by Louise Guy
The Audi gripped the corners as it glided up the hill. Leah noticed the headlights of another car in her rear vision mirror. Were they guests of Nicola too?
She contemplated pulling over and letting the car pass, but when the road got windier, it dropped back to a comfortable distance behind them.
It wasn’t long before they started to descend, the road even windier going down.
‘Not feeling sick, are you?’ Eve asked.
Leah was, but it had nothing to do with the winding road. Her life was at such a difficult place. She couldn’t see a way out, either. Sure, she’d get over Grant and what he’d done, that would take time, but her career was a huge thing for her.
She couldn’t believe Fitzy would go to the extreme of calling their competitors. The whole thing had her blood boiling.
‘Leah?’
She glanced across at Eve, who was now staring at her.
‘You okay?’ her sister asked.
There was no chance to respond. Her eyes refocused on the road, but it was too late.
“Shit! Watch out!” Eve grabbed the steering wheel and the car swerved, skidding sideways as a kangaroo flashed in front of them.
Leah’s heart was in her throat. The car was moving completely out of her control.
If they’d been on a flat piece of road, they would’ve stopped on the embankment, but they weren’t. They were on a corner, a corner with an already broken barrier.
The Audi spun until it faced backward and it smashed through the guardrail, then was rolling in seconds.
Leah was stunned. Something hit against her side and a powder filled her lungs and the surrounding air. She heard screaming. She closed her mouth and the screaming stopped.
Her hands remained gripped to the steering wheel. Her seat belt had her pinned in the seat, as did the side airbag when it had hit her. Metal crunched as the car continued to roll. It wasn’t slowing.
‘We need to get out.’ Eve’s voice was verging on hysteria. ‘There’s a huge lake at the bottom.’
Her twin had released her seat belt before Leah could even consider whether it was a good idea.
She heard a sickening crunch as her sister immediately slammed into the roof and the windscreen when the car rolled again.
What the hell was she thinking? She tried to reach her but Eve was being thrown about the cabin like a puppet.
Another sickening crunch, and the car came to an abrupt stop, leaving Leah feeling like she’d been punched in the face. She sat speechless. The front airbags had deployed when they’d hit the tree, explaining the punch to her face and head.
Leaves and sticks were poking through the shattered windscreen. She coughed, her chest burning. The air was thick with powder.
Eve was crushed into her left side pinning Leah’s left arm.
‘Eve?’ The word came out a croak.
Her sister groaned.
She closed her eyes with relief. Somehow, she couldn’t even begin to imagine how, they were both alive. She opened her eyes. She needed to do something.
They needed to get out of the car and get help. Thank God for the car behind them. Surely they would stop or call for help?
Her eyes had begun adjusting to the dark. The moon filtered through the trees, providing a little light. If they could get out of the car they’d be able to use their phones for light.
Leah pushed her sister gently back into the passenger seat. The roof was so crushed that Eve, even hunched over, barely fit. She prayed she’d be able to get the door open and help her sister out.
‘Eve, are you okay?’ she asked.
Her twin managed another noise. It was a strange sound, like she was trying to get air but couldn’t breathe properly.
Leah’s heart thudded as the light filtering through the windscreen revealed Eve’s face. One eye was swollen shut, the other barely open. There was so much blood. It covered her chest and her arms.
They needed help, and quickly.
With a shaking hand, she managed to unbuckle her seat belt. ‘Don’t worry, Eve, we’ll be fine. I’ll get you out and then we’ll get help.’
She pushed at her door. It took five attempts. Agony rippled through her body and she had to use all her weight against it to push.
It finally opened.
Leah stepped out onto the uneven ground and stumbled. The front of the vehicle was locked firmly with the tree they’d hit.
She heard a male’s voice calling from the road above.
A mild feeling of relief washed over her. She could barely make out his words. He’d called the emergency services.
Help was coming.
She steadied herself before edging around the back of the car to the passenger side.
Her sister’s door was smashed in, as hers had been, and was nearly impossible to open. Her left arm was no help. It throbbed, and she was unable to put weight on it.
She used her right arm and pried the door open a few centimetres. She tugged again only moving it a few more. She leaned against the side of the car and wedged her foot in through the gap of the slightly open door. Leah pushed again and again until finally it swung open.
Eve was hunched over the centre console when she got to her. Indecision regarding moving her or not rushed over Leah, but there was a lot of blood and she needed to stop that if nothing else.
She found the lever for the passenger seat and reclined it before gently pulling her twin back into the seat. Her foot, now inside the car, bumped against something. She could make out the shape of her bag.
Leah retrieved it from the floor. She opened it, hands still trembling and took out her phone. She quickly turned it on and switched on the torch function. Light filled the vehicle.
She gasped at the amount of blood that covered the once-beige seats. They were saturated. She turned the torch on Eve. The seats weren’t the only thing covered. She gently pushed her sister’s hair away from her face.
Eve was barely recognisable. Blood was oozing from a slash on her forehead and a piece of mirror was wedged in the side of her neck. Blood streamed from each side.
