Open Minded C H A P T E R \\ F I F T E E N TWO MONTHS LATER She's

C H A P T E R \\ F I F T E E N

TWO MONTHS LATER

She's shivering in the passenger seat, clutching her bleeding arm, her eyes squeezed shut in pain.
"Marley, stay with me, okay?" I beg, reaching over to cradle her face, "I just have to cross the state line, at least put 100 miles between you and him. Then we'll stop for the night, and I'll get you some help. I promise."
She nods, shaking violently, and I turn up the heat, forgetting that it's the dead of winter.
The rag she hastily grabbed in our escape is soaked through with her blood, and I know we won't make it California before she's in real medical danger. 
I rip a strip of my t-shirt and wrap it around her long cut, and she reaches up for a pin from her hair to fasten it into a tight knot. 
"What happened, Mar? What set him off?" I ask, gripping the sterring wheel, finding it hard that we've actually done it.
Escaped.
"He..." she gasps, trying to control her shaking breath, regain control of her adreniline shot body, "saw me working on an art peice. A  -  a  -  a collage. So he took the scissors, and.." fat tears roll down her cheeks. 
I reach out to give her a hand to hold, but then I lose control of the steering, and send my uncle Paul's pickup spinning on a patch of thin ice. 
It feels like hours, days, before we finally stop moving. 
There's a moment of stagnant peace.
I look at Marley, shell-shocked, and I'm about to utter the words, "Are you okay?", when our truck is hit.
I feel glass shatter, and the crunch of metal and bone, and the sliding of destroyed vehicles on the treacherous ice. 
My life flashes before my eyes. The memories come back, all at once. A spit-fire slideshow of warm summer days, mom in a sundress, dad at the grill. countless hours of basketball and football practice. Marley, standing at the doorstep, the first time I ever laid eyes on her. Sitting on the rock at our place, her hand on mine, teaching me how to draw. The accident, dad's horrified look as he slams on the brakes, moms screams and the way she turn to side and covers her face. 
Warm blankets tucked around me as a child, gentle kisses on my forehead, whispered "sweetdreams, Micah."
Too late, everything comes back. Too late.
Spinning, Spinning, I'm spinning, spinning, and spinning.
Until I'm not anymore.

THE END.

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Note: hey guys, sorry to cut it off, i know you probably expected at least another 5 chapters :( 
and the teaser didn't end up working out very well...but hey, did you like it? There's more stories to come. I'll probably post some ideas later. 
feedback. please. PLEASE.
I love you all so much for reading this. bye :)