Family of 12
 

Her and her family slowly fell in the cold, crisp air. It had started as an above average, beautiful fall day. It was actually the girl, Scarlett’s, favorite day of the year. It was Fall Fest Day. I know, it sounds stupid. Fall Fest Day? How could that be anybody's favorite day? For Scarlett though, it was obvious. Every other day of the year her nine siblings wandered around the house, yelling, pushing, eating, destroying, and slowing down the wi-fi. This left Fifteen-year-old Scarlett trying her very best to block them out. Every other day of the year it was impossible to block them out… until Fall Fest Day. Her whole family left for the mountains for a day full of Fall fun leaving Scarlett alone in an entirely silent house.
Until that Fall Fest Day. Scarlett lied in her bed expecting to finally get some undisturbed sleep. All of a sudden she heard her door bang open.
“Daddy says you have to go to Fall Fest. We’re leaving soon!” Her brother Roger said eagerly while standing in the doorway.
Confused Scarlett rolled out of bed prepared to fight for her day. I’ll spare you the details but let’s say a yelling match between the teen and her father was loud yet brisk. It ended with Scarlett sobbing in the car.
“Cheer up Scarlett.” Her nine younger siblings sang as they began the lengthy drive to Fall Fest.
Their words fell on deaf ears as Scarlett tried to block out her families insensitivity. This was her day, and they had stolen it. They didn’t even care. Scarlett got good grades, she babysat, she worked, and all she wanted was one day. One day to herself and not one person in that car cared. After sulking for hours, the car pulled into the gravel parking lot. The family of twelve unloaded the car while eagerly shouting.
“Can we get apple cider first?” Five-year-old Elise yelled while twirling her blonde pigtail.
“No pumpkins!”
“Hayride!”
The family continued to debate as the scene of two hundred happy people formed in Scarlett’s mind. The family finally decided to start with the hayride much to her eight-year-old brother’s delight. Scarlett, on the other hand, followed along grudgingly while her siblings tried their best to capture her attention. Scarlett tried to plaster a smile on her face hoping to please her siblings. She tried to maintain this smile all day as she trailed behind her family. Finally, after the sun had gone into hiding and the moon had come out to greet them, the family reloaded the van.
As the family drove home, the children drifted into a deep slumber. Even Scarlett slept in her seat far in the back corner. Good thing they were asleep because traffic was terrible.
“Bobby, just go the back way. You know the one near the park.” Barbara, Scarlett’s mom, hissed.
“Barb that’s a good hour out of our way…” Scarlett’s father replied from behind the wheel.
“Well honey, we’ve been sitting in traffic for a good two hours unless you don’t want me to make my yoga class in the morning go. the. back. way.” Barbara countered.
Sighing Bobby backed the car out of traffic and headed towards the back way. The back way winded up North Peak Mountain and then back down. This route would lead the family right back to their home. Pushing on the gas Bobby began the windy road up to the peak.
As time went on midnight pulled around, and Bobby was starting to drift off. Barbara offered persistently to take over driving, but Bobby refused just as much. At 1:00 A.M a deer darted in front of the car. Bobby pushed on the gas and swerved the car. The children woke with a start, yelling, as they leaned to the right. As Bobby swerved the car tipped. It tipped so quickly the family didn’t know it was happening… until it flipped again, and again. With each turn, Scarlett’s head hit the side of the car, and the yells of her siblings reached new heights. Elise screamed as the car continued to tumble. Scarlett’s siblings, some as young as eight months, panicked as their bodies collided, and bones shattered. Bobby tried desperately to regain control, but it was impossible. Scarlett tried to grab one of her siblings who was not buckled and had stopped screaming mere seconds before. It was no use, nothing was working, they were helpless. All of a sudden the consistent banging stopped. Scarlett and her family slowly fell in the cold crisp air. A moment of peace was shared among the family until the hardest and loudest thud sounded.
Scarlett’s head banged yet again creating blackness behind her eyes. Her chest ached from the impact and though some of her siblings still yelled many had been silenced on impact.
“Roger! Elise? Charlie!” Scarlett tried her best to scream as blood filled her mouth.
“Scarlett? Why isn’t everybody talking?” Her brother Roger questioned.
“They’re hurt, Charlie,” Scarlett said her head throbbing.
It’s just a concussion, she murmured to herself. She was in the safest part of the car, and she was okay. She was alive. Tears began to stream down Scarlett’s face as the realization that she was living flooded her body. Scarlett was fine, and she had just been in an accident, but she was going to live. She was going to get to keep going to school and hearing her siblings bicker. Yet after the realization of life had finished cleansing her body she laid still and listened to her sibling's screams echo. The screams were scary, but the silence of some of her family was more terrifying. A sob escaped her mouth as her vision began to clear.
Scarlett reached for her phone barely grasping it. She tried her best to call 9-1-1, but she had no clue where she was. It was daylight by the time the family of 12 was found.
Her family of twelve became a family of eight. Scarlett, along with the rest of her family were rushed to the hospital. Scarlett’s head injuries were revealed to be extensive. She was taken into emergency surgery right away.
If only Scarlett stayed home. Maybe then she’d be alive.