BritSoc Children's Writing Competition, 2nd Prize, Seniors

What Harry Did Next

I gasped. A sharp pain. It ripped through my abdomen like a hundred knives stabbing me at once. I clenched my teeth and tightened my fists. I rocked from side to side, holding my breath; waiting, in anguish, for the contraction to cease. Sweat cascaded down my face, moisturizing every pore and camouflaging my tears of agony. I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned. The car radio roared in my ears sending shivers down my spine. My insides screamed and burned. Beside me, Harry mumbled ambiguous words, attempting to comfort me. He clasped my hand and held it tight. And then it was over. I pressed my boiling forehead against the cool surface of the car window and breathed a sigh of relief as all my muscles relaxed. I strained my eyes through the darkness and drizzle, trying to spot the hospital. Another ten minutes and we would be there. We came to a junction where the motorway forked off into two roads. Harry stopped the car and I turned; confused. What was he doing? We had no time to spare. We had to get to the hospital before it was too late. Had he lost his mind, hesitating at a time like this? In irritation I screamed at him, ordering him to drive. It suddenly struck me. He was considering ‘the short cut’. I shook my head in disbelief, horrified at the idea. We’ll get there faster, he said. Before I could respond, another contraction began and pain once again infiltrated me utterly. My insides set on fire. I screeched. Panic penetrated every atom of Harry’s face and what he did next, the choice he made next, changed everything.

Before I knew it we were speeding down the dirt road. The contraction had passed and I was shivering, fearing the next few hours ahead of me. Harry, whose hand had not let go of mine, seemed to acknowledge my anxiety and pressed his soft, sweaty palm more tightly against mine. He switched off the radio and we listened to the sound of cars die away into the distance. All that was left behind was a deafening silence. I looked out the window and stared up at the ominous sky, silently praying that soon I would be safely at home holding my new born child in my arms. Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a truck. It blared its horns and blinded us with its headlights. At that exact moment the menacing sky tore open and rain drummed down furiously, beating with no sense of rhythm. The truck hurtled into our car and crashed into my illusions of motherhood, shattering both them and the windscreen in a matter of seconds. Glass flew from all angles, piercing me with the force of a thousand burning daggers. My limbs were twisted into impossible positions and excruciating pain soared through my body like wildfire. I choked on blood and nausea as shouts and screams of terror dominated my hearing. Thunder roared in the background and I heard the heavens crack open and cry for us. Metal, rubber and other debris rained down upon me plunging me in all directions. Then, out of nowhere, a sharp, metal object struck me on the forehead. I collapsed. My vision blurred. I could feel myself slipping away. I gave one last cry. A cry for help. A cry for love. A cry for my unborn child as its image flashed through my mind and shattered my heart into broken glass. I then plummeted into what I thought was the darkness of death, shouting Harry’s name.

*

My eyes fluttered open. Darkness. It enveloped every inch of my body. It engulfed my vision. It began to swallow me up. I screamed in terror, suffocated by fear. My heart pounded against my chest with such vigor, I feared my only remaining ribs would break. The vast emptiness hugged my every limb enclosing me in its black nothingness. My body, a fountain of blood and sweat, shook violently and uncontrollably as sudden, intolerable pain shot through me, from head to toe. I howled in horror as my head began to burn like the fires of hell. Delirious from fear, I roared as the rough surface beneath me vibrated vigorously. I could not feel my right hand or left thigh. The darkness swirled in circles around me, and disoriented I tried to figure out where I was. There was a constant ringing in my ears that rang at frequencies I was unaccustomed to while short, agonizing jabs in the back of my head caused tears to flow uncontrollably out of my eyes. I frantically thrashed about, trying to sit up. I was completely and utterly trapped. My trembling heart bounced around its ribcage like a quarantined monkey trying to escape. My body rocked ferociously. Vomit rose through my throat and forced itself out of my screaming lips. I could taste the revolting mixture of blood, sweat and nausea as it poured out of my mouth like water from an open tap. I flung my one free arm in all directions, not quite knowing what I was hoping to find. My tender skin then grazed a cool, metal surface. I clamped my hand around my discovery. It was a door handle. I was in a car. I suddenly remembered it all. The car crash. The glass. The blood. The terror. The screams. Harry. A sharp pain in my abdomen reminded me of my pregnancy. Of my baby… Fear clamped its cold, iron fist around my heart and paralyzed it, causing it to skip several beats. Terrifying thoughts flew through my mind. My heart swelled and my love and fear for my child reduced all of my physical pain to ashes. I had to get out. My body went numb from panic. I was in labor. I would not allow my child to die. With super human strength, born of desperation I heaved various heavy car pieces off of me. Yet; I was still trapped. I could feel no movement in my stomach. I would have given everything then, to feel my baby kick. I thrashed about. I moved every one of my limbs: kicking, punching, while screaming in frustration.

After what felt like hours, I was completely drained of energy. I began to cry. Misery tied my heart in a knot, as if attempting to turn it inside out. My eyelids were beginning to shut. I began to feel dizzy. This is it, I thought, this is the end. I cried even louder, not wanting to accept the reality of my situation. However, just moments before I lost consciousness a familiar voice called my name. It was Harry. I’m okay and you’ll be too, he said The ambulance is here. Sirens blared in the background. I opened my eyes and with sudden, new-found strength, I shouted back. Precisely at that moment, I began having another contraction and underneath all that rubble and wreckage I smiled ecstatically as a sharp, familiar kick assured me that this was nowhere near the end.

(1,181 words)