Nightfall ✓

Chapter 30

• chapter thirty •

The crash was loud enough to be heard over the music coming through the earphones. Zack yanked the earpods out, wrapped them around his phone and turned his head. Across the road, a broken cab lay crashed into the wall. People were rushing towards it. Subconsciously, his fingers dialled 911 as he ran towards the cab. He spoke his address into the phone and then peered inside. His gaze landed on a very familiar brunette. "Hazel?"

His heart stopped beating for a moment. Then he stood up and ran all the way back to their building, told Liam and Ash what had happened. They dropped everything and ran back together.

There was a huge weight on Liam's chest; it felt as if his ribcage was being crushed and the splintered bone pieces were stabbing his heart. Maybe Zack had seen someone else. Zack definitely saw someone else. Zack didn't see Hazel. It wasn't Hazel. Hazel didn't even take money for the cab. She was walking on foot, wasn't she?

Wasn't she?

He could see the cab now. There were red sirens everywhere, deafening him; they blinded him and paralyzed him with fear. Why were there so many ambulances? Was it very serious?

He saw her being lifted out. "No! Hazel!" Ash screamed.

She was unconscious, covered in blood. He reached her, stroked her cheek, then her hair, without caring about the fact that he was getting blood on his hands. "This is all my fault." If only he hadn't said all those cruel things to her, she wouldn't have gone out, she wouldn't have got hurt.

"She'll be okay," the nurse said, before putting the stretcher into the ambulance. They drove away. His knees gave way. Zack caught him before he could completely fall. "Ash, get the car," he said, and Ash ran off. "Calm down, man. Nothing's wrong with her. She'll be fine. We're going to drive to the hospital."

Liam barely noticed the drive. One second ago he was on the road, kneeling, with Zack supporting him, and the next thing he remembered, Ash was clicking her fingers in front of his eyes. "Liam? Get out of the car!"

He was out in an instant. Zack took care of the paperwork; Ash held his hand as he sat on the cold, metal bench outside her room. Wild thoughts were forcing themselves into his brain: what if she didn't make it? 

Time crept by. Hours and hours passed, but each time he looked up at the black wall clock, the minute hand had moved forward by only a couple of centimeters. When could he see her again? He tapped his foot against the floor. He drummed his fingers on his knees; adjusted his hair several times. A doctor was walking down the passage. He stopped in front of them. "The driver is okay, and he's conscious. If you'd like to talk to him, you may." Ash thanked him. With a polite smile, he left.

Liam got up. "I'm going to talk to the driver." She nodded.

He was lying quietly on his bed, hands folded over his stomach, staring up at the ceiling. He looked at the door as soon as he heard it open.

"Hey," Liam said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Kind of." There were a few scratches on his face; a stitched cut stretched across his forearm. "Sorry, but who are you?"

"I'm Hazel's boyfriend. Fiancé now, actually. The girl who was in your cab," he added, seeing the confusion on the driver's face.

"Ah." The driver nodded.

"What happened?"

The driver shrugged. "I really have no clue. I lost control over the car. It was like, my hands were on the steering, but it turned on its own. I didn't do it. Like maybe something had pulled the wheel. I tried to stop it from turning, but the skin of my hands got chafed." He overturned his hands. The skin had peeled slightly. "I don't know what happened. Maybe something was wrong with the car. But I don't think so. Do you believe in evil supernatural forces?"