SoulStone
#100: Pileup on the RiverBridge
It was cold. It had been a cold and wet summer and winter had come early. There hadn’t been any fall to speak of. An Ice Storm was in progress. Most of the city was paralyzed. Traffic moved at a crawl.
Joshua Florette was NOT a happy camper. He wished that he could be just about anywhere else but where he was now, which was in his old, almost antique pickup creeping across the river bridge. He couldn’t see for SQUAT. It was cold and icy out side and his defroster wasn’t doing a very job of keeping his windshield clear. He could barely see the road in front of him when......
................some fool passed him moving MUCH too fast...and splashed icy slush all over his windshield....and Joshua was blind, he couldn’t see.. The speeding car was splashing freezing slush on everyone...including those in the oncoming lane. People everywhere were being blinded.
.... Joshua was thus unable to see the car in the oncoming lane cross the medium and head directly for him. He did, however feel the impact.
Briefly.
The collision pushed his old pickup up and over the bridge railing. The driver’s door on his 55 Chevy pickup was knocked open by the impact and Joshua was thrown free. He had been belted in ...but the seat belt mounting brackets had pulled loose. The water wasn’t all that far below. He would probably survive the impact.
That was a good thing.
His fall was even cushioned to some extent because he fell into the only tree within half a mile around. The tree was growing on a tiny island below the trestle. Hitting the tree prevented him from slamming into the bridge support that was anchored on that island.
That was a good thing.
Unfortunately many of the tree branches had been snapped off by the weight of the accumulating ice. Joshua was impaled like a shish keebob on a broken limb.
That was the bad thing.
“They’re all going to die Master” Elvira told Shelby. “That water has ice in it...and one of the drivers was impaled when he fell into a tree.”
Elvira and Akatsuki had been flying above the water playing and chasing each other through the fog and snow while the two Kraken that the mages were tele-operating labored under the ice filled water below the river surface.
They had heard the sound of the pileup and observed it as it happened. Naturally they told the Mages.
“sigh I suppose you’re right. I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep well if I didn’t at least attempt to help.” Shelby agreed. “Do what you can for the tree ornament. I’ll ‘be there’ as soon as I can.”
Shelby called 911. He didn’t mess around. When the operator answered he said “Are you recording? “
The 911 operator seemed affronted...”of course we are sir but...”
“That’s all I wanted to know, record this. There has been a major accident on the river bridge near the Old Train Trestle just South of Flint Island. Multiple pile up. Many vehicles. Many injuries. ..you got that?” he asked.
“yes sir but...” the 911 operator attempted to get a word in edgewise.
“That’s not the worst part. Several cars were pushed over the bridge railing. They’ve fallen into the water...that water is cold. Got that?” he asked.
“yes sir but...” the 911 operator attempted to get a word in edgewise.
“That’s not the worst part. One of the drivers was thrown free. He fell into the only tree around that point for miles. He was impaled on a broken branch. Shelby said. “You got that?”
“yes sir but...” the 911 operator attempted to get a word in edgewise.
“Good...send help. …send a Medivac chopper. I got work to do. bye now. Have a good day.” Shelby hung up the phone.
Via mind talk
.
Shelby to Marc and Captain
Do you two copy?
.
Marc to Shelby
I copy.
.
Captain to Shelby
Me too.
.
Shelby to Marc and Captain
We have a situation
here are the specifics.
.
InfoDump
.
I’m conjuring a boat for you.
It will be at the dock for you when you get there.
.
Haul ass to the bridge area and be
ready to take on survivors.
.
Copy?
.
Marc to Shelby
I copy.
.
Captain to Shelby
Me too.
Marc and Captain literally dropped what they were doing and took were off like scalded cats toward the boat dock. When they got to the dock they noticed that the newly conjured hover-boat had already left. It was picking up speed although it’s rear ramp was still down.
