Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 01:29:01 -0500 From: Lisa Wolters Subject: Act II (1/1) Short piece Inspired by a very weird, very scary and ultimately very lucky thing that happened last week to someone I know. Let me know what you think! Act II (1/1) by L.A. Wolters (MVRJasper@aol.com) Natalie drove back ahead of schedule. The visit hadn't taken all the time she allotted for it when she'd left work for the day, and now that she had her answer, she didn't know what to do: Ambush Nick at the station, or wait until they were alone? A smile crossed her lips. The ambush approach would be much fun in a room full of cops...and he was so adorable with that "stunned deer in headlights" look. He'd worn that look a lot lately... She squinted as the freeway curved around toward the sunset. She absently flipped the visor down and reached over to turn on the Caddy's a.m. radio. As she moved, the seatbelt became more snug across her stomach. Her smile widened and dimpled at the sensation, and a contented sigh passed her lips. No need to decide right now. She'd figure it out when she got to the station, how to put it into words without shouting it from the rooftops. Natalie settled for cruising in the fast lane, urging the Caddy over the speed limit since its Daddy wasn't there to cringe. She alternately belted oldies along with the groups on the radio and chuckled at the cornball jokes cracked by the commute shift DJ on CERK. Natalie blinked again at the sunset's sharp rays. With all of those reds and purples on the horizon, tomorrow was bound to be even prettier than today... With one hand on the wheel, she leaned as far across the passenger side as her seatbelt allowed, opened the glove compartment, and pulled out her sunglasses. And that was when it all went black. Smoke and intense heat. The smoke filled her lungs, but try as she might to cough, nothing happened. Someone was holding her, turning her head gently this way and that, palpating her body with gentle, cool hands as if checking her for injury. That somebody lifted her eyelid carefully and Natalie licked her lips, murmuring, "'M okay..." Through that one lifted eyelid, she caught a shimmering glimpse of a woman with dark hair like her own, and wide, deep eyes. Natalie felt herself being lifted, and after a brief rush of air, being laid back down on the grass. So cool, so comforting... So easy to block out the loud boom and the crackling from somewhere behind her. "Who are you?" Natalie breathed, and she thought she heard the wind answer, "Erica." She listened to the approaching sirens, differentiating between the ambulance and the fire trucks, groggily wondering why they'd deployed so many when she was fine, if a bit sleepy. A new voice, more questions. Did she know her name. Natalie Lambert...Knight. Wait. Lambert-Knight. Really. The paramedic frowned at her. Did she know what day it was. Tuesday. Did she know what had just happened. Not really... Was she taking any medications. No. Had she ever experienced seizures, or blackouts, or anything of the like before. No. Was she pregnant. Yes... She put a hand out to steady herself and sat up with the paramedic's assistance. Natalie scanned the scene, noting with embarrassment not one but paramedic units and fire engines. And a mass of charred metal wrapped around a utility pole, which was now bent in half, next to the freeway exit. "That's the ?" she whispered forlornly. "Don't sweat it, Mrs. Knight. That should've been . You your baby," the paramedic answered. Natalie looked around, past the safety flares, past the cluster of "accident vultures" gathering at the end of the taped-off area. "Where's...where's the woman?" she asked. The paramedic frowned at her, checking the size of her pupils again. "What woman, Mrs. Knight?" "The woman...who pulled me out.." The paramedic rested a hand on Natalie's shoulder. "I think we shouldhave a doctor look at you, just to make sure you don't have any other injuries. You bruised your knee pretty bad, but that looks like it. I'll have someone call your husband." At Natalie's distressed look, she added, "We'll tell him you're fine, but that we want a doctor to look at you just to make sure." Natalie smiled shakily. "Okay. But tell him..." she placed one hand protectively on her abdomen and cast a reverent glance at the setting sun, "tell him Erica and I are both alright." *****