She needed to stop the bleeding immediately. Sirens sounded from a distance. Thank God. She’d been worried it would take ages for anyone to respond since they were so far from civilisation.
‘We’re going to be okay, Eve,’ Leah said. ‘I can hear an ambulance. They’ll be here any minute. In the meantime, I’m going to find something to stop the bleeding.’
‘Lee?’ Her nickname was barely a whisper. Her sister’s eyes remained closed. Her body unmoving.
She took her hand, her own shaking uncontrollably. ‘It’s okay, I’m here. We need to get you fixed up. You’re not looking your best.’ She tried to smile. Tried to make Eve think everything would be okay.
‘Lee.’
Leah had to move her head up to Eve’s mouth to hear her speak.
‘Tell Sean I love him and the girls.’ A tear mixed with the blood rolled down her sister’s cheek. ‘Please look after the girls for me. Become like a mum to them. They love you more than anything.’
She squeezed her hand. ‘Of course I’ll look after them, but only while you get better. You’re going to be fine. I can hear the ambulance even closer now.’
‘Promise me, Lee. Promise you’ll be a mum to them.’
‘Of course, I promise. I’d do anything for those girls.’
Eve’s hand relaxed in her grip.
‘We need to concentrate on you now. You need to stay with me, okay?’
Her sister didn’t respond. Her chest rose and fell with small breaths.
Leah let go of her hand and hunted for something to stop the bleeding. She found tissues and managed to bunch them on either side of the piece of mirror protruding from Eve’s neck.
They were soaked within seconds. She took more and applied pressure to the spot. She was too scared to remove the mirror; it appeared to be lodged deep.
She willed help to hurry. The sirens were now on the hill somewhere above them.
‘It’s okay, Eve. They’re almost to us. You need to hang on.’
‘Love you, Lee-Lee,’ she managed. Her words were slow, slurred.
‘I love you, too,’ Leah said, fear evident to her own ears. 'Just hold on. Don’t you even think of leaving us.’
‘Sorry.’ Her sister whispered the last word before her head tilted to one side.
Leah looked down at Eve’s chest, willing the rhythmic rise and fall to be there.
It wasn’t.
She shook her sister. ‘Eve? Come on, wake up.’ Blood gushed from the cut the moment she moved her fingers from it. She pushed the tissues back around it, her own heart pounding while she tried to figure out what to do.
She needed to do CPR but how did she do that and stem the blood at the same time?
Leah had to act, it was Eve’s only chance. Her breathing was a priority now. She willed her not to bleed to death while she tried.
She pushed her twin back in the chair. Her arm was likely broken, and the confines of the crunched Audi would be a challenge, but she had to try.
Leah checked Eve’s mouth to ensure it was clear. She bit her bottom lip and placed both hands on her sister’s chest, then started compressions.
White-hot pain exploded through her arm. She counted to thirty, and leaned forward to breathe two breaths into Eve’s mouth. Then she resumed the compressions.
Blood continued to pour down Eve’s neck as Leah continued CPR. She was sweating. The pain in both her arm and heart were almost unbearable.
She knelt in a pool of her sister’s blood trying to bring her back to life. Tears poured down Leah’s face as she continued. Where was help?
The sirens had quietened.
She continued, her concentration only broken when she heard the crashing of bushes and trees and voices.
A strong light hit the car. The paramedics were here.
Eve had a chance.
‘Over here,’ a deep male voice called.
Leah continued the compressions, but was aware of the commotion and footsteps around her. She leant across to give Eve another breath.
Someone was now standing at the door.
‘I’ll take over,’ the man said. ‘You’ve done an amazing job.’
He helped her out of the car and resumed CPR, yelling instructions to the other paramedics around him.
A strong arm went around Leah and moved her behind the car. ‘It’s all right, help’s here now. How many of you were travelling in the car?’ The man spoke gently.
Leah managed a whisper. ‘Two. Me and my sister.’ Tears spilled down her cheeks.
The paramedic put down his medical bag and opened it. ‘Your sister is in good hands. We need to look after you. The others will help her.’
She nodded. There’d been so much blood. Whether the CPR had an effect or not, she wasn’t sure. The blood loss, surely that was too much? She was unable to speak.
‘I’m Gary.’ The paramedic pulled on plastic gloves. ‘What’s your name?’
Leah hardly listened to him. Her eyes were locked on the car. Maybe there was hope. Maybe they could do something for Eve. ‘Eve, oh Eve.’ She buried her head in her hands.
Gary rubbed her shoulder. ‘Eve, I need to help you. I know this is terrifying but we need to treat your injuries.’
She didn’t bother to correct him. She didn’t have the energy to say anything more. She sat on a foil blanket he’d produced and he examined her. She could hear other voices talking about Eve, moving her from the car.
‘We’ll need to get you to the hospital,’ Gary said. ‘You’ve got a nasty cut and bump on your head and your left arm’s definitely broken. How on earth you were able to perform CPR with that is a miracle. It must’ve been agony.’
Tears ran down Leah’s face. It had been. In more ways than one. If only it saved Eve. She would’ve done it with two broken arms if necessary.
