The sound of her mother’s scream went silent.Starla couldn’t see the front of the vehicle where her parents were.Pain rocked her as another object hit their vehicle, and then darkness swallowed her.
“Starla, come on, Biddy Bee.I need you to wake up.”
“Sissy, what happened?”
“We were in an accident.Where do you hurt?”
Starla moved her arms and legs, wincing as she shifted her head.“Nothing, I don’t think.You’re bleeding,” Starla said, pointing at Aurora’s face.
Aurora lifted her hand to the back of her head, wincing.“Some glass cut me.I’m fine.”
“Don’t leave me, mama,” Aurora cried.
“Where are mama and daddy?”Starla asked, looking around as her sister began to cry.Her older sister didn’t get so emotional, so seeing her this way worried Starla.
“We need to move, Starla.”Aurora unbuckled the seatbelt.
“Put your backpack on and follow me.We’re going out the back window.Please, just do as I say.I’ll keep us safe.”
Starla’s lips trembled, but she nodded.
They moved out the back hatch.Starla shrank back from the rain lashing the Earth.The way it came down so fast made it hard for her to see in front of her.
“Remember what mama always said, Biddy Bee?”Aurora spoke close to her ear.“Hope is held in the beauty after the rain.When the sun shines through the clouds, everything is clean, and a renewal can begin.”Aurora grabbed their mother’s bag, hers, and Starla’s out of the back.
“I can help, sissy,” she said.
A sob caught in Aurora’s throat as she reached back inside and grabbed their dad’s duffel.“I got it, Biddy Bee.”
Aurora pulled the strap of their dad’s duffel over her shoulder, stacked both suitcases on top of their mom’s, and then pulled the small handle up on Starla’s.She reached for Starla’s hand and smiled.Starla didn’t want to tell Aurora she could see through the façade she was trying to show her.Instead, she took her sister’s hand in her own, letting her think she was oblivious.A shiver wracked her body.
“We’re going to run across the road over there and combine some of our stuff into my backpack and yours, and then we’ll find help.Okay?”
Starla looked at the mangled mess of a Tahoe, then back at her.“Why aren’t Mama and Daddy coming with us?”
The vehicle shifted and groaned, sliding further down the ravine.Aurora grabbed Starla, pulling her away from the wreckage.Her heart thundered inside her chest.
“Biddy Bee, mama told me to take care of you.Daddy would be so mad if I didn’t get us to safety.Come on.Let’s go,” she said, using the stern voice that reminded her of their mama.
Starla sniffed, but she hiked her backpack up on her shoulders and gave a nod.They moved across the desolate road, hurrying as much as possible while dodging debris.
“You good, Starla?”Aurora yelled, slowing her steps so Starla could keep up.The howling wind and rain created a roaring background noise with thunder clapping over and over.Starla did her best to keep from jerking each time the thunder rolled.
The slap, slap sound of their tennis shoes on the asphalt accompanied the cacophony of twigs scraping together in the distance as the storm continued.Goddess, she wondered if her sister hated thunderstorms as much as she did.
They made it into the forest, but Aurora kept them moving until more trees provided protection overhead.Starla wasn’t sure how her sister did it.The wind tried to blow her over.She nearly fell over several times in the short walk across the distance from the crash to the woods.
“Here is good, Starla.”Aurora blew out a breath.
Starla and Aurora paused inside the forest.
“It’s going to be okay, Aurora.Mama is watching over us.I can feel her.”Starla placed her hand on Aurora’s shoulder and held the other over her heart.There was a warmth within her that made her feel as if her mother was with them.
Although she had their dad’s hair color and the same skin tone, Starla’s eyes were identical to their mom’s.Their mom used to say the window to their souls was through their eyes.As she stared at Aurora, she could see fierce determination.
“You’re right, Biddy Bee.As long as we stick together, everything will be okay.”Aurora unzipped the suitcase in front of her.Starla watched her pull out an envelope with cash and credit cards.Her sister placed the stuff in a waterproof pouch like the one they’d used when they’d gone camping.Next, her sister pulled out a jewelry box that made Starla feel weird.
“What’s happening?”Starla asked.
