ON THE THIRD DAY, THEIR BUICK travelled down a spiral winding road, convoys of cars drove cautiously along the road that overlooked steep ravines and cliffs — with only steel guard-railings that separated between life and death...
A car had earlier crashed on to the railing and plummeted down the cliff, leaving no survivors.
Herbert was still coughing badly, and Martha offered him some of his medication but he refused it by saying that it would make him drowsy. Further down, there was another accident that occurred with a four-car pile-up — it blocked the traffic flow from the main convoy ahead. A group of men were helping the soldiers to move the crashed cars aside, and they aided the injured, to get the traffic mobilization flowing again.
Many cars at the back in the halted convoy were honking impatiently...
The Jensen family waited in the disorderly jam ahead — and Martha glanced at the back-seat...
"The two of you, put on your mask." Laura obliged, but Roberta rejoined...
"Why's it for!!? The virus kills only boys and men, right Dad?"
Even though she was not wearing one, Martha replied back...
"You may never know — it might make girls sick too. Now don't argue with me Robbie and put it on." But, Roberta ignored her.
The pile-up was cleared moments later, and the cars started moving again. Most of them drove intolerantly, dangerously, exhorting to fast track in order to catch up with the main convoy which was now two miles ahead. This irritated the lassitude Herbert — he exclaimed to their inconsideration towards the safety of others...
"Why are those fools driving like maniacs?"
The accelerating cars and motorcycles begin to carelessly zigzag rapidly — and in the causative, an SUV rammed into the side of Jensen's car while going downhill, causing Herbert to step hard on the brakes...
The girls next screamed when their father lost control of their car — and the Buick rammed into the metal railing guard that separated the road from the escarpment — Herbert, who was not wearing his safety belt — had cracked his skull on the impact after hitting on the steering wheel. He died instantaneously with his eyes wide open.
Seated beside him was Martha — dazed with a bleeding nose and broken lips. Laura and Roberta crawled up at the rear, onto the back-seat with some facial bruises.
The car began to rock on the metal railing guard...
Both the car's front tires were hanging down towards the edge of the ravine. The Buick was ready to take a plunge down the cliff; the terrified Roberta was the first to cry out...
"Dad, Mum!" She next glanced at her sister, crying out to her...
"Laura, what do we do?"
"Robbie, don't move — don't flinch, just stay really still."
Laura peeked over at Herbert — her father was already dead — still, in the state of shock, she next gaped for a second at the panoramic full view ahead of the vast canyon through the cracked windshield. Then, her mother's head moved — Laura anticipated that the groggy Martha was about to dread into a panic, by the situation they were in...
Laura moved up, gently induced and placed her hand around Martha's chest from behind, guiding her face away, from the affright sight of her dead husband.
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"Mum, please stay still!"
She glanced at Roberta beside her, and once again she regained her fortitude by ordering her to open the door gingerly, to get off the car — but the terrified, nine-year-old reacted in tears...
"No, I am scared, Laura — I can't."
Laura echoed assertively...
"Robbie, listen to me — open the door now quick!"
Roberta held her breath and unlocked the door handle cautiously — the car then rocked — Robbie screamed back, high pitched and stiffened her recreant back firmly on the back-seat — and her other frightful hand grabbed and tugged Laura's tee-shirt collar tightly like a drowning man to a straw.
The irked Laura then used her other hand in celerity, while she slowly pulled the seat-lever below— and Martha's seat reclined backwards tardily — the weight was balanced — and the car stopped seesawing...
"Robbie, do it again, open the door slowly now — and get out!" she enjoined.
Roberta senselessly ignored Laura's instruction — instead she started bursting into tears...
Her craven eyes darted for Martha's in the rear-view mirror at the front seat — in a pesky voice she cried...
"Mum, I am afraid, I don't want to die like my friends at school..."
Laura galled by her sister's annoying whines — shouted at her...
"You get out this instance Robbie — or else, I am going to slap you hard in the face!"
Roberta opened the door gently, the car swayed slightly...
Roberta mustered her courage and crawled out from the back seat — but, her other hand was still clenching tightly and tugging Laura's tee-shirt along as she moved out and away — Laura in return, pinched her sister's forearm hard until Roberta's fearful gripping fingers released her tee-shirt...
Roberta moved on her belly before she dropped out, landed on the hard and warm ground outside — she had knocked over a round metal cookie container that rolled out, and spewed the contents of the Jensen's family's photographs on the road.
Bright and sunny outside, Roberta saw cars speeding behind her — but no one stopped to help them as she cried out — the Jensen's photographs were flying all over from the traffic's velocity.
The Buick rocked again — Martha and Laura hugged, both held their breath and they froze — that balanced the stillness and made the car stable momentarily. Her mother looked into her eyes and cadged out...
"Now go, Mimi — go save yourself."
"No, we can do it — we both are leaving this car together, Mum."
Laura was flushing roseate of fear when she gently opened her side of the door. Cautiously, placed the tip of her foot out — then the car shook again, but Laura slipped out of the Buick...
Outside, she looked at seated Martha who was in tears, as she clutched tightly to her twin sons' photo-frame towards her breasts...
"Laura, go now and save yourself — and take care of Robbie."
"No Mum, stay still, I will get you out."
Laura reached in again — clutched Martha carefully towards the back-seat — the car begun to tilt downwards towards the cliff. Her mother cried out sharply...
"No Mimi — save yourself!"
Martha's palm went up and pushed Laura's face back forcefully...
The car tilted more forward, while Laura mettled to lung back towards her mother. Laura's panicky hand clawed to grab onto her mother's neck — but instead, her fingers grabbed and snapped the 'Mimi' pendant chain. But, Laura's other resilient hand instinctively grabbed to clench the car door...
The vehicle then fell off the cliff...
Roberta screamed out in dread — seeing her entire family falling to their death — she scrambled up on her feet — and ran forward to the mangled escarpment railing — and saw the falling car slamming down at a ravine below — which had also broken Laura's fall...
"Mum! Laura! Mum!"
Her doughty sister was thrown off further on to a lower ledge, while the old car continued to plunge more into a steep drop, into the waiting depths of the precipice...
Some of Jensen's family's photographs fluttered down in the air with Buick...
Laura sprawled flat on the rocky ledge with her eyes half-open...
Clasped tightly in her right palm was Martha's 'Mimi' pendant chain — her vision soon blurred — but she could hear Roberta shouting out her name...
It sounded like cheering echoes.
She smiled, her half-shut eyes looking at the sapphire clear sky above that vaguely reminded her of the bottom of the blue water swimming pool floor — Laura was ahead of the rest of the swimmers — competing to reach the end of the finish line...
Her eyes closed, with blood pooling around her head...
Laura sank deep below, into the bed of the swimming pool floor — the cheering faded...
In her mind's eye, she saw the little, cherubic girl, in the red dress floating towards her...
The child took her by the hand — they crossed over into an underwater white hallway — the little red Robin flew ahead of them, leaving a trail of bubbles...
They drifted into an open, hoary door — that closed the moment when they all entered — into the bright light inside.