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1000 words
I pulled into the driveway and shoved the car into park, ran inside the house and grabbed my track schedule to give my boss. The time was 3:50 and my shift started at 4:00, if I was late again I would get “the talk” from the manager which I really did not want to deal with. If I were to have this conversation with my manager, they may fire me for being late again. I head down the hall when my sister calls my name from the living room.
“Chloe, where are you going?”
“I have work at four, like I always do on Fridays.”
“Geez, you don’t have to be so rude.”
“Whatever.”
I said as I throw my work shirt over my head, grab my name tag and head out. I jumped into my warm car shoved it into reverse and then a line of cars decided to come right when I needed to leave! I felt as if I had been sitting there for hours, the line never ended. I felt as if I was on a moat, but it was a river of cars instead of water. Finally, I exited the driveway and I rolled through multiple four way stops, hoping no other cars were coming, then I got to the stop lights. They turned yellow as I turned on to the street, I sped right through the lights, as I got to the other side a car from my right hit me from the passenger side. I woke up, it felt like hours later, my head was pounding, I felt super nauseous, and I heard someone nearby saying, “She’s dead, she isn’t moving!!” After I heard that, I am out of it again, then I woke up in an ambulance.
“Chloe.”
“Chloe open your eyes.”
“She’s not responding.”
“Someone get her some oxygen!”
“Her heart rate is dropping, where is the oxygen!”
***
I woke up in a hospital bed, with a crowd of people around me, I tried to speak, but I couldn’t. I started coughing and I panicked.
“Chloe, its okay stay calm, I am going to take the tube out of your throat.”
I felt someone grab my hand and hold it tight, I tried to look to see who it was, that’s when I heard my father’s voice.
“Chloe, it’s okay honey.”
I looked into my dad’s eyes and I started to cry, I realized I was connected to millions of cords, tubes and all these medical supplies. I tried to talk, to motion my dad to come closer and give me a hug, everything was rushing through my mind at once.
Where is my car? Where is my work clothes? Am I going to get fired? Did someone call my boss? Where is my mom and my sister? Why is my dad only here? I want to get up, I have to use the restroom. Where is the doctor?
“Chloe are you okay?” my dad asked me softly.
“I have to use the restroom.” I said
“Okay, I will get the doctor.”
“Okay.”
The nurse came into the room with a wheel chair, I wondered why she brought that in. Could I not walk anymore? I think I can feel my legs.
“Chloe, let me help you get into the chair, you don’t have complete control of your body yet. Plus, you are still very weak, and I don’t want you falling.”
“I am fine, I know how to walk, I won’t fall.” I say as I try to swing my legs over the side of the bed.
“Chloe, no you can’t do that.”
“Yes, I can I believe in myself.”
“It’s not whether or not you believe in yourself it is that, your body is not ready for full body weight yet.”
“Okay.”
I grabbed onto the women nurse’s arm as she lifts me off the bed and onto the wheelchair, I swear I was going to pee myself. There was no way I was going to make it to the restroom.
As I get into the bathroom, I tell her not to come in with me, but she insists otherwise. She came in and helped me, all I could think about was what happened what did I do that caused me to not be able to leave a room without an adult.
***
“Doctor Manning, what happened, why am I in a hospital bed and in a wheel chair?”
“You got into a car accident on the way to work, you ran right through a red light.”
“No, I didn’t, the light was green, I saw it change colors.”
“Chloe, I am sorry but no you are wrong, when you turned the corner, a car didn’t realize you were going and hit your passenger side.”
“Is my car okay?”
“I am afraid not, they had to take it to the dump, it was completely totaled. There was nothing you could have done to fix the car, I am sorry.”
“This is all my fault!”
“It is not your fault, you didn’t mean for this to happen. You are really lucky to be alive right now. I am so happy that you are okay and that I was able to save your life when you came flying through those emergency doors.”
“It is my fault, I was the one who didn’t leave on time, I was the one who sped through the light. If I wouldn’t have been so rushed, none of this would have happened and I would have been fine.”
“Chloe, all that matters right now is that you are alive and okay.”
“Dad, I am so sorry for ruining your car, I will pay you back I promise.”
“Chloe, I don’t want your money, what I want is for you to be okay. You are what I am worried about right now.”
As I lay in this bed, wishing I could change what just happened, I then realize what matters which is being healthy and safe.
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May 11, 2018
Editor-in-chief
Teen Ink
Box 30
Newton, MA 02461
Dear Editor:
I am submitting a short story “1000 words” for consideration in Teen Ink. It is 1000 words. Please recycle my manuscript if it does not fit your editorial needs. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Jochum
Encl: short story, “1000 words”