Author's Note: I've gotten one more idea, aside from this and the "face down" story, recently, and I wanted to start writing on them. Lemme know how you like the ideas. You all apparently like the Face Down one alot, as I've gotten many reviews. Awesome! Read and review.
Loves!
Kagome was bouncing along in her old, rusty pickup along one of the county roads leading to the interstate. The windshield wipers were pumping furiously over the windshield, but the rain made it hard to see. It was so dark, the clouds so thick, and the wind so ferocious, Kagome was almost sure a tornado would be present in this early spring storm. It had been raining since the night before, harsh thunder shaking her little house, keeping her up most of the night. She had been drenched three times already today in the torrential downpours, twice going to and from her car and her classes, the third time was at the very beginning of the day when she scrambled to get the garbage to the curb.
She slowed down to a stop for a stop sign, straining to see through the torrential downpour. A blast of lightning, and her eyes went wide. There, upside down in a deep ditch rapidly filling with water, was a black car. A smashed van lay on its side 10 feet from it, but it was the upside down car that scared her the most. Smoke still rose from the van on its side, and she knew it had only just happened recently. Putting her truck in part and the hazards on, she jumped from her truck, dialing 911 on her cell phone, while running over to the upside down car. She looked around frantically, but only saw empty fields.
"911, what is your emergency?" The woman on the line asked.
"I am at Highway H and Highway A, there was an accident. There's a van on it's side and a car upside down in the ditch. I need ambulances and help immediately." Kagome slid down the muddy ground to the car to peer inside. Her breath caught in her throat. "Oh my god, there's a child in the car, and it's filling with water! Send help as soon as humanly possible!" Kagome cried into the phone and stuffed it into her pocket. She tried to open the door, but it wouldn't move. The little girl inside watched her with wide, fearful eyes as she hung upside down in her car seat.
"Hunny, don't be afraid. I'll get you out!" She cried, then looked around for a rock to break the window. Thankfully, she found a big one and thrust it against the window. It cracked a little. "Cover your face, sweetie," she ordered, glad the little girl listened. She took the rock to it again, and it shattered, the little blocks of glass littering her hair and clothes and cutting her fingers. She was thankful she was thin as she slid into the window. Taking a knife from her pocket, glad she had finally remembered it when running out the door to class that morning for her job later in the day, she cut the straps of the little girl's car seat and pried her from it. She was crying silently.
"Shh, Shh," Kagome cooed, pulling the little girl from the door. A pain grabbed her ear and the hot pain made her head ache. With the little girl in her arms, she couldn't check her injury, but hoped for the best. In the distance, the sound of sirens began to reach her ears. A groan from inside the car reminded her that someone was still in there. She stripped off her coat and wrapped it around the girl. "Stay warm, okay?"
"My daddy," the girl sobbed. Kagome nodded, looking to the side and seeing a man crawling out of the van.
"Hey, you alright?" She called. The man nodded. Kagome hadn't waited for a response, but dove back down into the ditch, trying to find some way into the car. In the driver's seat, a tall man sat unconscious. Kagome panicked at the rising water in the compartment near his face.
"Sir? Sir, you gotta wake up!" She pleaded, pulling on the driver's door. It was bent and unhinged, and amazingly, it opened. However, he was still suspended in the seat, the airbag deployed in his face, blood running up his face from his broken nose. Kagome heard the sound of cars approaching, but ignored it and took her knife to his seat belt. She tore through it easily enough, but he was so heavy, and his leg was caught in the metal. His weight pushed her down into the muddy water, but she was able to keep their heads up. Almost instantly, four hands were helping to hold him up, and Kagome looked through water logged and exhausted eyes. Two policeman were holding him up, and a third pulling out the Jaws of Life.
"Ma'am, please move away," one of the men said gruffly. Kagome nodded, pulling her body from the water and mud, and scrambled up the ditch. The little girl was watching with wide, worried eyes in her large coat. Kagome went over and wrapped her arms around her.
