Aftermath, Before Another (part 23)

I awoke.

My lungs gasped for air.

Pain everywhere.

I couldn't think for the pain.

Aches, stabbings, stingings, all kinds of pain.

Pain, pain, fucking _PAIN_.

Breathing harsh, quick breaths in and out of the icy air--

(_smoking imaginary cigarettes, passing them to my school chums_)

--I looked to my right.

The 4x4 had left deep grooves in the road from where it had screeched to a standstill. The male driver--

(_a man with glass in his face soundlessly screamed_)

--was visibly shaken.

Then it hit me. A painless, but nonetheless heartstopping, metaphorical realisation hit me this time.

The pile-up hadn't happened yet.

I still had time.

But how much?

With a loud gasp and grunt of pain, I lifted my wrist to check my watch.

*9:23pm*.

That meant I still had 41 minutes before the pile-up!

Except...I didn't.

I had interfered with the course of events.

I had messed things up...again.

But now, it was on a much larger scale.

And it was at that moment that the lorry collided with the immobile 4x4...