It was a dark and stormy night, with heavy rain and thunderous winds. Naya's car was battered by the storm, the rhythm of the rain against the roof of her car seemed to match her racing heart. The thunder was so deafening that she jumped on every flash of lightning which lit up the road. It was so intense that she felt like she was trapped in the eye of a hurricane and totally cut off from the rest of the world. She could only hope that she would make it home safely.
Her hands trembled but she still managed to grip the steering wheel hard, her heart pounded in her chest. Her visibility of the road was reduced to a blur as the road stretched on endlessly. It felt like it had no end. The thought of being the only car on the road heightened her fear and made it feel as if she had been cut off from the world. The darkness seemed to swallow up everything visible thing around her, leaving her lost. She could barely see the road ahead. She was terrified.
Earlier that evening, Naya had embarked on an unexpected work trip, attending an important conference in a neighboring town. Where she had to fill in for a guest speaker who was reported to be down with flu at the last minute.
As the event wrapped up, she got into her car and drove home. The only thing on her tired mind was a hot bath and her cozy bed. Little did she know that the forces of nature had other plans in store for her.
Unknown to Naya, there was a storm brewing in the distance, gathering strength as the evening wore on. Ignorant of the impending danger, she drove down the highway. She only got information of the storm on her car radio when she was already far gone. Even if she turned back she still would be met by the storm. Now she only hoped to make it home safe before the storm hit hard. However, the weather took a dramatic turn for the worse
As she neared the top of a hill just a few miles home. She gently cut through a bend. Immediately her headlights caught on something - a tree had fallen across the road, blocking her path. Without thinking, she swerved hard to the left to avoid the tree. She sighed, glad that she had avoided danger.
She took her eyes off the road up to her rear mirror to clearly see the tree she had cut across, also wondering how dangerous that tree was lying there. But before she could get her eyes back on the road, her eyes were caught by the bright headlight of an oncoming vehicle. She quickly swerved hard again to the right to avoid collision, but this time that action sent her car skidding out of control, flipped and landing upside down in a ditch.
Trapped there in the darkness with no sign of help and no way to escape. Her body bruised and battered. Her only hope was to scream for help. After what felt like hours of screaming with her last strength it felt like there was no hope for her.
Suddenly she heard faint voices in the distance, slowly but persistently the voices grew louder, and then a beam of light pierced through the darkness, to her trapped form. She called out the more this time louder and with all the strength she could muster, her voice feeble yet determined. Rescue was on its way.
As the rescuers drew nearer, their lights pierced through the darkness like a beacon coming for her salvation.
"There's a lady trapped in here. Quick, call 911" Naya heard a voice say as the rescuers got to her. She closed her eyes as the man talking had a flashlight to her face. She didn't care about the light, she was only relieved that help was here.
"Oh my God, I knew I saw something skid off the road. I just didn't think I was a car, thank God we came.'' Another voice said with emotions washed all over it. "Ma'am please hold on, we're gonna get you outta there" the voice assured her.
And with that the rescuers worked with unwavering dedication to get her out from the wreckage. Finally prying open the jammed door they lifted her carefully to safety and wrapped her in a warm blanket. Her body trembled from the cold and fear, but she was glad to be alive.
Despite her shaken state, Naya was overjoyed when the ambulance pulled up to the crash scene. The paramedics quickly but carefully loaded her into a stretcher and to the ambulance. As they tended to her wounds, tears streamed down her face, she wasn't alone anymore.
She was deeply grateful to the brave and caring people who were there to help her. She smiled, knowing she would be okay.