AT FIRST, ADALINE thought it was rain falling from the sky, making the road slick under
under her wheels---but to her childish delight, it was SNOW. the crystalline structures
fluttered onto her windshield like powdered sugar onto a freshly baked pie. a bright
smile curved delicate lips, widened eyes focused too intently on the sky. so diverted
was her attention that she didn’t realize how far her car was veering to the left. not ‘til
it was too late for anything to be done.
adaline grabbed at the wheel desperately, turning it sharply to the right, which only
made things worse. any traction the vehicle had was l o s t, and it went tumbling right
into a body of water. her body was slammed against the wheel, the door, the seat, the
ceiling, and then it went still, aside from ragged breaths that lifted her chest. all she
could register was the cold and the pain, but they were the same, and they were
invading her very BONES. if the water weren’t practically frozen, she could get out,
but she could no longer feel her limbs---and she was so very tired.
tears slipped from the corners of bruised eyes as they closed, lost in the water around
her. and now all she could register was darkness, warm darkness, which was greeted
as if it were an old friend with a kiss on the cheek and a brief prayer for it to stay.