Trapped
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Samar Issa, Grade 7, Marsden State High School
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Short Story
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2015
Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition
The first thing he noticed was the pain. A searing pain raged across his chest. The seatbelt he was wearing, pulled tight against his chest, had probably saved his life. As it was, his forehead had introduced itself to the windscreen. Blood ran down his face from a nasty gash just above his left eye. It had a salty taste as it ran into his mouth. The water was rising swiftly inside the car. As he slowly regained consciousness, he noticed that he was calf deep in the water. Panicking, he fumbled for the seatbelt, trying to free himself. The seatbelt, stretched tight by the accident, would not budge.
The murky water grew higher, now swirling around his lap. Fumbling in the glove box, he prayed that his pocket knife was still there. Then, cursing when he remembered lending it to his friend. Frantically looking around the car, his eyes fixed on the steering wheel. The horn! Surely a blaring horn would draw attention and speed his rescue. The car horn, normally so loud and proud, was now little more than a gurgling belch, it's volume choked by the water it was submerged in.
Panic hit a new level for him, as the water rose higher still covering his shoulders. He craned his neck skyward, trying desperately to keep his head above the rapidly rising waters. With his head pressed to the roof of the car, his ears now filed with murderous liquid.
A noise? Lights? As he tried to process the information, his mind went foggy and darkness swiftly followed. As if watching a movie, he saw the window smash and muscular arms reaching for him. He felt the snap and release as the seatbelt was cut and the floating feelings as he was lifted from the sinking vehicle. He would feel nothing else for several days.
When his eyes finally opened to the blazing light of the hospital and he reached carefully for the hand of the nurse standing over him, he was able to mutter the words, "thank you".