‘We’re going to carry you out of here. The boys will prepare a stretcher and we’ll get you up to the ambulance.’ Gary was still talking.
She started to nod, then stopped. Her head throbbed. It was better not to move it. She could hear the others talking, their voices low. She closed her eyes as she made out some of their comments.
‘No pupil response.’
‘No pulse.’
The cold night air rushed at her. Bile rose in her throat.
Eve was going to die.
They hadn’t said it outright, but she’d known it in her own heart the moment her sister had told her to look after her girls, to be a mum to them.
She leant over to one side and emptied the contents of her stomach.
Gary was immediately by her side.
‘It’s okay, Eve,’ he said. ‘We’re nearly ready to lift you out of here.’ He was holding her head, shining a small torch in her eyes. ‘Can you hear me?’
‘Yes.’ Her voice was a whisper. ‘My sister. Is she—’
Compassion filled Gary’s eyes. ‘We’re doing everything for her. The boys have her out of the car and are preparing to carry her out as well. She has extensive injuries, but she has a chance.’
A chance.
Leah didn’t feel any hope at those words. Eve had left her already. She could feel it. Part of her was empty.
Harriet and Ava.
She bent over. Tears streamed down her face as giant sobs wracked her body. Those poor, poor little girls. Her heart tore recalling their innocent young faces.
Leah would have to be the one to tell them. She needed to hold them, comfort them. Pain throbbed in her head.
Eve’s death. Her parents would be devastated. So would Sean. It was all wrong; it should’ve been the other way around.
Eve’s life was too full, too busy to leave it so early. It should’ve been her who died, not her sister.
What did Leah have going for her? Nothing. No husband, no children, no future in her career. Eve had so much to live for and so many people relying on her.
A stretcher had been placed on the ground beside her.
‘We’re going to lift you onto this now,’ Gary was saying. ‘Eve, do you understand?’
Leah couldn’t muster any more strength to communicate. She wanted to lie down and sleep. Pray this was all a nightmare she would wake from. She let her eyes close.
A hand touched her face. ‘Try to keep your eyes open.’ The paramedic’s gentle tone made her jolt. ‘We need you to stay awake.’
She shook herself as Gary and another of the paramedics helped her onto the stretcher. She couldn’t afford to sleep now. She had a huge lump on her head. She might have concussion or something worse.
Leah tried to focus her attention on something else but all that filled her mind was Eve’s bruised and bloody face followed by Ava and Harriet. She couldn’t move past these images and the knowledge there was absolutely nothing she could do to make this better for them.
If it hadn’t been for her throbbing head and arm, Leah might’ve remained completely unaware while the paramedics prepared her for the stretcher and lifted her and began the trek back up to the road. Her neck was in a brace, her arm in an inflatable splint, her body covered with a blanket and strapped in numerous places to the stretcher.
Gary told her she needed to respond to his questions with a basic yes or no, so they could gauge how she was doing.
She did her best to spit the word out when necessary.
They continued to call her Eve. She’d need to correct them when she could muster up the strength to mutter more than one word.
They reached the road as a fire engine came to a stop.
A shudder wracked Leah’s body. Fire. Thank goodness the car hadn’t caught on fire.
She closed her eyes as the bright lights of the ambulance infiltrated them.
A female paramedic was inside the ambulance. Her voice was friendly and soothing. ‘Eve, we’re going to transport you now to the emergency department at Dandenong hospital. They’ll look after you and contact your family.’
/>
Tears streamed down her face. She opened her eyes and stared into the woman’s kind eyes. She managed to spit out the word, ‘sister.’
Compassion filled the woman’s eyes. She took Leah’s hand and squeezed it. ‘Your sister is the passenger in the car?’
‘Yes.’
‘The boys are doing everything possible for her, Eve. There’ll be more news once we reach the hospital.’
Leah closed her eyes as the doors of the ambulance were shut and the vehicle began to move. She wished they’d given her something to knock her out. Remove her from this nightmare.
Eve was already gone. It was hardly a comfort knowing that once she reached the hospital her family would be contacted. The grief they were about to encounter would be unbearable.
Bright lights and noise greeted Leah as she was wheeled from the ambulance into the emergency department of Dandenong hospital.
They bypassed the waiting area and went straight into a consulting room where they were met by a doctor.
‘Eve, I’m Doctor Logan.’
The middle-aged man smiling at her reminded Leah of Sean. He had the same caring eyes and dimples that made him look a lot younger than he probably was.
‘We’ll run a few tests and make sure everything is okay, then we’ll have a chat. Your family will also be contacted. Okay?’
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
He squeezed her right hand and gave instructions to two nurses.
The next hour and a half saw Leah undergo a CT scan, a number of other tests and her arm was set in plaster. Her costume was cut off, and the nurses bathed her and put her in a hospital gown.
Her body was sore, particularly across her chest and the side of her head. One of the nurses had explained that the seat belt had caused the chest pain and the side airbag the pain to her side and head.
Once Leah had been cleaned up, the doctor returned.
