~ Her Face Still Haunts Me ~

Crash!
I here the sound of screeching tires and then the impact!
A sound that was familiar...
Living next to a highway in a rural area...
It was all too often this familiar sound!
Racing to look into the night...
all I can see is a cloud of dust that filled the night air
Then, the outline of an overturned car...
I holler to my family to call for help
and bring blankets and water...
My husband, a fireman, ran to help...
A car had run a stop sign and broad-sided this car
carrying four women back from a bachelorette party...
One woman had gone completely through the back window of the car...
My husband carried her to the blanket that we laid out on the ground...
He told me to stay with her...
She could still talk, and though very terrified,
all she could think of was her daughter and her friends ...
I was trying to be reassuring to her...
Help was on its way...
We could hear the sirens in the distance...
The others only had slight injuries...
but this woman, who was laying in my arms...
was not so lucky!
As I was explaining to her that head injuries often look worse than what they are...
My husband looked me in the eyes ...
His eyes told me she was in real trouble...
I took my hand and brushed lightly on her forehead...
lifting her wet hair now covered in blood...
Her entire forehead was torn away!
Though very shaken...
I took a deep breath and assured her she would be fine...
The ambulance had now arrived to take her...
She clutched my hand and begged me not to leave her...
The paramedics wouldn't let me go with her...
They said I would have to follow by car...
I again promised I would be right behind her to the hospital...
Racing to catch up...
I noticed that the lights of the ambulance had turned off...
I knew as I got out of my car and approached them...
She was gone!
The memories of my promise to this lady...
Haunted me for years!
She hadn't wanted me to leave her...
I know that I gave her comfort in those last moments of her life...
But her face...will stay with me forever!
By Marlys
© 2008 Marlys
(All rights reserved)
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