The taste of blood fills my mouth, and I fight to keep my eyes open. The world around me is blurry—flashing lights, muffled voices, and a dull ache spreading through my body. My car is a twisted wreck, the metal crumpled like a soda can. The smell of gasoline and burnt rubber lingers in the air, mixing with the metallic scent of blood. My head throbs, and I can barely make sense of the chaos around me.
I try to move, but pain shoots through me. I can't feel my legs. Panic rises, but it's quickly swallowed by a flood of memories. They rush in so fast I can't stop them, dragging me back to where it all began. My breathing is shallow, each gasp hurting more than the last. The cold seeping into my bones makes it harder to focus.
The one thought anchoring me: Scarlet. I want to see her, just one more time. I need to tell her I'm sorry. If I could just hold her hand, hear her laugh, maybe everything would be okay. I can't let it end like this. Not without her.