helpless

I hear the unmistakable sound of screeching brakes
I look up just in time to see the cars collide and ricochet off each other
I hear the breaking of glass, the crunching of metal
I drop my bag on the ground
I run
My heart is beating louder than the sound my feet make as they hit the pavement
thud thud thud
I'm getting closer, the car looks oddly familiar
I can see smoke rising from the hood
thud thud thud
Logic tells me someone should be out of the car by now
Almost there
Why is no one moving?
Time has stopped...I'm here
There is an eerie silence
I walk cautiously to the car
The face of the driver is turned facing me
My friend
The window is cracked
And there is what my mind tells me must be blood slowly sliding down your face
Your eyes are closed and if the blood weren’t there you could be sleeping
I bang on the window, stupid it may be but I need you to wake up, to tell me how this happened, to tell me you're okay
Why aren't you moving?
I open the car door, but it slips out of my hands and almost slams closed, only then do I realize it's dented, twisted metal
I try again and manage a gap big enough to lean into
I hear myself screaming your name
Why am I screaming?
I reach over you and unbuckle your seat belt
Thank God, your chest is rising and falling...but
why aren't you waking up?
The airbag is in my way, I push it aside
I grab your arms and shake you
Why aren’t you moving?
My cell phone is in my hand, I dial the number
I don’t need to calm down, I'm fine
No, I don't know the nearest crosstreet
Why is my name important?
Please come, please
My friend really needs help
Please wake up
Your chest has stopped moving up and down
There’s so much blood
I don't know what to do
There is still the mustard stain on your shirt from lunch
The other cars slowly creep by
Someone stops to help but can only stare
I’m sitting on the pavement holding your hands
I cant stop my tears
Why wont someone come?
Why is there so much blood?
There must be something I can do
And then it comes, softly at first but the wailing grows louder
A hand lifting me off the floor
I'm sitting on the curb, someone is asking me questions I cannot answer
A blur of activity
An ambulance
A stretcher
Why aren’t they moving faster?
A big black bag
Why?
Oh God!
What are they doing? This cant be right.
Now the wailing is louder only...it's coming from me.