Dimly, I heard screams, shouts. My side buckled inward as the rolling death pushed the Jeep into the car next to us. Glass fractured into millions of splinters, flying into my face, my hair, my right side crushed against the other car, its driver shrieking in terror.
Magnus yelled something, his arm reaching for me as his side of the Wrangler crumpled like paper. Still, the machine rolled inexorably on, pushing both vehicles sideways across the newly laid blacktop, the sound of screaming metal drowning out the lady next door. I knew the Jeep would fold in half, an accordion made of tires, metal, cloth seats and our dead bodies.
This is it. Arnaud won.
Magnus’s body smashed against mine, his blood spattering across my face. I wanted to cryI love youone last time. I didn’t know if he still lived. I yelled his name, unable to hold him as both of my arms were pinned, just as I was pinned against the other car. The sound of metal against metal, shrieking like a demon, went on and on –
It suddenly stopped.
The woman in the car continued to scream in her panic, making me want to slap her until she shut up. I heard voices, saw men in hardhats and bright green vests staring into the Jeep at us. Magnus sagged against me, his head lolling on my shoulder.Beyond him, I saw other workmen yanking a dude from the cab of the machine that just tried to kill us.
A face appeared in what was left of Magnus’s window. “Are you all right?”
I couldn’t speak. Nor would I be heard over the lady next door. I shook my head.
“Stay still, help is on the way. Christ, help that woman, Larry. See if her other door will open.”
Workmen, spectators, surrounded the mashed vehicles, some trying to get in and help us, others pointing, their voices exclaiming, some videoing on their phones.We’ll be center stage on Facebook tonight.The dude reached in, and he didn’t have to reach far, to rest his fingers on Magnus’s throat.
“I’ve got a pulse,” he yelled. “Grab a crowbar. Let’s see if we can get him out.”
The workmen gave it their best shot. As sirens announced the arrival of cops, firemen, EMTs, the men struggled to open Magnus’s crushed door. Nor could he be pulled out as the dash and half the engine block rested on his legs. Nor could they work from my side with the remains of the car next door all but welded together in a wild tangle of metal.
A firefighter sat on the Jeep’s hood to reach in and help me unpin my right arm. “We’ll get you out of there. What’s your name?”
My mouth didn’t want to work properly. “Jade,” I finally whispered.
“And his?”
“Magnus.”
“Okay, Jade, hang tight. Is Magnus your boyfriend? Husband?”
My smile answered him.
“Good. You’re both gonna be fine. He’s got a strong pulse, looks like he banged his head. How are you doing? Do you think anything’s broken? Are you in pain?”
“I’m numb.”
“Okay, that’s okay. I’m gonna stay right here with you.”
It took them nearly an hour to pry open the Jeep to retrieve Magnus. With crowbars, they lifted the Jeep’s engine off his legs far enough that they could slide him through the opening and onto a backboard. My turn came. Without his weight holding me in, I managed to crawl out under their encouragement and assisting hands.
At last, I stood, leaning against the fireman, feeling my legs want to crumple. His arms around me, he helped me to sit at the rear of an ambulance while the EMTs swarmed in. I watched others care for Magnus as well as the other victim, answering their questions in a vague monotone.
“Will he be all right?”
My fireman sat beside me. “It doesn’t appear that his legs are broken. He’s got some cuts that’ll need sutured, same as you. He’s showing signs of coming around. The hospital will run tests to determine how badly his head may have been hurt.”
“He’s got a hard head.” I smiled briefly.
“That’ll certainly help.”
Past the firemen, the EMTs, the workmen, I watched the police put the handcuffed driver in the back of a patrol car.
“Why did he do it?”
Fireman shook his head. “Some of the construction guys said he’s been under stress lately, that he just went bonkers. Crazy. To me, he looked too damn calm when the cops got their hands on him. From what I can tell, he just stood there, hasn’t said a word.”
