Mate me if you dare

SKY POV.

My naked feet rhythmically tap on the dusty dashboard in front of me, synchronized with the Seven songs blaring from the stereo. My mother cannot contain her joyous expression as she bobs her head and drums on the steering wheel. I turn around to observe my brother Owen, who is energetically pretending to play the guitar behind me. As the chorus looms, we all take a deep breath together.

Suddenly, the truck slams into us.

In an instant, we were lifted off the ground... Owen’s screaming… And my mom’s crying..

My eyes are closed with an immense amount of force. I slowly blink my eyes, then rapidly to eliminate the dirt and smoke. I strive to sit up, but it eludes me. My body seems to be undergoing a self-healing process. Blue's whimpering is audible to me, but it's weak within me, an unusual occurrence considering I require her help now more than ever.

‘Blue, I need your help. Lora and Phila. Where are they? Are they okay? You need to track them down. Find them.’ She growls loudly within me, so loud, in fact, it almost comes out.

She is indeed correct. My body has only partially healed, but it's adequate for me to be able to sit up. I examine the wreckage closely, but there is no indication of anything. I put my nose high in the air and try with all of my ability to pick up their scent, but I can’t find it. I strain to hear, and my ears pick up the faint sound of something moving just a few feet away. It’s coming from our car that doesn’t even look like a car anymore.

“Mom!? Owen!?” I shout out.

“Sky?” I heard Owen’s voice respond. “Sky, I can’t move.”

“It’s going to be okay.” I yell back. “Where are you?”

“Sky, I can’t move my legs. The metallic object feels heavy and unwieldy on top of my body. They struggled, but the weight pinning them down was too much to bear. I can’t heal myself!” I can hear the panic in his voice, in addition to smelling his fear.

I hear a rustling sound from within the car, and then I see her long, golden hair cascading down her back.

“Mom!” I cry out. “Mom?”

Her hair doesn’t move again. Blue let out a mournful howl before disappearing from sight. A small whimper escaped my lips as I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling a solitary tear trickle down my cheek.

“Sky?” Owen calls out. “Where’s mom? Why isn’t she answering?”

I struggled to find the words, my mind consumed with uncertainty. The thought is so abhorrent that I cannot bear it. It can’t be true. I yell her name again, but nothing.

“Sky?” His fear has only increased.

I fill my lungs with air and unveil my eyes. “Owen, I need you to try to sit up for me.”

“I can’t. I'm lying face down.”

“Okay. I’m going to get to you.” I fold my legs underneath of myself and place my hands firmly on the ground. “You’re on the other side of the car?”

“Yes.” He calls out.

I can feel him easing up, but the metallic scent of blood fills my nostrils, and my anxiety intensifies.

“Sky, where’s mom?”

“I’m on my way, Owen. Don’t worry.” I crawl on all fours, cutting my knees and hands on bits of broken glass, to get to him. I pretend not to hear his question about mom and instead delve into a different subject. I wish I could shake the feeling that my thoughts might be true. It can’t be true.

“I’m almost there Owen.”

Having circled the car, I catch sight of his flushed face. He is marked with a cut on his cheek and his hair is strewn with pieces of glass from the broken window. The door, which was supposed to provide protection from the elements, was now pressing him down onto the ground.