A Promise of Hope

“Hold on Carolyn,” Marcus yelled with a pain-filled voice.

He swiftly cut the steering wheel and stomped on the brake, but unfortunately, the brake failed. And just like that, they raced towards the trailer, which was also at high speed. The trailer raced towards them and brushed the driver's side of the car with an ugly sound that signified merciless fate. The screeching sound of the trailer on the car was horrible, glasses shattered, and metal twisted.

Killing Marcus in an instant, the car turned around in a 180-degree spin, the tires making that horrible squeaking sound on the road as he headed towards the shoulder.

Carolyn's screams filled the car, she gripped the dashboard. It was as if the time had frozen at the moment.

The impact was so strong that Carolyn hurled back on the car seat with great force and she screamed in pain.

The screeching sound of the tires on the road was horrible. As they bounced in the stillness, the car finally came to a stop.

And there was a deafening silence, thick smoke started coming out of the crushed tires.

Slowly Carolyn opened her swollen eyes, she stared at Marcus who was leaping and she began shaking her head in a daze, with blood gushing down her head.

Marcus' neck was inappropriately bent over the steering wheel. His eyes were shut, and his face was pale.

“Marcus.” She called weakly, but there was no response.

She struggled to search for her phone and dialed 911.

“Hello, this is 911. What's your emergency?” A male voice sounded from the speaker.

“Help”, she said weakly, "We. I need help. I was just in… involved in a fatal incident, she cried, choking on her tears, “My hus..band is…” She couldn't complete her statement, as the pain in her tummy intensified and the phone fell off her hand.

She was bleeding.

At that moment, all she was concerned about was Marcus. Her gaze was fixed on him, but he wasn't moving.

“Marcus, please wake up, I'm sorry for smacking your head, please wake up, I promise not to fight you again, you can cheat on me as you want, but please don't leave me, don't die on me, Marcus please I love you.” She cried and she swallowed the loop of blood in her throat.

She stretched her hands trying to reach him, but the pain in her womb and her head was becoming more intense, her vision was becoming blurry, but she fought to keep them open.

She could hear voices of people talking as they stood by watching, she heard the sounds of sirens from a distance.

Soon the paramedics arrived, and without wasting time they pulled her out of the wreckage, placed her on the ambulance, and placed an oxygen mask over her nose.

Carolyn watched as the paramedics carried Marcus leap body out, a glass was stalked in the side of his abdomen, she prayed silently for him to still be alive but when they placed him in a body bag it confirmed her worst fear.

“Oh, no, Marcus, Marcus” she cried inwardly, her breath hitched, her body began to vibrate violently, she was injected and she faded into total darkness.

FEW DAYS LATER

Carolyn woke up in a white room with strings attached to the back of her palm. She stared at her surroundings, her eyes welled up in tears as she recalled the incident.

“Oh, thank goodness, Carolyn. You're awake. Let me go inform the doctor,” Diana Carolyn's aunty said, rushing out of the room.

Soon she walked in with the doctor.

“Doctor, how's my husband?” Carolyn asked, immediately even though she knew what the doctor's reply would be, but she didn't want to accept it.

“I'm sorry ma'am but your husband died immediately after the incident and you also lost your baby. I am sorry for the loss of both your husband and the baby.” The doctor said and Carolyn's face went pale and blank as she stared in a daze.

“Marcus was pronounced dead, and she lost the baby,” Diana said calculatingly and she exclaimed surprisedly with both her hands over her mouth.

“Oh dear Carolyn, I know this must be very hard on you. Are you going to be alright?” She asked, pretending to be concerned.

“Drop the act, Diana”. Carolyn groaned as she raised her head to look at her.

“Isn't this your dream? This is what you've always wanted, right? You should be happy that your dreams have finally come through.”

Diana gulped, she hadn't expected such a cold tone from her, for some odd reason it made a chill run down her spine and she eventually put an end to the act.

“Okay, fine, Carolyn, I accept that I've always wanted this, but don't blame me for your misfortune because I warned you against him, also your father warned you before he died of the shock of you doing a secret wedding with him, yet you never cared.”

“What did I do wrong to deserve this? All I've ever wanted was to be loved, was that a crime? Is it too much to ask? What will become of my life now? I'll be mocked and talked down on. This hurts way too much, it does. I want this pain to stop, all this is too overwhelming. I… I don't want any of this anymore.” Carolyn cried holding her chest, and Diana smiled faintly.

“Shhh! Don't cry Sweetheart, aunt is here, Diana said, placing her hand over Carolyn's lips. I can help take away your pains, that's if only you let me, but first, you'll have to listen and do whatever I asked you to do, that way I can take away your pains”. Diana said grinning.

Carolyn looked at her with tearing eyes, she needed the pain and the nightmares to stop, so she said, "What do I need to do.”

_____

“The lawyer has asked to see Miss Carolyn”. Diana's assistant called to inform her.

“Didn't you do what I asked you to do?” She asked with an icy tone.

“I told him Carolyn is currently hospitalized and won't be available to see him for a while.” Her assistant said and Daina chuckled.

She found out that her late brother, Mr Leo Kingston, had willed all his assets to Carolyn, without leaving anything for her, his only surviving family member, and that she will never accept.

Two days later, Carolyn was discharged back to her father's mansion.

In the dim light room, Carolyn sat on the only couch in the room, her look lifeless as she stared in a daze. The thought of her being the cause of Marcus's death and that of her unborn child left her in shambles.

“I killed him. I'm a murderer.” These were the words she mutters anytime she's all alone. Is not like Marcus was a saint; she was hurt by Marcus' betrayal, but he shouldn't have died by her hands, she shouldn't have hit his head against the steering wheel, that was her only regret.

The nightmares and the pain are just too much, she wishes to die so the torments can stop, “Shouldn't I just end it myself,” she thought, but then Diana had promised to take the pain away.