The Outlaw's Opposite~~Ashley Purdy

A sharp piece of metal slices open my forehead. The blood rushes down my face, filling my mouth with the taste of my metallic blood. I scream as the car rolls over again—so quickly that I am jostled from my seat and thrown to passenger seat where my head crashes into the window, breaking the glass. I feel my wrist snap as I try to hold myself up. I scream again, this time out of pure pain instead of fear. The car finally stops, on it’s side.

I pant in exhaustion, wiping blood from my face. The car went off the road and rolled into the ditch, stopping at the beginning of the woods—almost seventy five feet. I slowly move each limb. Some crack but everything moves without any extreme amounts of pain. Until I get to my wrist. It burns and throbs. I bite my lip in pain, looking down to see my sheer shirt and tank top completely soaked through with my blood. I pull up my shirt.

A gash runs from my hip to my bellybutton. I grunt, swiping my palm across my face again. I pat around the floor until my blood-stained hand locates my phone. I should call 911. But I don’t. I go into previous calls and redial Ashley. “Hey! I was starting to get worried. Look I’m s—“ He starts. I interrupt quickly. “I need you to come get me.” I say, regretting my choice to not call for paramedics.

“Why?” He asks. I’m hit with another wave of pain, blinded by the flowing blood. I start to sob, which turns instantly into full-out bawling and wailing. “My c-c-c-c-car… it-it-it…” I stammer, wiping the blood away once again. “What’s wrong?” He asks me worriedly. I hear keys rustling around. “I’m in the-th-th-the ditch. I ca-can-can’t stop the bleeding!” I exclaim. I’m starting to worry. I’m losing huge amounts of blood now, my car is on it’s side.

“Bleeding? Natasha, come on. Take a deep breath.” Ashley demands. I hear the roar of his car engine, starting up. I try to start again but just end up crying harder. “Deep breath. Deep breath.” Ashley repeats. “I went into the ditch. Ashl-l-ley, my head is bleeding really bad!” I wail, wrapping my arms around my bloody jeans, hugging my knees to my chest. “Shit.” He curses. “Where are you?” He asks. “I don’t know!” I shout, wiping the back of my hand across my forehead. “Damn it! Natasha you have got to tell me where the fuck you are!” He spits.

I sob, dropping my phone onto the ground beside me. I put him on speaker. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Just, I need to help you and I can’t help you if I don’t know where you are.” He whispers gently. “I was driving on the highway. Exit 36, I think. I’m by the woods. There’s a fence, a field on the other side.” I tell him, peeking out the window. I can’t get too close without touching the bent, sharp doors and cutting myself again.

“Got it. I’m calling 911. Be right there.” He says softly. “Don’t go!” I shout in panic. “Shh, shh. I won’t. I’m here.” He tells me. I can hear his car in the background. Driving towards me. I start to feel faint, woozy. Blood continuously gushes out of my cut, streaming down my face, neck and arms. I try to answer Ashley’s simple questions—that are being asked so he knows whether or not I’m still there—but I can’t. My words come out mumbled and garbled. I slump forward, falling into the blackness.



Band posters. KISS, Metallica, Motley Crue, other bands like that. Blue walls. A warm, king sized bed. A plain, little dresser. A matching nightstand. Simple things. My vision fades in and out, blurring and shaking. I close my eyes again just as the door creaks open. “Wake up Natasha. Please.” A gentle, familiar voice demands sweetly. “Please.” They prompt. I feel the bed dip down as they sit down. I’m hit with the recognition of the voice. I remember the accident. I put two and two together, figuring out who it is.

“Where am I?” I ask. My voice is cracked and gravelly. “Natasha!” Ashley shouts, wrapping me in a hug. “Ouch!” I grunt, shoving him off me. My vision spins, my whole body aching. “Sorry.” He apologizes, sitting back on the end of the bed. “How do you feel?” He asks, pointing to the glass of ice water on the bedside table. I take it in my hands, shaking. I sip it and put it back on the table. “Like shit you dumbass.” I reply sarcastically.

He chuckles.
“Why am I here?” I ask as I prop myself up on my elbows. It hurts but I stay in this position anyway. It hurts more to move. “You wouldn’t wake up for more than a few minutes at the hospital. After a week, I pointed out you could breathe on your own so ‘why couldn’t you come here?’ so they agreed after CC dumped ice water down the doctor’s pants. So you came here. It’s been another week; the doctor visits once a day.” He explains, his hand resting on my shin. I stare at it, unsure of this gesture.

“You should rest.” Ashley says, standing. He mumbles something and dashes to the kitchen. He comes back with a handful of pills and painkillers. “The doctor said to give you these once a day.” He explains, passing them to me. I take them and grab my water. I struggle to take a drink without spilling it. Ashley smiles a bit and helps me. Once I manage to swallow the pills, I close my eyes and relax, letting the painkillers numb my pain.


I shoot up in bed, sweat sticking my clothes to me. My matted hair falls from it’s ponytail. My eyes scan the dark room, my head spinning. I take deep breaths, like Ashley told me to do on the phone more than two weeks ago. “Natasha?” Ashley shouts, running into my room. Well, it’s actually his room—he told me he’d be sleeping on the futon in the guest room until I could go back to my house.

“What’s wrong?” He asks me hurriedly, looking over my scared, sweaty face. “I just, I just had a nightmare.” I mutter. “About the accident?” He asks although it doesn’t sound like a question. I nod. It’s so much more than that. “Want to talk about it?” He asks softly, standing in the doorway. I take a deep, long breath and let it out through my cheeks. “Yeah, sure.” I agree, holding up the covers for him to join me.

He looks confused but quickly crawls into the bed. He holds himself up on his elbows, looking at me. I flick on the bedside lamp and look back. “My fiancé was in a car crash almost two and a half years ago while I was pregnant. He died. I went into labor, over a month later. I miscarried.” I tell him, silent tears dripping down my face. I hug myself, rocking back and forth.

Ashley looks up in shock. “Natasha…I’m so sorry.” He whispers, hugging me tightly. I hug back, nestling my chin into his neck. I sob as Ashley holds me. “Wait…Ashley, you don’t have any pants on…” I say in surprise. He laughs. “I have boxers on!” He protests, pulling away from the hug. I laugh, wiping tears away.

“Are you okay?” He ask me, getting up. I lunge for his hand and grab it. “Stay with me.”

Notes

Hope you like it <3