Page 2 of Bishop's Queen

Oh… no.Brie was partly sprawled across the center console, an arm angled awkwardly overhead and another across her hip. Bishop was perched in the front passenger seat, angled over his sister.

“What’s that noise?” Eloise asked.

“That’sher,” he said. “Find your phone. Call 9-1-1.”

All Eloise could do was stare at Brie. Her friend didn’t scream, but how could she not be in pain? Her wheezing clamor gurgled, but she didn’t cough. It sounded as though she was drowning but without water.

“What’s wrong with her?” Eloise couldn’t look away; she had never seen or heard anything so terrifying. Was this her fault? She had asked Brie to resend the text.Oh, God. No. Did I do this to her?

“Where’s your phone, El? Call 9-1-1!” Bishop sounded frantic.

Eloise reached for the ground, numbly searching for her cell. Everything was strewn. This was bad. “She needs help.”

“No shit, El.”

This was her fault. Bishop knew it too. Eloise still couldn’t find the phone she’d just held in her hand. “I can’t find it—”

“Hey, who’s in there?” someone shouted from outside the shattered windows. “Fuck yeah. Couple people in there, Mary. Call the cops.”

“Bishop.” Eloise grabbed onto Brie’s hand and let the strangers call for help. She didn’t know where her phone was, and she didn’t want to let go of Brie to find it. “What’s happening?”

“Fuck if I know.” He took Brie’s other hand. “Come on, Brie.”

The way she was lying wasn’t right. It looked too awkward. Half of Brie was out of the seat belt, and half of her was still in the driver’s seat.

“Can she breathe?” Eloise asked.

“I don’t know. Don’t think so.” Terror hung on to his every word.

“What should we do? CPR?” She was still breathing. Eloise moved closer to Brie’s side.

“Don’t touch her!”

“I wasn’t going to,” Eloise cried. But Brie was in trouble. They had to do something.

A flash of light scanned through the car. “You kids okay? Shit, don’t move. Dispatch says an ambulance is already on its way.”

Blood covered Brie’s face, and with the light on her, she seemed a thousand times worse.

Loose glass fell off of Bishop as he leaned closer. “Brie.”

Eloise looked to Bishop. There wasn’t a situation he couldn’t fix. But his terrified stare didn’t offer a solution. Sirens howled in the distance. The flashlight bearer opened Eloise’s back door, but she wasn’t going anywhere until help came for Brie.

“Hang on, sis.” Glass shards on Bishop’s face caught the flashlight’s reflection. “Almost here.”

Brie’s face was anguished. Blood seeped out of the corners of her mouth along with her wheezing, gurgling gasps. Her hand didn’t grip.

No, no, no…“Please, Brie.” Tears trickled down Eloise’s cheeks, but the nonexistent hold of Brie’s hand became frailer. “No. Hang on.”

The flashing lights arrived, and Eloise shifted closer. “They’re here, sweetie, coming to help.” Beads of glass bit into her knees as she bent closer, whispering, “Bishop,Bishop!” Eloise pleaded as if he could do something to help. “Tell her it’ll be okay.”

“Damn it, Brie. Hang on!”

The gasping slowed. Oh, Brie’s tortured face looked pained for a breath.

“Say it nicely,” Eloise cried. “Brie, don’t.”

Don’t stop.

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