I released the seatbelt catch and freed myself, poking around inside my mouth and finding a superficial graze. “What about the other driver?” I asked, swallowing the blood. “We need to make sure they’re okay.”
“Might not be the best idea with what’s happening around us.”
“I can’t just drive off and leave them. It’s obvious who was at fault. They won’t come out swinging.”
I hoped.
I couldn’t see a thing. With a growl of frustration, I shoved the deflating airbag from my face and climbed out, determined to do what was right—even if the city was imploding.
I shut the door and gave my car a sweeping glance. The collision had crushed the entire rear door and panel, leaving exposed, jagged edges behind.
Realisation dawned, and a breath rushed from me as I stared at the damaged backseat.
If we’d been hit a split second earlier…
I had no clue if cars were still driveable after airbags had deployed or if some kind of reset was required, but we’d deal with one problem at a time.
“Wait for me,” Tim said as he exited the passenger side. He came around to join me, then spotted the point of impact and whistled. “Any further forward, and you would have been squished, missy.”
I smiled despite the residual trembling in my limbs. “How is it you always know just what to say?”
An older model black Audi had come to a stop in the centre of the road, positioned diagonally with its front end facing us. Wisps of steam escaped from under the crumpled bonnet, and the bumper was in ruins. I didn’t need a mechanic to tell me it wouldn’t be leaving here without a tow truck.
I trained my ears for oncoming traffic as I approached, mentally steeling myself for the blood and cuts, the broken bones.
A passing pedestrian kept his gaze locked straight ahead and didn’t so much as glance our way. No concern or offer of help.
Tim caught up to me and snagged my elbow. “Don’t be in too much of a hurry,” he said, slowing my pace. “Hang back a bit and observe, just in case.”
“You don’t think that’s a tad dramatic? This isn’t a horror movie.”
Heavy cloud cover had turned the morning to gloom, and as I closed in on the car, a moan came from inside. Hearing proof of life loosened some of the tension in my shoulders, but no one got out, and the only other sound was a man’s voice on the radio.
My pulse kicked up as I stopped at the driver’s door and leaned toward the open window.“Hello? Do you need help?”
The engine wasn’t running, and a woman in her forties sat behind the wheel with the saggy airbag resting in her lap. Her dark hair was styled in a choppy pixie cut that looked like it might have been done at home, and her brown eyes landed briefly on me.
She tilted her head back and sighed, breaths coming in slow, shallow bursts, with too long a space between each one.
No mask. Hollow cheeks. Skin red with fever.
A bag from the nearby pharmacy had been upended between the passenger seat and the door.
Shit.
After Ava’s messages and the shock of the crash, I wasn’tthinking.
The woman didn’t answer, and Tim grabbed the back of my top, yanking me away from the window. I immediately pulled up my mask and wished I’d done it earlier. I’d already taken several breaths of contaminated air.
Tim did the same and stood beside me, sharing a look that spoke volumes.Too late now, though.
I couldn’t see any blood on her clothes or skin, and there were no obvious injuries to her extremities, but we couldn’t help her anyway.
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“No… not… really,” she said, her voice weak.She used all her strength to lift her arm and cough into her elbow, then dropped it again as if it weighed a ton.
“Is there someone I can call to come and get you?”