That was such an obvious clue that the Orc Brothers didn’t even slow down. They crossed the boat dock doing ninety eight...leaving a hole in the fog framed by twin rooster tails as they crossed the water. They caught and boarded the boat then it really picked up speed.
below the bridge
in the icy water
Modern collision tech kept the drivers alive who’s cars had gone over the bridge railing and crashed into the water. AirBags and three-point harnesses mostly work. The drivers would be bruised and shook up but they would live.
If they didn’t drown or freeze to death.
Some of the cars were floating better than others...none were floating very good. There wasn’t a VW Beetle in the lot.
“You try to keep the cars afloat until Marc and Captain get here in a rescue boat. Try not to terrify them too much.” Shelby told Chad “I’ll see to the tree ornament.”
.
MediVacOne to Dispatch:
“…who the hell notified the media?”
.
Dispatch to MediVacOne:
“Come back on that?”
.
MediVacOne to Dispatch:
“I have a News Chopper following me. It has a TV Station insignia on it’s side.”
.
Dispatch to MediVacOne:
“I have no idea. Nothing we can do about it. Do the best you can. When, not if, they get in the way, try not to hurt them too much.”
.
MediVacOne to Dispatch:
“In the ‘Stan I had guns. Never thought I’d miss em.”
.
Dispatch to MediVacOne:
“Life is funny that way. What’s your ETA?”
.
.............................
“This is William Orris for Channel 9. We have a special report from our Eye in the Sky Michele Dovecote. Our sources tell us that something unusual is going on in the river. What do you see there Michele.”
“ I’m in the Channel 9 heli….. OH MY GAWD!…you won’t believe what’s happening below me. There’s been a horrible a car crash. Cars have fallen off the overhead bridge like apples from a tree...and they’re bobbing in the frigid water. People are trapped inside.. One of the drivers was thrown free and is impaled on a tree branch. He can’t still be alive, he just can’t be. That tree branch went right thru him.
_
“OMG he’s still moving. He must be in horrible pain. How HORRIBLE…”
“Oh NO! Is that a shark? No! What is it!! It’s some kind of Monster. There are TENTACLES in the water. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s like something from a Nightmare. OMG! This is horrible!!”
“We’ll get right back to you Michael. It’s time for some important messages. This is William Orris for Channel 9 news. Please stay tuned for further updates as we get them..we now bring you a word from our sponsor.”
Cut to tampon commercial, followed by a used car commercial, followed by several other commercials. The AdJackals knew they had eyes on the screen and they were shoveling their wares.
Joshua was in horrible pain but he was just stupid brave. He knew that he was going to die yet he was determined to die well. He came from a long, long line of fighters. His grandfather had died in Viet Nam…His father had died in Afghanistan. He didn’t want to shame their memories. ...yet he wanted to scream SO badly.
He didn’t. He writhed like a worm on a hook, he bit his lip until it bled but he did NOT scream. He wouldn’t. He refused. He knew that if he began to scream he’d never stop. He didn’t want to die screaming. He moaned a little as he stared in terrified fascination at the tree branch that he was impaled upon. He was hanging from the tree trunk like a note pinned to a bulletin board.
He was dying. He knew he was dying because he could see a dragon flying thru the air toward him. He’d hoped for angels. or at least Valkyries.
Oh Well.
Life sucked and then you died. He saw it open it’s mouth, it was close enough that the could see the fangs when it bit him.......
Then he did die.
The Next Episode is
# 101: Enter the Dragon II…
The Previous Episode was
#99: Release the Krakens…
the First episode was
#1 : Prologue
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I'm
@everittdmickey
.
I write
SPECULATIVE FICTION
I have books on Amazon too.
Sometimes I also comment on the news
Sometimes it's hard to tell fiction from the news.
One of your better episodes =D
thank you
from you that's HIGH praise.
OMG OMG....Commercials on...that sucks.....
Great piece of work
thank you.
Everitt if you want to follow me, i will follow you too. Harj
I'll bet you 100 Steem he didn't follow you @harj.
You want follows? Offer good content, not reacharounds.
Just sayin'
Each to there own : ) nice post btw.
nice work dude <3