Page 39 - Contrast2008

JdLcqYhrisieveitrnhfgouull' nwhthhen hefirst1yn. Pete was cold road, taking in her form, trying to remem-
e opp osi.te me.t oce ber .what to do, what not to move. He gently
diirecu.on, in many ways. straIghtened her body so she was sitting back

loud In ~ ts were dark as usual, filled with the against the seat, and her eyes Buttered as she
began to moan. The noise frightened Pete and
the receUnSICfipuhmppi ~ng through his small car and resembled a wounded, terrified animal.
he wouldt g t with his father. He was scared

StthhP.oISeudrgndhotnstnhnwo,etHreheavfwleeaesetnl.nhogoupgeah1nedmssoandneedyspertreoactkeml.easkseA. srHehniset "It's okay," he said, his voice surprisingly
soothing and calm. "I'm right here with you,"
Ieafy trown the wm. dmi g road framed with tall, he put his hand on her warm shoulder, check-
ing for bleeding around her neck and head.
The woeeIsd, not a' smg 1e thmi g was a joy to him. He saw none, but her shirt was dribbled in
co 1o1r ess and empty. And that's blood. Her face was red and swelling, and she
when hirwhas

lLlronda ISb e.art stoppe d , as he saw a small black was groaning. "It's okay," he said again, soft-

cornplet Iuned .in a diitcnh, crumpled into itself. ly into the car. "I'm Pete, I don't think we've

srnoke e'y: With the windshield shattered and met before." He paused

frorn hnsmg dutifully and suppressed the urge

recti atehen' gme. Di- He described to her the line of to shudder. "You're a
beautiful young lady,"
WasY ead to his right skyscrapers in New York City and he told her. Her moans
were smaller noW, and
With a blue mi"nt-van how touching notes are when soft. He inhaled deeply.
lslowl an ld woman ' played softly on a piano .... But
er
0

self entangling her-

Pete rosml th e front seat. mostly he told her it would be okay. "You have the prettiest
brak ammed on his brown hair," he said,

the reos dand squealed off studying the pile of disheveled curls. "I'm not

shoul~ , PHu~lingbeside the mini-van onto the going to move you because Ithink it may hurt

hI'S handr. IS heart was wrestling in his chest, a little. So let's just sit like this for a bit," he

ran to th s pum pm. g up and down wildly as he spoke calmly, and his gentle words eased her

under a se woman's side. ''I'm fine," she said, in mind from the blackness of extreme pain.

the road ec"oPnd .mouo..nmg to the Honda across They sat together like that for years it
seemed. He told her all about his father and
"There w. lease,"hs e pleaded in a thin voice.

ttoI, and aIsagirld" nvmg that car, she lost con- mother and his baby sister. He talked (0 her

" swerved" about his apartment and the beautiful view
outside the window, of a lone tree with a bird's
sutprisCedall 9-h1-1 ',,' Pete yelled at the woman, nest. He told her anything beautiful that he
could grasp, and suddenly, in the face of losing
W'Ith his aht t e rise m. hiIS voice, as he fumbled all that the world held, it seemed (0 be the most
extraordinary of places. He talked about the
t. A C~l;~: and threw it into her hands.

bhlck and ead swept through Pete's body,

efore r u~easy. Pete did not look both ways

thoInk twuonnm g across the street. He did not sound all babies make when they're born and
the way their fat bodies tumble. He described
a' girl, heIcebwh en h e saw the depleted shape of- to her the line of skyscrapers in New York City
and how touching notes are when played softly
and lYingr od y contorted in unnatural ways on a piano. He told her about the sensation of
diving into cool water on a warm day and soft
"B 1across her steeeerning w h eer1.

ien aso the0dy shi t," h e prayed, he wrenched

P ease be al~or. Please be alive, please be alive,

lve . H e san k beside the seat on the