| Violet Eyes Everything was swirling around me, going to fast to make out any shapes. I could see colors, but they were blurs, simalar to the streaks in a Van Gogh painting. There were bright flashes of light, but always this ebbing darkness. But suddenly, there was light. It came from the edges of the horizon, and crept slowly to the present. I regained my concisnous, and rolled onto my side from my back. For some reason, I was laying on the cold ground,and water was running under it, but not really laying on the ground. Something seperated me from it. My hand felt the clear plate that held me from the ground. "Glass?" I whispered in awe. And it all came back. The squealing sound, the spinning feeling, and the screams. The kids all screaming. I could smell ice and realized I was cold. I wrapped my red Ohio State Jacket around me. I could still remember looking up and smiling at the bus driver, Susan. We were talking about The Backwater Boys. I can still see our eyes in the front mirror, her brown eyes squinting as she struggled to pull us on the road. My violet eyes growing wide as I finally understood what was happening. It all took around 10 seconds, to slide for a few feet on the cold December ice, then tumble down a deep embankment. We had landed in a shallow stream, and the cold water was running underneath us. I could see it through the window. Now, I could hear a few muffled groans. I looked over myself. My stomache ached dully, but I guessed I had bruised it. Except for a few minor cuts and scrapes, I was fine. I had been sitting in the front seat, and since the bus had rolled and landed on it's side, I was laying in the steps. The door lay underneath me. I had assumed it was a window. Struggling to pull myself up, I happened to look at Susan. She was still strapped in her seat; dangling over me. I gagged . I could taste a sourness in my mouth. I hunched down to fit under her. "Susan, hey Susan. Are you alright?" I knew it was useless. Her brown eyes had a glazed look to them, and her neck, though her body was still, was rolling. People's necks don't roll. A wave of nausea over took me, and I alomost got sick. I took a few deep breaths, and hurried out from underneath of her. I could finally stand up and survey the damage. Some windows had broken out most in whole peices. Thank God for shatter proof glass. We had only had about 10 kids on the bus when we had decided to go swimming. Unforunatley no one brought a swim suit. I counted 9 kids, myself making 10. 2 lay draped over seats,like discarded towels, and the rest lay on the windows. I made my way down the aisle, checking pulses. Most were only cut up and bruised, one with a broken leg.I knew that beacuse of the bizarre 90 degree angle turning up. The shard of bone poking through his jeans tipped me off. I thanked God again he was not awake. That one would give me trouble.Everyone seemed okay, alive at least. But one was in bad shape. My heart was hammering and I was scared that more kids were hurt badly, or even dead. I didn't want to find someone and then have them die on me. " Hey, anyone .....anyone there?" a ragged voice inquired. "Here, me! Lee Van Buren. Who are you? What seat are you in?" An ominous pause. " I'm ........I'm........ Joe. Joe Moore. Seat 16." There was a cough, and I struggled over a few kids. I found him in the said seat, and I knew he wouldn't last long. He shuddered as he breathed and coughed up some blood.Joe had black hair, and a cut on his forehead exageratred the color. His face was blue, and every inch of his clothes were soaked. I noticed the window below him was broke. I had to move him, but I couldn't. "Joe, do you hurt anywhere?" I asked, trying to keep calm. My head was spinning and I was breathing hard. My hands were numb, and cold enough to freeze together. " I hurt.......everywhere." His brown eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out cold. I muttered a low curse. Taking off my jacket, I manuevered around as to cover him up as best I could. I mean, I couldn't let him die of hypothermia. There was only one thing I could do. Get help. No one else could. The front window was under Susan, and there was no way I was going there. I looked back at the thought of her, and saw that little radio thing she talked to people to . I ran from Joe's seat to the front seat. I squatted under her and lifted the voice peice to my mouth. Pushing the talk button, I relized it was a fruitless effort. The line that connected it to the big box was ripped off. Another curse made it's way from my mouth. I looked around at all the kids who might die because I couldn't find a way to get help. My eyes rested upon the emergency door. An idea popped into my head. I then ran as hard as I could at the door. It didn't budge. I galloped back to the front of the bus and rammed myself into the door again.I did my run-slam-run plan, and after popping my shoulder a couple of times, it swung open with a great effort. "Hmmmmm, defacing school property, not cool." I tried to keep optimistic. There was a tall blonde haired girl laying beside the door.Her bright purple jacket was brillaint against the gray wall and water running under us. I leaned down to her. Her breathing was steady. Running my hands on her spine, I could feel her back was intact. I gripped one of her arms, and jerked her up. Even though she wasn't awake, she grunted.With her arms around my shoulders, I did a backpack drag with her out the back door. We made it to about twenty feet away from the bus and I dropped her gently on the ground. As I was coming back and had one foot out and one in, I smelled something you don't want to smell in a wrecked bus. My first thought was a bonfire, but who in their right mind would be having a bonfire in December? I looked around and from the windsheild I could see smoke was slithering out from under the hood. It curled evily upward and then disapeared. I spun around and headed back to get someone else. As I was headed back to the giant deathtrap, I heard someone's foot steps crunching over the icey snow behind me Next Page Home Froggy Molly Sunny |