Chapter 7 – The Crash

Alicia's small feet pounded against the pavement as she ran, her vision blurred by tears. Her chest ached, and her breath came in short, panicked gasps.

She just wanted to get away.

Away from the school.

Away from Miss Linda.

Away from the cruel laughter of her classmates.

Her mother was gone—so why did they have to remind her? Why did they have to mock her for something she had no control over?

She didn't care where she was going.

All she knew was that she couldn't stop.

The street ahead was busy with cars rushing past, but Alicia didn't notice.

She didn't hear the blaring horn.

Didn't see the headlights that appeared like two angry eyes.

All she felt was the crushing force as something heavy slammed into her tiny body.

Then—darkness.

---

The Bystander

Helen Carter had been on her way to the grocery store when it happened.

One moment, she was waiting at the bus stop, checking her watch, thinking about the long list of items she needed to buy.

The next moment, she heard the screeching of tires and a terrible thud.

Her head snapped toward the street, and her heart nearly stopped.

A child.

A little girl lay crumpled on the road, her black hair sprawled around her, her small body unnaturally still.

The driver—who had been speeding—panicked. He hesitated for only a second before slamming his foot on the gas and speeding away.

Helen's breath caught in her throat.

Had that man just… left her?

Without thinking, she rushed forward, pushing through the horrified crowd that had begun gathering.

"Someone call an ambulance!" she shouted.

She crouched beside the girl, her hands shaking as she checked for signs of life.

A pulse.

Weak, but there.

The child's chest barely rose and fell, her breathing shallow. There was blood—too much blood—staining her white school shirt, and a gash on her forehead was already swelling.

Helen's heart clenched.

"Sweetheart, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice gentle.

No response.

Helen swallowed hard and looked around.

Nobody was doing anything.

Some people just stood there, taking out their phones—but not to call for help. They were recording.

Disgust curled in Helen's stomach.

She couldn't wait for an ambulance.

Making a quick decision, she carefully scooped the girl into her arms.

"Hey! What are you doing?" someone in the crowd called.

Helen ignored them.

If this were her daughter, she would want someone to help.

She ran toward her car, opened the door with difficulty, and gently placed the unconscious girl in the backseat.

Then, without hesitation, she sped toward the nearest hospital.

---

The Hospital

The emergency room was chaotic as usual. Nurses rushed back and forth, tending to patients, while the air was thick with the sharp scent of antiseptic and worry.

Helen burst through the entrance, breathless, holding Alicia in her arms.

"She was hit by a car!" she gasped. "She needs help!"

A nurse's eyes widened before she quickly signaled for a stretcher. Within seconds, doctors and nurses surrounded them, gently lifting Alicia onto a gurney.

Helen stepped back, panting, as she watched them wheel the child away.

A doctor turned to her. "Are you her mother?"

Helen hesitated.

"No, I just—" she stopped, suddenly realizing something.

Where were this girl's parents?

Was she alone when she got hit?

Helen's heart ached at the thought.

The doctor nodded. "We'll need to contact her family. Do you know her name?"

Helen thought back to the uniform the girl had been wearing. The school logo was printed on the shirt.

"I think she goes to Westbrook Elementary," she said. "Maybe they have records of her guardian."

The doctor nodded. "Alright. Thank you for bringing her in. We'll do everything we can."

Helen watched as they disappeared into the emergency ward.

Her hands were still shaking.

She sat down in the waiting area, pressing a hand to her chest.

Would the little girl be okay?

Would someone come for her?

She could only hope.

---

Charles's Panic

Charles White had been at work when he got the call.

He almost didn't pick up.

His boss was already breathing down his neck about deadlines, and his phone had been ringing nonstop.

But something in his gut told him to answer.

And when he did, his world shattered.

"Mr. White?"

"Yes, speaking."

"This is Westbrook Elementary. We need to inform you that Alicia—"

The voice on the other end hesitated.

"What happened?" Charles asked, already on edge.

"Sir, Alicia ran out of school earlier today… and she—she was hit by a car."

Charles's breath caught.

No.

No, no, no.

"What?! Where is she?" His voice was sharp, demanding.

"She was taken to Mercy General Hospital by a passerby. We don't have much information, but—"

Charles didn't hear the rest.

His hands were already grabbing his keys.

He ran.

He didn't care that his boss was yelling at him as he stormed out.

Didn't care that people were staring.

He needed to get to his daughter.

Now.

---

Alicia's Unconscious Mind

Darkness surrounded her.

It was cold.

So, so cold.

Alicia tried to move, but her body wouldn't listen.

Was she floating?

Or sinking?

Everything felt distant, like she was trapped in a bubble, separated from the world.

Then… a voice.

Soft. Familiar.

"Alicia…"

She knew that voice.

Her heart clenched.

"Mama?"

There was no answer.

Just warmth. A gentle touch against her forehead, like a kiss carried by the wind.

She wanted to open her eyes.

Wanted to reach out.

But she was so tired.

So tired…

And the darkness pulled her back under.

---

Reunion at the Hospital

Charles stormed into the hospital, his chest heaving.

His eyes scanned the room wildly until he spotted the front desk.

"My daughter—Alicia White—where is she?"

The nurse blinked in surprise at his urgency before quickly checking the system.

"She was brought in about an hour ago," she said. "She's in surgery now."

Surgery.

Charles's knees nearly buckled.

"Where is she? I need to see her—"

"Sir, please have a seat. The doctors are doing their best—"

"I need to see her!" he roared, his panic morphing into desperation.

A voice behind him made him turn.

"You must be her father."

A woman—middle-aged, with kind eyes and a worried expression—stood there.

Charles recognized her instantly from the security footage.

"You…" His voice cracked. "You brought her here?"

Helen nodded.

"I saw what happened," she said softly. "I couldn't just leave her there."

Charles swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Helen placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She's strong. She's going to be okay."

Charles clenched his fists, his jaw tight.

If she wasn't…

He didn't even want to think about it.

He had already lost Dorothy.

He couldn't lose Alicia, too.

He wouldn't lose her.

And so, he sat in the waiting room, his hands clasped together, as he silently prayed for his little girl to wake up.