Hello all, thank you for the wonderful comments, as a novice I greatly appreciate the encouragement and support. Please continue to provide constructive criticism.
Taylor hated driving to work. Normally she would take the train but today she was running late and had she waited for the train she would have been so late. Her boss would have been furious. He was a cranky old man anyway. She stuck to the speed limit and watched and cursed the speeding drivers flying passed her. She was thinking about all the manuscripts she had to read and didn't notice the smoke coming off the truck ahead. When it blew in through her open window she looked around for the source. Just as she was looking for the source of the smoke there was a loud bang and something went flying passed her window. Taylor looked up to see the truck ahead, the one full of the highly explosive canisters, was on fire and jack-knifing across the highway.
Because she wasn't speeding, Taylor managed to slow down and pull over. Other cars weren't so lucky; they crashed straight into the burning truck. Taylor could see the explosive chemicals signs all around the truck and knew the people in the crashed cars didn't have a lot of time before the whole thing went up. She jumped out and ran towards the cars screaming to the others that had stopped to call for help.
Taylor reached the first car and thanked God that she wasn't squeamish. The guy had a head wound that was gushing blood. She managed to get him out and told him to get as far away as possible. The smoke was thick now and she could barely breathe. It was also very hot; the very air felt like it was on fire. She heard screaming coming from her left, she couldn't see very well and her eyes were streaming but she followed the sound. Her legs hit the bumper and she felt her way around.
Every few seconds there was another explosion and she knew time was running out. Yanking on the door handle she found two tiny faces wet with tears. 'Kids, damnit!' she thought. They looked young maybe three and about five, there was a woman in the front seat she couldn't see her very well but she wasn't moving. She had to get the kids out of there. Grabbing one under each arm she ran. She didn't know what direction, just prayed she could get the kids clear before going back for the woman.
Once clear from the smoke and flames she saw people running around and she could hear sirens in the distance. She shoved the kids at someone coming towards her and turned to go back for the woman when there was an all-mighty roar and everyone was knocked backwards and off their feet. Taylor looked up at the huge fireball above the truck unable to move or think. When bits of metal started falling left and right she realized that everyone was too close.
She got up, grabbed the kids that the other person had let go in the explosion and started yelling for everyone to get back. Most people took the hint and started running back. Almost dragging the kids she noticed several people with their mobiles out filming the whole thing. 'Creeps!' she thought, 'standing around getting their rocks off instead of helping'. A safe distance away she collapsed to the ground still holding onto the two kids.
The emergency services had started to arrive and were organizing people in terms of injuries. The police were also about taking down names and statements. The kids had gone into shock and refused to let go of Taylor when the ambulance officer came round to check them out. Taylor escorted them to the ambulance and held their hands while they were looked at. The paramedic also patched up some of her cuts and scrapes and told her to get to the hospital to have her lungs checked out.
The fire-fighters were out in force and Taylor was watching them unfurl hoses and start fighting the blaze. One guy in full breathing gear was standing near a truck trying to untangle a kink in the hose. By this stage Taylor was in full survival mode; in slow motion she saw something flying in the fire-fighter's direction. He had his back turned so he couldn't see it coming but she new it was going to hit him square on.
Without thinking she leaped from the truck and ran yelling. He couldn't hear her above all the noise. She didn't know what else to do so throwing her whole body weight forward she dove for his legs and knocked him to the ground. Seconds later a canister went flying over their prone forms and crashed into the truck. Luke was pissed when he got up and ready to lay into whoever knocked him over when he saw the canister imbedded in the fire truck's side.
Lifting the girl to her feet he dragged her away and radioed for everyone to clear the area around the truck just in case it exploded. The girl turned to face him "You ok?" she said and them promptly fainted. Luke picked her up and carried her to the nearest ambulance.
Taylor felt like she was swimming in a deep sea and couldn't quite get to the surface. Every time she tried it was like she was dragged back under so she stopped trying. Much later she realized that she was in a bed but she couldn't remember how she got there. She remembered the explosion and everything, she even had a memory of a pair of green eyes but she must be confused. She didn't know what was going on.
She could hear murmured voices and there was some pain when she breathed but she didn't want to open her eyes just in case she was dead. She realized it was an irrational thought but there it was. She knew her curiosity would win out in the end so she whispered "Please don't let me be dead." And she finally opened her eyes.
"Definitely not." Said a voice next to her. She looked around to see a kind faced middle aged man in a while lab coat smiling at her. 'Hospital, I'm in a hospital.' She thought and relaxed. "You are going to be fine dear. Just some smoke inhalation, cuts and bruises and a couple of broken ribs. We do want to keep you in for a couple of days just to make sure your lung function recovers though." The doctor said and Taylor nodded.
"Of course she's going to be ok, she's a hero!" Came another voice from the corner of the room. She new that voice, she tried to sit up but the doctor pushed her back down and instead he raised the bed so that she was in a sitting position. When she could see she realized it was her younger brother Sam.
"What's this hero business?" She said and her voice was little more than a croak.
"Don't try and talk for a while." The doctor said.
"Cool, I can say whatever I like and you can't yell at me." Sam teased. "Anyway you are a bonafide hero. Someone filmed the whole thing and it's been on every news station in town. There's this awesome shot of you walking out, fire blazing all around with a kid under each arm. Totally cool. Anyway you are going to make a mint selling your story to every channel." He prattled.
"The kids, are the kids ok?" Taylor ignored the doctor's advice about talking.
He gave her a stern look and said "Quiet now, yes the children are just fine they keep asking for the 'angel' though and their parents asked if they could come around and see you. I'll tell them they can, tomorrow, now that you're awake. Now no talking I'll get a nurse to bring you in a pen and paper." The doctor admonished and left.
"What happened?" Taylor mouthed to Sam. He filled her in about the truck. Apparently a few canisters weren't secured properly and metal banging against metal caused a spark and the rest well, she lived it. Almost everyone was ok, thanks to her, only one lady died. Everyone was talking about how she just went in there to help. The cops were also annoyed at all the bystanders filming instead of helping. Taylor felt a little vindicated at her earlier anger.
Sam stood beside her bed and said "I know you're a cool super hero and everything but don't do that again you scared the crap out of me. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you." As he kissed her on the forehead. For all his bluster Sam was a great guy and he adored her as she did him. They were all they had since their parents died a few years ago. "Oh I almost forgot, there's this guy outside he's been waiting for you to come round, waiting for ages. He said he'd like to talk to you, is it ok if I let him in?" Sam asked.
