Free Over the Moon by Diane Daniels Page B

is so worth it." Tim and Tiffany readily agreed. I was outnumbered. We climbed the steep hill and were turning into the
lookout parking lot when a deer bolted in front of the headlights.
    "Look out!" I cried.
    The frightened animal froze in the direct path of Jordan's car. He
swerved to miss it, muttering obscenities. The car hit the embankment and rolled down into a dark ravine. I heard Tiffany scream. I
hit my head, and then everything went black.
    When I regained consciousness, I was alone in the car. It was
so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I could feel the
deployed airbags. There was an intense pain in my right leg. It had
to be broken. I tried to move it, but it was pinned under the metal
door. The door must have folded in on itself when the Blazer rolled.
I tried to scream, but I couldn't find my voice. It was like I was paralyzed in a nightmare. Where was everyone? The smell of gasoline
was sickeningly strong.
    "Where's Tiana?" It was Andrew's voice I could hear. I must be
dreaming. I tried hard to wake up. I pinched myself. I felt it.
    "She's stuck in the car! We couldn't get her out! She's unconscious," Jordan yelled back. "We called 911. The ambulance is on
its way."
    "Go up to the road where they can see you. I'll get her," he
commanded.
    He came in through the driver's door. "Tiana, can you hear me?"
I tried to respond. I still couldn't speak. I heard the sound of grating,
twisting metal as he forced it off my leg. He took me in his arms and
carried me to the top of the hill. He turned to look back at the car. I
opened my eyes to a huge flash of blinding light. It was accompanied
by the booming sound of an explosion. Jordan's car was on fire!

    I heard the sirens whine and increase in urgency as they approached
the scene of our accident. I decided I was definitely awake. My head
and my leg hurt too much for me to be dreaming. I was still in
Andrew's strong arms. We were looking down at Jordan's burning
car. I had been trapped in that very same car only minutes before.
That could have been me burning or bits of me among the flaming
wreckage. I was going to pieces right now as I realized the explosion
probably would have killed me.
    "Dude! Your car just blew up! Cool!" Tim exclaimed a little too
eagerly. Tiffany slugged him in the arm. "Ouch, what was that for?"
    "You're not supposed to be enjoying this. Tiana could be seriously injured, and Jordan's car is totaled," she insisted.

    "My dad is going to kill me!"
    "Only if I don't kill you first!" Andrew spoke though clenched
teeth.
    "Be nice. It wasn't his fault. There was a deer." I had finally found
my ability to communicate.
    "Tiana, are you all right?" Andrew turned his attention to me.
    "I think my leg is broken, and I have a massive headache," I said.
I was really glad I wasn't blown into a thousand tiny, charred pieces.
    He sat me on the seat in his car and used his magic hands to
carefully feel my legs, my arms, and my pounding head. He even
checked my ribs for broken bones. I was almost enjoying this part. I
would have if I wasn't freaking out over nearly being blown to bits.
    "You're going to be fine. No worries. There are no broken bones."
    "Are you sure?" I said in disbelief. "I swear I felt the bone sticking out of my leg."
    "No, you're wrong. Nothing's broken, I promise. You are in shock
and understandably so. You could have died in that explosion. I'm so
thankful I got you out in time. Close your eyes and try to relax. The
paramedics will be here soon." His voice was strangely hypnotic. I
shut my eyes and thanked heaven that I was still among the living. I
had a hard time believing that I had been rescued just seconds before
the explosion that transformed Jordan's Blazer into a mass of burning, molten metal. It was miraculous that I had survived. Andrew
was my hero as well as my Prince Charming.
    The sirens finally found us. He lifted me from his car when
the ambulance arrived. The paramedics