"It's okay. Your daddy will be fine," Kagome whispered. The little girl shook, but she smiled.
"I know. Thank you for watching over us, Guardian Angel." She whispered, snuggling into Kagome's embrace. Kagome looked to the girl with confusion, and then a gentleness crept over her face and she wrapped her arms tighter around the girl.
"We must all look after one another. If we don't, what would happen to us?" She was silent for a moment, listening to the sound of cutting metal. "What's your name?" Kagome whispered.
"Rin," the girl whispered back.
"Nice to meet you Rin, my name is Kagome. I'm sorry we had to meet under such crummy weather." Kagome smiled at the little girl, who giggled softly. An ambulence pulled up and a parametic came out.
"Were you both in the car?" One of the ladies asked. Kagome shook her head.
"No, I was driving by, and I got her out."
"Both of you, come with me. I have some warm blankets, and I'll take a look at your ear, miss." The lady ushered them to the ambulance as two other men left the back with the stretcher. Kagome brushed the water from her face, as it was still pouring. Odd how she had forgotten about it until now.
"My ear?" Kagome asked a moment later, her teeth chattering. The wind blew furociously, and it chilled her to the bone.
"Your ear is bleeding heavily, it looks like your earring ripped through your ear lobe." The woman said, picking Rin up and wrapping her in a very thick and fluffy blanket. Kagome couldn't surpress the surprise in her face. 'Oh! So that's what that pain was,' her mind muttered as the paramedic brought disinfectant, a bandage, and a very warm, fluffy towel to her. Kagome wrapped in the blanket and stood under an umbrella as cheers came from the men by the car. Kagome held Rin, who watched expectantly, and saw the men with her father on the stretcher. His eyes were open, and he looked worried.
"Rin?" He asked, his deep baritone voice thick with pain and worry.
"Right here, papa. Our Guardian Angel saved us!" Rin said proudly, gesturing to Kagome. The paramedic next to Kagome grinned as Kagome blushed.
"Oh, hunny, I'm no angel." Kagome stammered. Through the rain, it was hard to make out his features, but he looked very...professional. At least, that is what her first opinion of him was.
"Hn," came his response as he was loaded into the ambulance. The paramedic motioned to Kagome and Rin to get in.
"Ano, my truck?" Kagome asked softly.
"We'll have them tow it, free of charge. You're a hero, lil'miss," one of the policeman said as he came up to her. Kagome blushed, but as she was so pale from the cold, she didn't succeed well.
"Tha...I'm no hero, but thank you." She whispered sheepishly and allowed herself to be ushered into the ambulance.
The ride to the hospital was remotely silent, Rin sat in Kagome's lap, her head resting on the older girl's shoulder, her eyes shut and breathing softly. Kagome ran her fingers through the little girl's black hair, for the first time taking in her appearance. She was about 8-10 years old, black hair, and olive skin. She was missing one of her front teeth, and her eyes shone brilliantly with intelligence and understanding. Right now, however, her breaths were even as she slumbered silently curled in Kagome's protective embrace.
Kagome's tired eyes turned to the man on the stretcher, for the first time seeing his face. He was waterlogged, as all of them were, but he was elegant and beautiful. His face was long and angled, with high cheek bones, thin lips, and expressively golden eyes. She noticed that he was staring at her, and she blanched lightly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Whatever for?" his baritone voice seemed stronger now. "You did not hit us. You risked your life, and injured yourself for the welfare of myself and my daughter. No person has ever done this for me or mine."
"It's extremely uncommon," one of the paramedics said, checking on Rin's heart-beat through her back. "What you did, young lady, very well have saved their lives. I know too many people that have passed up an accident, and where some and most call us to come save them...no one risks themselves or puts themselves directly involved for strangers." The paramedic sat back down as the ambulance accelerated through an intersection and into the hospital grounds.
Kagome sighed softly, leaning her head back onto the padded seat. She was no hero, she simply did what was right. The little girl in her grasp nuzzled into her, and Kagome automatically resumed stroking her hair, never noticing her reaction.