried to take in their surroundings.
“The car crashed. Do you remember?”
She paused for a moment, then nodded. “Naomi?”
“She's alive but unconscious. Where are you hurt?” Since she remembered the accident, he didn’t think it was likely that she had a concussion. She was moving her head, and she had squeezed his hand back when he grasped it, so he didn’t think she had any neck or spinal injuries. But she could have broken bones in her legs or internal bleeding. He needed to know how badly she was injured before they moved out of the car.
“My head hurts but other than that I'm okay.” Clara was already reaching to release her seatbelt. “Did you call for help?”
“Not yet, we have to get out of the car, I smell gas. Do you think you can walk?”
“Yes,” she said immediately, and pulled on her door handle. “It’s stuck,” she turned to him, her green eyes wide with pain and shock.
“Climb back here.” Jonathon shoved open one of the back doors, then helped Clara clamber between the two front seats.
“What about Naomi?”
“I’ll get her, just get out, and get as far away from the car as you can.”
Clara scrambled out, and Jonathon paused to watch her, to make sure she was capable of staying upright. She was unsteady on her feet and swayed like a flower in the wind, but she remained standing, and with a last panicked but trusting look back at him, she started stumbling away from the car.
With Clara safe, Jonathon reached for Naomi, he didn’t want to have to move her as it risked aggravating any spinal or neck injuries she might have, but he didn’t have a choice. Leaning between the front seats, he sat her back up and pressed a hand to her chest to hold her in place as he undid her seatbelt, then eased her forward so he could wrap an arm around her shoulders. As carefully as he could, he maneuvered her into the backseat.
He was about to pick her up when she groaned. “Naomi?”
Her eyelids fluttered but didn’t open.
“Naomi,” he said again, this time giving her a small shake. “Can you hear me?”
“Mmm,” she moaned.
Determining she wasn't really with him, Jonathon scooped her up, “Hold on, Naomi, I've got you, just hang in there.” He didn’t like how pale Naomi was or the fact that her skin was cold and clammy to the touch despite the fact it had to be close to one hundred degrees today. He was concerned her condition was serious.
