Snippet Saturday

A little slice from a current W.I.P. for your Saturday enjoyment.

I drove along Interstate 64 in Virginia, glancing at the roadside signs. Then I saw the one I'd been looking for: Falling Springs Falls Next Exit, Exit 16.

Everything slowed to a crawl. The sound of my breathing was all I could hear, and it was deafening as I looked at the speedometer. Seventy-five as it should've been. I'd had the cruise control set, so I was uncertain why I'd thought the car had slowed unless it had died. Though, I knew it hadn't because I passed by other cars on the highway while I glanced around. Seeing as I drew sluggishly by the cars around me, I was left in a confused stated. It seemed to take forever before the exit came into view.

I glanced to where my hands strangled the steering wheel. My knuckles appeared deathly white against the black leather of the wheel; the bone threatened to break through the skin. My head swayed, and the edges of my peripheral started to turn to a fuzzy, black static. I was thrown into overdrive, realizing I was hyperventilating, and everything sped up to normal speed but soon surpassed into a frenzy of overly fast motions.

I flew past the exit. Though, I did swerve into the right lane. Unsure how much further I'd driven down the road past the exit, my car's tires hit the shoulder, skidding to a stop. I threw the door open and stumbled out of it. A small chorus of car horns blared, startling me in a sea of headlights, and I hurriedly shut the door.

Leaning against the car for support, I made my way around to the passenger side of my car. When I'd gotten around to the back tire, I slid down the car's quarter panel. My butt hit the loose gravel of the highway's shoulder. I felt the stinging pain shoot through me as each piece of gravel left behind its own small, biting bruise.

I put my head between my knees, trying to quiet the sudden urge to vomit. I knew the panic attack would subside somewhat quickly after figuring out what was happening to me, but I wasn't so sure I had the time. At some point during the attack, the bond had opened, and I could feel Marshall on the move toward me. Though, he had to have been in a vehicle as he moved much slower than I knew he could if he took a straight shot in my direction.