Probably Wouldn't Be This Way by autumn_romance
Summary: His life had been changed drastically, when he lost the love of his life. With a turn of events, in the place he would least expect it; he meets a little girl who will change it all. More than he could imagine possible.
Rating: PG-13
Categories: Short Stories
Characters: Justin Timberlake
Genres: Drama, Mystery, Angst
Warnings: violence/death, adult language
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 11/07/05
Updated: 11/07/05
Probably Wouldn't Be This Way by autumn_romance
Chapter 1: The Nightmare
Author's Notes: In the late hours of the night, you’re on your way back home; the rain is pouring down hard like bullets on the windshield, making it harder for you to steer through the turns of the slippery black road. There seems to be no one else on the route, reminding you of that scene from Urban Legends. The perspiration forms a thin coat over your skin, as you check the rearview mirror.
With slick hands, you turn the wheel, trying your best to make out the road’s shape. To clam your nerves, you glance at the wedding band on your left hand, and feel even more anxious to get home. Forty feet away are signs that are blocking the way, directing you to go in the opposite direction. You almost make a u-turn, for you have never taken that way home before.
But you figure you’d give it a shot. You sit in silence as your wheels swoosh through the puddles forming on the gravel. You guide your car steadily onto the road, your eyes barely making out the area. Panic runs through your veins as you realize you’re driving up a rocky hill with no side railing.
You mentally prepare yourself, making sure to stay calm because with one false move, it may be the end. Surprisingly, you make it through the task and are now driving along a road surrounded by tall pine trees on either side. You turn on the stereo and smile humbly when my voice begins to fill the car.
Tapping your fingers along to the song, you loosen up. You turn the corner, knowing home is only a matter of minutes away. Your right hand reaches at the bottom of your seat, grabbing a water bottle. You place it between your legs, trying to untwist the cap with one hand. For a few brief seconds you let the wheel go to attend to it. Finally, you get it opened, but when your eyes focus back on the road, you let out a shriek of horror. There’s something or someone, in the middle of the road.
You push down hard on the brake and try to get a steady grip on the steering wheel, trying to avoid the object. The visions in front of you whirling around wildly, as you thrash about at a high speed. You try to stop, but the road is much too wet, making your car flip over to the side as your tires make a chilling screech.
With a hard thud, your body slams uncontrollably against the thick glass of your window. Your body is in such pain when you try to move, so you try to stay in place. Opening your eyes, you can see the blood splashed across the shattered glass in front of you. Every bone in your body feels broken, but desperate to call for help, you try to find your cell phone. You kick your feet about, letting out agonizing cries as you try to find it.
Unsuccessfully, you try to use your arms to help release you from your seatbelt. But it’s no use. You can’t move.
“Help! Somebody help me please!” You cry out loud, hoping to be heard over the vicious roar of rain drops. The tears stream down your face, as you grasp the fact no one is there. “Oh God, please help me.”
The window on the passenger’s side is cracked open, and the water is beginning to collect on your side. Fearing that your paralyzed body won’t be able to make it out before the water drowns you; you painfully wiggle in your seat, trying to sit up. But the strain of your damp clothes is weighing you down.
“No! No!” You shout loudly, praying for a miracle. The water has already reached your nostrils, and although you try to catch a breath, your injured neck won’t allow you to. Slowly, you feel your body giving up, with short shallow breaths your eyes tiredly close.
Then like a miracle, the glass of your windshield is completely destroyed, releasing the water like a broken dam. You cough repeatedly, trying to steady your breathing. You feel someone’s hands touch your neck, checking for a pulse. Wearily opening your eyes, you can barely make out the person’s face.
“Ma’am? Can you hear me? Ma’am?” The person says. From the deep voice, you can tell it’s a man. He holds up a small flashlight to your face, examining the cuts and slashes.
You lift your head for a second, seeing a white car with some sort of writing on it parked right behind him.
“Can you move anything?” He asks you.
You reply with raspy, “No. I can’t feel anything.”
“I’ll get you out, don’t worry,” he says, disappearing from your side for a moment. When he returns, he breaks a few jagged pieces of glass away, making sure there’s enough space for him to help you get out.
You feel his strong arms wrap around your torso, trying to be as gentle as possible.
You cry out in pain as he tries to slowly lift you out.
“C’mon,” he says, “try to lean on me.”
You shift your weight onto him as best as you can, limply hanging halfway out of the car. You wrap your arms over his back, as he says some things you can’t make out.
“There you go,” he says, “c’mon we can do this. You’ll be fine.”
You try to push upward to help him out a little. You look all around you, seeing the damage that has been done and thank God you’re alive.
Suddenly, fifty feet away, a shining object is coming your way. Thinking you are being delirious, you rub your eyes. But when you reopen them, the bright lights seem to be getting closer.
“T-t-there’s something there! It’s, it’s coming this way!” You tell the man.
He lifts his head, and with wide eyes he tries to wave his arms. “Hey! Look out!” But the driver doesn’t seem to notice.
“Oh my God! It’s not stopping!” You say, clutching tightly to the stranger.
He pulls on you harder, laying your back on his arms. Shaking your legs, he says, “You’re stuck!”
“What?” You question, trying to pull your leg out. Sure enough, your seatbelt is wrapped around your ankle.
“Dammit!” The man exclaims, reaching back down to free you.
“Hurry, hurry!” You tell him, the car only twenty feet away.
“I’m trying!” he says, tugging violently at the strap.
“Oh my God!” You scream, shutting your eyes tightly, as the sound of screeching tires echoes through the night.
Then, everything goes black.
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