“Yea, I’m with ya, Jac. I’m getting a bad vibe,” Jen added
Lilly felt the same way; something was wrong. They needed to leave but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the store open. She turned back to Lisa and told her to politely tell the customers there had been an emergency and that the store needed to close, and then asked her to lock up.
As they all got back into the car, Jacque couldn’t stop the chill that ran through her body. She was blocking her thoughts from Fane and even trying to block her emotions because she knew if he thought she was even in the tiniest danger, or that there was even a potential for danger, he would come flying to the rescue and she didn’t feel like the situation was that dire.
As Lilly began to pull away from the curb, Jacque asked, “So mom, what do you think that was about?”
“I’m not really sure. Jeff has always seemed honest. I don’t understand why he would lie about an irate customer,” Lilly answered.
“Maybe he’s one of those disgruntled employees who’s gotten his panties all in a twist because he didn’t get that raise he wanted. Or maybe he’s got one of those problems where you hallucinate and see things that aren’t there. Or maybe he’s on crack so he’s hallucinating and seeing things that aren’t there, or hmphmm -” Before Jen could continue, Sally slapped a hand over Jen’s mouth.
“We really need to work on that whole brain, mouth filter, Jen,” Sally said morosely.
“Hmm hmm hmming” Jen grunted around Sally’s hand.
“Yes, yes, we know you're just saying,” Jacque translated for her.
“Well, whatever his panties are in a twist about, as Jen so eloquently put it, they just became the least of his problems considering he lied to me and then left in the middle of his shift.” Lilly pinched her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose. It was times like these that owning her own business seemed like the least brilliant of all her bright ideas.
Jacque was looking at her mom, seeing the tiredness seeping into her like water searching for cracks in a foundation when she heard Jen whistle.
“Check out that tall drink of somin, somin.”
All of a sudden Jacque heard a huge bang. Lilly began to swerve. She jerked the steering wheel to the right to compensate but it was too hard. The SUV began to spin and as they hit the ditch on the side of the road, the car began to roll. Over and over it rolled like a barrel down a hill until it finally came to an abrupt stop, landing upside down with its wheels in the air. Jacque was screaming, hell, they were all screaming. She could feel the passenger side door crush into her side, the side of the front dash slammed into her leg and she felt a bone shattering crunch shoot up her leg and the seat belt was like a noose across her neck. She was so confused she didn’t understand what had happened. Finally the rolling stopped and as the car came to a jarring halt Jacque felt her head hit the side glass window and then it was quiet.
For a few moments it was eerily quiet except for the rapidly growing fire crackling in the air, smoke rising like a beacon declaring their crash site to all around. Finally Sally groaned and began to try to move. She shifted her legs, experimenting to make sure she was still intact.
“Everyone okay?” It was she who spoke first.
“If by okay you mean are my ears ringing out of my head, is my leg all scrapped to hell, did my seat belt cut a gash in my neck, and did our stinking car just do the tango down the side of a ditch, then yes Sally, we are okay,” Jen answered.
When Jen didn’t hear Jacque respond with a snarky come back she knew something was seriously wrong.
“Jacque, are you with us?” Jen asked. There was still no answer.
Then Sally spoke up. “Ms. Pierce, are you okay?”
“I hit my head pretty hard but otherwise I'm good,” Lilly answered. She looked over at Jacque in the passenger seat and saw that she was unconscious, very pale and had blood trickling down her face. Lilly sucked in a deep breath and let it out slow as she reached over, hand shaking, to check for a pulse and although she could feel one she didn’t think it was as strong as it should be.
Just then they all jumped as a loud popping sound erupted, drawing their attention to the front of the car. The engine was on fire and the flames seemed to be growing hotter and getting taller.
“Ok, so I’m thinking that’s not a good thing,” Jen said, her voice quivering despite her resolve to hold it together.
“Jen, I must say your powers of observation astound me,” Sally said dryly.
“Dammit girls, neither of you are helping with the smart ass remarks,” Lilly growled, which was completely out of character for her. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for,” she told them.
“It’s okay Ms. P. Not many of us handle being burned alive very well, it’s a little traumatic,” Jen said, trying to lighten the mood, “Okay, here is what we are going to do.” Jen started taking charge, realizing that Lilly was going into shock and Sally was, well, being Sally. “Ms. P, I need you to get your seat belt off and crawl to the back seat to climb out because the fire is going to keep you from climbing out the front. Sally, you need to get your seat belt off as well and crawl out your window. I’m going to crawl to the front next to Jacque and help get her turned so we can slide her out of her window. Sally I need you to go around and pull her from the outside.”
“But what about the fire? We will get burned. How will we slide her? What if her neck is broken? You aren’t supposed to move someone who might have a spinal injury. What, OWWW HOLY CRAP! What was that for, you psycho cow?” Sally screamed as she placed a hand across the cheek Jen had just slapped.
“GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, MAN! Do what I tell you. We can’t worry about her spine because it won’t matter if she burns to death, dammit!” Jen yelled, snapping Sally out of her spaz attack.
“Okay, okay. I’m good. I just needed a minute to lose it but I’m good now,” Sally said as she began to climb out the passenger side window. Lilly was also making her way to the back seat to climb out the window. She didn’t say anything, she was moving on auto pilot, numb from shock. Once Sally and Lilly had made it out and Sally was going around the back of the SUV, Jen began to climb to the front of the vehicle.
“Jacque babe, you with me?” Jen asked gently, pushing Jacque’s fallen hair from her face. Jacque didn’t respond. “Okay, chickadee, here is what’s going to happen.” Jen was talking to Jacque as if she were conscious because it was the only way she could keep from falling apart. She couldn’t believe this was happening, couldn’t believe that her spunky friend was lying limp, all spark gone out of her. “I’m going to grab you under your arms and turn you so your legs are facing the passenger window, then Sally is going to grab your legs and help me drag your ass out of this royally screwed SUV. Do you hear me, Jacque? You have to be okay, you have to be because someone has to argue with me, and tell me when I’m being a pervert. Jacque, Fane will go crazy without you and we both know how much damage a crazy ass werewolf can do.” Jen continued to talk out loud to Jacque as she began to reach around her, sliding her right hand behind her back and underneath her right armpit. She then slid her left arm under Jacque’s left armpit, and bracing her back against the side of the driver’s seat to gain leverage, she lifted and began to turn Jacque’s body. “Holy crap, your little frame is deceiving, hoss. Did you hear that, Jacque? I basically just called you a fat ass, so wake up and chew me out already!” There was nothing but silence to answer Jen’s monologue. Sally was trying to get close enough to grab Jacque's legs but the flames from the engine kept jumping out. Sally almost felt like they were alive and determined to keep her friends trapped in the burning tomb.
“Jen, what do I do? The flames are going to burn all of us if we pull her out,” Sally yelled over the roaring fire.