Finn runs to Keola in a full panic after sensing my own internal panic. I roll down the window. Keola is out of breath from a full on sprint.
A few other men close in as well. I see one of the ladies of the club grab onto Finn, trying to make sure he doesn’t run back to me.
“Angel, he said there was a noise? What noise?” his words rush out.
“I’m not sure, just a noise that the truck doesn’t typically make,” I admit.
“Where was the noise? Can you pinpoint a location?” he asks, Memphis and Jackson creeping up behind him.
“Should I be concerned?” I ask. Judging by the silence, that is a yes.
“I know it’s in the middle of the driver's side. That’s where it was the loudest. Finn didn’t hear it or else he would have said something,” my anxiety is starting to show, the tremble of my own voice rattles. Before long Memphis drops down to the ground, where I hear nothing but the crunching of the rocks.
I whisper, “I don’t want Finn seeing this. He’s having a harder time than you and I thought.”
Keola reaches through the window opening caressing my cheek, “It’s okay, angel. I’m sure it’s nothing but your fear and senses in overdrive,” he tries to reassure me but with failure. Then why don’t I trust that assessment?
Memphis is down on the ground for much longer than expected. I’m praying that it means nothing and everything will be okay. My own shaky breath doesn’t help. I’m scared now, for the first time in this situation, my heart can’t slow down.
Memphis finally comes up and with the grim look on his face is all I need to know. “Brother, you might want to take a look at it.”
Keola crouches down to the ground looking at the undercarriage. I want nothing more than to look where he's at. Memphis looks at me with a Soulful eyes, he offers a soft smile but I don't return it.
It isn't long before Keola returns upright. “Just go ahead and say it. Don't sugarcoat it not now.”
“The good news is we can possibly get you out of there,” he says grimly
“And the other side of the news?”
“Your Bronco may not make it,” he says with hopelessness and his voice. “But we got to go now! Grab whatever you need and let's get you out of here now,” he yanks the door open with such strength. I grab everything from my bag to little things that I could grab first hand that are memories or trinkets.
“Come on Angel, I don’t think we have much time left, you need to get out of here now.”
Jackson kept ushering people back away from my Bronco. As if something was going to explode.No pun intended.
I start to hysterically laugh and cry at the same time, “Never thought I'd be a person to have an explosive on my truck.”
His growling tone sears into my mind. He keeps rushing me and at one point he grabs me, cradling my body against him as he rushes me away from the Bronco. But I guess it wasn't enough time. As a deafening, thunderous sound of an explosion then knocks us to the ground. Keola tried to turn his body so that I might not get as much impact but it was a little late.
With the strength of the explosion we’re knocked to the ground as gravel scrapes any exposed skin and bruises every muscle. There's a slight ringing in my ear and dizziness in my sight. I don't know which way up from down my mind is numb. All my body wants to do is close my eyes. It wants to sink into a deep sleep where I could cocoon itself and any nightmares.
As I try to gather the last bit of strength my body goes limp. My body shuts down and my mind alongside with that. My soul drifts into a deep darkness. One that I thought might be my final death, my final hour. and I pray that it isn't.
Chapter 42
Keola
Fire.
Explosion.
Dirt.
Blood.
Where’s Charlotte?I beg my body to move, to open my eyes to find her.Where’s Finn? My head’s pounding like we knocked around more than once. I had her in my arms. But I don’t feel her there. It takes everything I have to wake up, to move around. There’s a deep ache that’s coursing through them, pulsing like its own heartbeat.
Muffled voices power through the ringing that’s in my ear, my eyes force open with a slight blurriness. The visions of outlined bodies and darker colors swirl around. I feel a hand on me, holding me down.
