The airbag deployed. Her face slammed into it as the seat belt locked, cutting into her chest, then her head flew back and crashed against the seat.
Then, suddenly, there was stillness. Stillness and quiet. Everything hurt and something wet slipped down her temple, maybe from the airbag, or maybe from her window, which had completely smashed.
Eyes still closed, she tried to breathe. To slow the air moving in and out of her lungs.
Out. She needed to get out of the car.
With shaky fingers, Sky reached for her seat belt. She tried to release it, but it wouldn’t budge. She was stuck. Her heart started to beat faster, panic and a sense of entrapment tightening her chest.
She looked up.
Her breath stopped. And that panic turned to cold, hard fear.
The car had gone through the railing and was hanging partially off the bridge so that all she could see was water and blue skies.
The edges of her vision started to haze, the tremble in her fingers expanding through her body, making everything shake.
She was having a panic attack. But she couldn’t. Not right now!
She closed her eyes.
Breathe, Sky. Just breathe.
She drew in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it ease out.
Phone. She needed a phone so she could call for help. She checked the middle console but her cell wasn’t there. It must have fallen during the crash.Shit.
A small whimper tried to escape, but she swallowed it down.
She couldn’t get her seat belt off, so she couldn’t search for her phone. But even if she could, she wouldn’t. One small move and for all she knew, her entire car could go over the edge.
What was she supposed to do?
Suddenly, the sound of a car engine approached.
Hope hit her so hard that tears pressed against her eyes. A car door opened and closed. Then a voice.
“Oh my God! Is someone in there?”
She frowned. She knew that voice. Was it Joey? Garfield’s owner?
“Joey?”
“Sky?”
Thank God. “Joey, I need you to call for help! Can you do that?”
“Y-yes. I’ll do that right now! Are you okay?”
“Yes. But I need help, and I need it fast!”
* * *
“I don’t know,she’s pretty fine if you ask me.”
Becket slapped Teddy across the back of his head as he passed where he was sitting. “Don’t talk about Sky like that.”
“I told him,” Moose said, lifting his coffee off the table.
