[The Medic] Decision

[GrandExecutioner 1,403]

The Medic

Hello readers and welcome back to the SECOND chapter of The Medic- a story which has been inspired by my own journey to med school. For context I recommend reading the first chapter before reading this one. Or you can live life on the edge and dive straight in...

 

 

Preview

 

HOOOOOONK!

 

He couldn't have shut his eyes for more than 10 seconds before the blare of a car horn cut through his head like a dagger, instantly suppressing the tiredness he felt only a little while ago. The glare of his headlights seemed even brighter now than before, and he had to squint to try and see ahead.

 

Hang on, he thought. That's not my headlights.

 

With horror he realized that during the few seconds he had fallen asleep, the car had slowly moved from the lane it was in and he was now traveling in the wrong lane at 70mph. Towards another set of headlights.

 

The next few seconds seemed to drag out in minutes. Alex twisted his arms and spun the steering wheel as fast as he could, jerking the car to the right. Thankfully, the driver of the oncoming car made a move simultaneously to the left to try and avoid the imminent collision. But neither of them were fast enough...

Chapter 2: Decision

 

Alex just about had time to register that the size of the other car was a lot bigger than his own right before the impact. In slow motion, he saw the left part of his bonnet hit the edge of the bigger car and instantly get crumpled. The shock jarred through his bones and he was thrown forward like a doll. Thankfully, the seatbelt locked snapping his body back so he didn't fly out of the windscreen.

 

Both cars were still moving at an extremely high speed. The crash lifted Alex's car slightly so his front left tyres rolled over the side of the other car and suddenly the car was moving on its side. The momentum of both cars moving away from each other caused Alex's car to be launched in mid-air. His left tyres had left the side of the other car causing his own car to be propelled, doing half a barrel roll in mid-air before landing on its roof in spectacular fashion. His flipped car continued to skid along the tarmac for 50 or so metres until finally coming to a stop.

 

Alex was left suspended in his car, upside down and dazed. His eyes flickered open, not understanding how he wasn't dead. A collision at that speed should have instantly killed him. Blood dropped down in front of his eyes. Alive, but definitely not uninjured. He dreaded to think to what extent. Adrenaline coursing through his veins from the crash had shut down all the pain and fatigue temporarily.

 

What was that smell? Alex wrinkled his nose.

 

Petrol. His car was probably leaking fuel.

 

But what's that faint sound? Alex thought. There was a ringing sound in his ears from the crash but beyond that, it sounded like crackling- and it was getting louder. It was then, with growing dread, that Alex was able to identify the sound.

 

Fire.

 

Panicking, he moved his right arm and managed to unclip his seatbelt after a few futile attempts. He landed in a heap on the car roof- now on the ground. Alex knew he needed to move quickly. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure what happens when you mix fire and petrol together.

 

Using the heels of his shoes, he smashed them against the cracked windscreen. Nothing. He kicked again and again until the glass finally shattered. In an army type of crawl, he moved his body through the broken windscreen and on to the tarmac outside. He rolled away from the car, fearing it could explode at any moment. Slowly he got to his feet. He pulled out his phone from his pocket - only to find the broken remains.

 

Looks like I won't be getting any help anytime soon, Alex sighed.

 

He patted down his body for injuries. Apart from the gash on his forehead, he could only feel a few bruises and some small cuts to accompany them. It seemed incredible he escaped from a high speed collision with only a few bumps and cuts.

 

Hopefully, I don't have something like internal bleeding... or a concussion, Alex thought. There was nothing he could do about it even if he did so he put it to the back of his mind. He looked over his shoulder to try and locate the other car but only darkness greeted him.

 

Where the heck did the other car go? Panic hit Alex again. Could they be dead? Have I killed them?

 

He observed his own car and noticed it was his bonnet that was on fire. A good few metres from the leaking fuel. Quickly, he moved towards the boot of his car and put his hand in through the broken window. He rummaged around until he found what he wanted and pulled out a torch. He flicked the switch and sighed with relief as light beamed out of the bulb.

 

Jogging back to the site of the crash he found broken parts of his own bonnet along with the wing mirror of the other car. The only proof that there was another vehicle in the crash. Shining his torch, Alex slowly spun around in a 360-degree fashion but couldn't see anything. He moved over to the ditch on the side of the road where the other vehicle should've been headed after the crash. But there was nothing there. With dread, he realised that the car was moving so fast that it probably sailed over the ditch and continued on to the vast expanse beyond.

 

Alex looked back. His car was lying upside down right in the middle of the road. Any other vehicles, no matter how unlikely that there would be, would have to stop and hopefully call an ambulance. Placing the torch in his mouth, he climbed into the ditch. It stunk. No other way to describe it. The stench of horse manure filled his nose. He briskly climbed out of the ditch on the other side. He shined his torch once again.  Nothing but a field. Only now did Alex notice the blanket of fog that had settled around him. Just his luck.

 

Visibility was low enough as it was on this night of darkness, but with the fog, he may as well be blind. Even with his torch, he could only see a few metres ahead of him. With renewed determination, Alex strode into the long grass counting the number of steps as he did so.

 

At around 126 steps, he reached the lake. Perhaps in the day, it was clear blue. But in the middle of the night, it was the same colour as everything else- black. If he didn't have his torch he would have no doubt he would have walked right into the water.

 

It didn't take long for the beam of light to fall on to the half-submerged car in the middle of the lake. It was sinking quickly. Soon only the roof was visible. Alex could feel adrenaline being pumped back into his blood. He had no phone. He couldn't call an ambulance. No emergency services to help him. There was no guarantee when the next car might come along at this time of night.

 

The car was no longer visible and had submerged completely. There was no telling how deep the water was, or what was lurking in there.

 

Alex had a decision to make. And he had to make it now.

 

Well, we've reached the end of the second chapter. If you liked it, stay tuned for the next chapter- to be released soon!
If you want to read some other stuff I've written, check out the latest edition of The Leaky Mult!

Don't forget to comment down below. Any feedback or criticism is welcome, but please don't be too harsh or I'll cry in my sleep! :D

 

[tweezers 1,034]

Approved.

 

Loved it.

[You.Have.to.die 519]

Magnificent :D

[GrandExecutioner 1,403]

Approved.

 

Loved it.

:wub: :wub: :wub:

 

Magnificent :D

Thank you my bae :P