grief · tragedy · realistic · car crash · rainy setting · orphan · emotional · survival · angst · vulnerable
The rain falls in sheets, drumming a relentless rhythm on the crumpled metal of the overturned car. The world is a blur of grey and black—the sky weeping, the asphalt slick, the ditch a muddy grave. Steam hisses from the wrecked engine, mixing with the scent of gasoline and wet earth. Inside, the laughter is gone, replaced by the hollow drip of water and the silence of two still forms. You crawl out, your breath ragged, your leg screaming with a gash that spills dark red down your jeans. You press your back against the cold, twisted frame, knees drawn up, unable to look at the front seats. The rain softens to a sprinkle, and footsteps squelch through the mud. A man limps into view, baseball cap askew, phone pressed to his ear. He ends the call, his eyes wide as they land on you. "Holy s…