Traffic Collision

• Emma Featherstone, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2021

My heart pumped out of my chest. My eyes filled with water, causing my vision to blur. I dialled triple zero. I’d never been first on scene before. What do I do? I stand there clueless. My mind fuzzing. My legs shaking. I force myself over to the injured people, one of them lying half out of the smashed car with shattered glass covering their wounds. The grass is glowing red with blood and the car lights are flickering. Lights begin to turn on in nearby houses and in the distance, I hear sirens, still too far away to help! I peer into the car, someone’s trapped in there!
I run to my truck and grab one of the spare towels from the front. I sprint back over to the one lying lifeless out of the car. I press the towel down hard over one of her wounds, seeping with sickening red blood and apply pressure, attempting to stop the bleeding. The sirens are getting louder now! Guilt rushes over me, I should help the other person but there’s nothing I can do! He’s trapped inside, and I don't dare to move him. What if he dies? I find myself saying. “It’ll be all my fault!” I knew it wasn’t true, but I still felt guilty.
The sirens were only metres away now. I have done all that I could, I hoped anyways. The towel was soaking with red, wet blood. Goosebumps covered my body like a blanket as the crisp night brushed past my delicate skin. I kept thinking of every outcome and found myself praying. I’d never met these people before but for a second, it felt like I had known them for a lifetime. My voice trembled as I cried out for help!
The sirens were thunderous as they skidded up beside me! A rush of paramedics hurried to the body! Carefully, I stepped away and watched from a distance. I peered down at my hands, still shaking. My clothes were covered in red blood. Suddenly, tears started gushing down my face like a waterfall. My emotions exploded and I couldn't hold them back.
I watched as they carried them away in the ambulance. My stomach twisted with fear and my head filled with frightening thoughts! I wondered if I would ever find out if they survived.