Welcome to another instalment of WIPpet Wednesday, organised by the wonderful K. L. Schwengel. A chance to share our progress and support one another.
This week I’m moving on to my new WIP and, as it’s Halloween week, I thought I’d give you something fitting. The math is easy – 10 paragraphs for the month…maybe I should have said the math is lazy 😉
Enjoy Tyler, and don’t be too hard on him – he has a good heart!
Tyler eased his foot off the accelerator, just a little. He felt the car protest. It was built for speed.
His grin was slow and easy. Life was good. At eighteen he didn’t have a care in the world; no responsibilities, nothing to worry about except which university to choose.
Convincing his father to buy him the sports car had been child’s play. All it took was reference to his brother’s absence and his genuine envy that Sebastian was out in the big wide world. Tyler couldn’t imagine leaving Winchester long term, but the thought of losing another son had kept his father sweet.
He felt invincible; young, smart and sophisticated in the flame red Porsche. The road stretched ahead, enticing him to open her up – to give the beautiful beast free rein. He couldn’t have known what was around the corner.
Tyler sensed the commotion before he saw it. Some impending doom, or perhaps an echo of the disaster ahead. Fire was the first thing he noticed. It demanded attention as it mushroomed outward, threatening everything in its path. Heat was the second. Even from the opposite side of the carriageway, separated by the central reservation, it was enough to incite fear.
For a moment his brain froze, stuttering in its attempt to process the scene. The twisted, burning metal of a dozen vehicles too horrific to contemplate. As he edged closer he hit a wall of sound. It was like a physical blow, and it snapped him out of his stupor in time to prevent another collision. Slamming on the breaks he stopped a hairs breadth from the car in front. He knew what had caused the tail back; the carnage across from them was hypnotizing.
Flipping his indicator, he checked his mirror and pulled over. His wasn’t the only car to hug the hard shoulder. The small group gathered at the front of a dark blue range rover were all talking frantically into a series of devices.
He stepped onto the road, his eyes drawn to the wreckage opposite. Without the insulation of his car he could hear the piercing screams of those trapped. The sound shot straight through his heart, sending another ripple of fear through him. He wanted to stay and fight for these people, as much as he wanted to get back in the porsche and leave the nightmare behind.
A siren cut through the chaos, and all but Tyler turned towards the sound. His gaze followed the sea of cars, all the way back to the ball of heat he could feel like a brand against his cheek. He made a quick calculation and estimated there were twenty cars surrounding the crash site. It felt natural to follow the small group as they headed towards the central reservation. They were the only line of defence until the firefighters arrived.
He climbed into the danger zone, thinking only of the desperate cries of those trapped. His heart was pumping adrenalin around his body so fast that, at first, he didn’t react when the explosions started.
That just leaves my ROW80 check in.
I don’t have anything of interest to report. I’m editing, writing and blogging as much as I can, so I’m beating back those goals 🙂
I hope you’re all having a productive week. I look forward to checking in with you.
Mel
Melissa Barker-Simpson 
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