I have been so busy I haven’t had time to do a rewrite on my idea of a horror story. I finally took the time to try again. I hope you like the rewrite. Don’t forget The Pamlico Writers Group and The Haunted Pamlico are having a writing competition. I can’t compete but I can have fun writing. Let’s see what you’ve got.

“Lady, ma’am, can you hear me?”        

Of course, she could hear him, he was shouting in her ear. She tried to move away from the noise, but she couldn’t move. She was restrained. Why am I restrained?

“Ma’am, don’t move.”

Why couldn’t she move? Blinking, she tried to force her eyes open. Bright light shocked her eyes increasing the pain in her head. She groaned closing her eyes against the intense burn.

“It’s okay lady, I got you. We’ll get you out of there, just don’t move.”

“What-why?” She didn’t recognize her own voice.

“You’ve had an accident,” the man said.

Struggling to open her eyes, she blinked the blurriness away and concentrated on her surroundings. The pain was less shocking this time. The light and the heat were refracted by the cracked windshield. The rear view mirror lay propped on the dash reflecting the brightness into her eyes.

Her breath caught in her chest as she saw just her face mirrored on the face of the man beside her. A whimper escaped her cracked and trembling lips. “What are you?”

“Ma’am, it’s okay, I’m a firefighter. I’m here to help you.”

Squinting her eyes, she forced her brain to focus. The faceless man was wearing a shield. Her own face had been reflected in his face-guard. It’s okay, he’ll protect you.

“Calm down, it’s going to be okay. My buddies are working on releasing the vehicle. You’re going to be just fine.” The car shifted and tilted.

She screamed.

“I got you.”

“Where am I? What’s going on?”

No one replied.

The car rolled to the side. She widened her eyes, as the car’s nose pointed down giving her a view of the ravine where they perched. Crying out, she clutched at the firefighter.

“I got you.”

The backdoor swung open and closed with an ominous creak. Shifting her head, she stared into the abyss. From her peripheral she saw a child’s safety seat sitting askew in the backseat. She could picture a child, a little tow-haired boy. Tears streamed down her face. “My baby?”

The firefighter shifted. “He’s not here.”

A dream of him being pulled from the seat by some unknown force flitted through her thoughts. She stared at the door as it swung back and forth with the movement of the rescue workers. “Where my child?” She whispered, her voice hoarse from the smoke and the heat. “My baby.”

“Ma’am, there wasn’t a child with you,” he reassured.

But she knew, she knew he’d been in the car. “The light, the light took him.” The bright light had come out of the darkened sky, blinding her. The backdoor had been ripped open and the baby pulled from his car seat. “They took him!” Her voice rose as the memory returned. “They took my baby!”

“Ma’am, I need you to stay calm.” He spoke into his radio pinned to his coat. “I think she’s intoxicated.”

“I’m not drunk,” she said. Tears burned her eyes and she fought to remain calm. “Please, help me. Where is my son?” She shouted.

“Ma’am, there is no sign of a child…” but he’d seen the car seat. He had to notice the back door was open. “Could he be with your husband?” She heard the doubt in his voice.

She tried to think. Husband? Could her son…what was his name? Slowing her breath, she tried to stay calm. What was her husband’s name? She couldn’t remember. What was her son’s name? Oh God! How could she forget her son’s name? Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Ma’am, do you know your name?”

Her brain felt scrambled, confused she shook her head and winced at the pain. “What’s happening to me?”

“Head injury.” He patted her hand. “It’s okay, ma’am, we’ll have you out in no time.”

The light came out of the darkness brightening the sky like daylight. She slowed her vehicle as the light hovered. The back door suddenly opened. Her son screamed. She turned to see something pull him from his car seat. “No! You can’t take my son!” She shouted. She tried to slow the vehicle but they’d done something, her brakes didn’t work. “No, give me my baby back!” The tree slowed the car before it careened over the ravine.

“Lady, ma’am, can you hear me?”

Of course, she could hear him, he was shouting in her ear.  Opening her eyes, she turned to see the back door swinging open, the child’s safety seat shifted as if a child had been pulled from it in a hurry. “Oh God, what’s happening?”

The light came out of the darkness as she sped down the highway. The backdoor was ripped open.

“Lady, ma’am, can you hear me?”

Of course, she could hear him, he was shouting in her ear.