Page 88 of Light in the Dark
My gaze snaps forward—red and blue lights wash the night sky in orbiting flashes. Flares burn red, shedding ghostly, nightmarish light on the scene.
Squad cars. A fire engine. An ambulance.
Riley skids to a stop a few feet away from the uniformed deputy assigned to deal with traffic. I leap out of the truck before it's stopped, lurching, hitting blacktop and rolling, staggering to my feet. The deputy tries to stop me, but I shove him aside.
"FELIX!" I hear a voice in my ear, hands pulling me backward. "We've got her, brother, we've got her."
"LET ME FUCKING GO!" I scream, fighting the many strong hands holding me back from getting to Ember.
Cole's voice is in my ear, quiet, stern, compassionate. "She's alive, Fee. Stand down and let them do their job."
"I have to see her. I have to—I have to—"
He walks me backward, his hands bruisingly powerful on my arms, his forehead against mine. Riley is behind me, both arms around my midsection. Together, they haul me away.
"She's alive, Felix. They're extricating her right now." His tone is the calm stolidity of a professional law enforcement officer—this is not my best buddy, this is the sheriff. "She's hurt pretty bad, but she's alive."
I hear the buzzing screech of a saw on metal, voices chattering and snapping orders. I can't breathe—it's my fault.
It’s my fault. Everything is my fault.
"No, it's fucking not, Fee," Riley growls in my ear. "It was an accident. It's not your fault. Don't take this on yourself."
"I should've stopped her. Should've—I should've sent Amy away. This shouldn't've happened."
Cole reappears in front of me, ducking to make sure I meet his gaze. "They've got her out. You're gonna ride in the bus with her but only if you can keep your shit under control."
“Okay, okay, I—"
He grabs my head. "Felix. Fucking listen to me."
I'm dazed. Trying to breathe and failing. "What."
"Sit next to her and hold her hand. Talk to her. Butdo notinterfere. They have to work on her."
"Work…work on her?" I blink, trying to make sense of what's happening.
"She's in pretty bad shape," Cole says. "Unconscious, broken bones, I don't know. Critical condition. So prepare yourself, okay? If you can't keep calm, they're gonna sedate you and you'll miss shit. Sostay fucking calm, Felix. You hear me? She's alive—focus on that."
For the first time since arriving on scene, I look at Cole—notice him. He’s wearing his sheriff department button-down open over a plain white tee with ratty, torn blue jeans and knee-high rubber boots, no equipment belt. His eyes are bloodshot, and he has circles under his eyes.
"How are you functioning, Cole?" I ask.
"Wasn't as drunk as you, for one. Years of practice going from asleep to dealing with an emergency for another."
Swallowing hard, I wrap him in a hug. "Grateful for you, brother."
Cole slaps me on the back. "Had your back since pre-K, motherfucker." He pulls back, shakes me. "I've fuckin'gotyou, Fee. Always."
Fucking fuck—my eyes burn. I pull away, growling. "Cole, I—"
He spins me in place and pushes me toward the ambulance, where two medics are lifting the stretcher into the back of the vehicle. "Shut up and go be with your girl, Fee. I'll see you at the hospital."
I spot Riley hovering at the edge of everything, staying out of the way and watching. "RYE!"
I'm an emotional wreck. As he jogs over, my throat is closing, and my eyes are burning. I shove it all back down savagely, shaking my head.
The medics are busy inside the ambulance, securing, hooking up lines.
