2. Phone Call

Trey
February 9th, 2013
1:19 a.m.

RIIING…RIIING. The shrill unexpected ring cut into the silence of Trey’s apartment. His slate grey cell phone vibrated wildly on the nightstand as it blinked red and continued its chorus. Trey had been slumped over on his stomach while sleeping, and he now rolled over to turn off his phone. He silenced it, and rolled back into his former languorous slumber.

RIIING….RIIING. The phone awoke Trey again, much to his annoyance. It is the middle of the night…who the heck is calling me? But he left his phone unanswered as he drifted back to his dreams.

RIIIING…RIIIIING. The stubborn phone sang and blinked at Trey again, more persistently this time. It vibrated on his nightstand a bit too enthusiastically, and it fell to the floor with a soft thud and another loud “RIIING”.

Are you serious?!

Trey got out of his covers this time, and flipped on his lamp. The bright yellow beam from the lamp pieced the darkness of the room and illuminated Trey’s phone below him. It had fallen under the bed.

Sliding out of the warm covers onto the carpet, Trey hunched over and grabbed his phone. This time, he looked to see who was calling him, and saw that it was an old friend.

“Hello?” Trey answered groggily.

“Hey, I know it’s been awhile, but there’s been an accident. It’s Natalie…” the voice continued to explain, but Trey had ceased to comprehend.

His mind went blank.

Pure horror and downright shock took its toll on Trey’s bodily systems. The pace of his breathing quickened, until he was practically hyperventilating. His heartbeat followed suit. It began to throb wildly against his chest, threatening to burst through his now-clammy skin. Tears threatened to collect in the corners of his eyes, but he fought them back. His head began to spin, and the once-familiar sights in his room transformed into strange, blurring shapes.

No…not her…anyone but her. It must be a mistake…please, not her!

He wanted to stop right then and there; to just lie in misery on the cold floor as if it might go away, like it had never happened. And he could live the life he wanted, and this memory would be blotted out from existence.

But something prevented Trey from abandoning all hope. He shook his head to regain his thoughts. Looking down, Trey realized that he had somehow dropped the cell phone during his display of anguish. He could still hear the faint voice on the other end, continuing the conversation he did not want to hear. Shaking, Trey picked up the phone.

“… would help us a lot if you came as soon as possible down to the hospital.” The voice on the other end went on, describing the location and address of the hospital. Trey hastily scribbled the directions on the first thing he could find; an old crossword puzzle from the local newspaper.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can” Trey assured, and he hung up.

His head was swimming with all of the ifs, ands, and buts that could have made things turn out differently. Everything that had happened within the last twenty-four hours seemed like a lifetime ago. It seemed as if he had only just begun to really live, only just begun to see a reason to live.

And now this. All the hopes, opportunities, and adventures that had just been placed out in front of him vanished after one phone call. After one accident. One accident that should not have happened. One accident that wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been so stupid, so blind.

The worst possible scenarios were racing through his mind. He didn’t know what to expect. In what state would he find Natalie? Paralyzed? Lost limbs? Coma? Death?!

No, she is still alive; she has to be…I know she will make it somehow… His conscience, usually a pessimist, filled him with courage and optimism this time. He resolved that it would be best to brace himself for the second worst possibility and not give up hope completely.

With his newfound determination, Trey threw on a pair of pants and grabbed a shirt from his closet. Snatching his wallet, phone, and keys, Trey bolted out the apartment door, locking it hastily behind him. He flew down the three flights of stairs as if they had not even been there.

The tall lights in the campus parking lot illuminated the lonely cars below. Spotting his black Toyota, Trey clicked the unlock key and unhatched the door. The headlights blinked on, and he stepped into the driver’s seat.

The start of the engine broke the still of the night. Trey braced the steering wheel and sped out of his parking space. Turning onto the main road, Trey attempted to prepare himself for the painfully long drive ahead.

A/N:
Sorry to any readers who are confused by the plot, it should make more sense in the chapters to come. And thank you to those who have been reading and reviewing this!