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The heavy rain makes a constant crackling noise as it splatters on your windshield, only interrupted by the periodic swish of wipers moving back and forth.
It's just after one in the morning. The girl in the passenger seat, Kronii, is peacefully sleeping. You would be too if you didn't have to drive on this wretched highway. It's actually quite dangerous to be doing this. The road is twisted and curvy, and built on a slope - to your right is a steep hill, guarded only by a gnarled wooden fence. On top of all that, there's a rainstorm. But you have to make it home tonight, or else you would be stranded.
You and Kronii are longtime friends; first meeting in your last year of high school. You both went to the same university, at least for the first two years. Kronii dropped out after that, but you stayed close.
You're both heading back from visiting family. Separate families, of course - you just planned the trips together to share a ride, since Kronii can't drive. It feels a bit like having a little sister sometimes... no, that's not true. That's just a lie you tell yourself, since you really have-
The steering wheel suddenly jerks to the right, and you start rolling. The airbags deploy and slam into your face, blocking your vision. You're moving and bouncing around, but you don't know where.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, you land with an extra loud thump. The windows are smashed. It's cold, it's wet, and you're upside-down, but you're still alive.
What about Kronii? You don't have to look; she lets out a yell. Neither of you can move your legs; they've been crushed by the seat. Once you realize this you feel the pain, and groan.
>"Are you okay??!"
Okay may be an overstatement, but you're not dead.
>"What do we do??"
You're not sure, but you have to calm her down first. You pull out your phone. Everything is going to be fine, you'll find where you are on GPS, and you'll call for help, and...
No signal.
The other options are to wait for someone to find you, or for your family to realize you're missing. Both of those could take days, and by then, you'll be long dead.
>"We're fucked, aren't we?"
Kronii is a little calmer now, at least. But you can see the fear in her eyes. She can probably see it in yours, as well.
No one is really ready to accept that they're about to die. You've thought about it many times - I could die tomorrow and that would be just fine - but now that you're upside-down at the bottom of a hill, you can only think about the things you haven't done in your short life.
Travel, love, marriage, children, all the things you'd written off in the past are now flooding your head.
And the strongest thoughts of all... were your feelings for Kronii.
Come to think of it, you had so many opportunities over the years. She never had a boyfriend, not once in the entire time you'd known her. Why did you never just... tell her? You go over various excuses.
You don't want to possibly ruin the friendship.
She deserves someone better than you.
The time after your last breakup where you swore off love for good.
You look over to her. She's just staring into space, tears gently moving up her forehead. Probably going through the same internal turmoil you are. Maybe she's even thinking about you, but you don't get your hopes up. You're starting to get tired.
She looks over to you.
>"Uh... lovely weather we're having, right?"
Yeah, just great.
>"Er... But also... I..."
It seems like she wants to say something, but is having trouble getting the words out.
Just like you. Since you're going to die anyway, maybe you should just... do it. Go big or go home.
>"I like-"
"Kronii! I love you!" you scream at the top of your lungs. Go big or go home - but in this case, only one of those options were available.
She is startled. Wait, what did she say?
>"R...really? I was going to say, uh, I like you too... I mean, I always have, but..."
She falls silent, smiling.
>"I'm glad you feel the same way. I love you."
You feel overwhelming relief, as if a huge weight was lifted from your shoulders.
You're starting to doze off... being suspended upside-down must be doing something to your head.
>"Can you hold... my hand?"
Her speech is slow. It must be getting to her, too. You reach out and grab her hand. It's soft, surprisingly warm, and a little clammy.
>"Okay... now give me a kiss goodnight..."
Her head is too far away to do that.
Your eyes start to close again. This time, you don't have the energy to fight it.
The warmth of Kronii's hand is the last thing you will ever feel.
