Emergency: Christmas. Alison Roberts
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match to Penelope’s own car had no time to brake. Penelope registered the panicked expression on the woman’s face as she wrenched at her steering-wheel. Without even slackening its pace, the hatchback swerved onto the other side of the road, heading straight towards Penelope’s car. She could feel her seat belt digging in across her body painfully as Mark slammed on the brakes.
Only inches separated Penelope and Mark from the doomed vehicle as it careered past them. The red hatchback was skidding now, any attempt at braking clearly ineffective. Its speed was unabated as it broke through the metal barrier fence marking the harbour side of the roadway. The car was airborne for what seemed like several seconds. Then it hit a large rock before ploughing into the murky grey water of the harbour.
The sound of the impact was shocking, coming in the split second after Mark had brought Penelope’s car to a complete halt and the engine had stalled. They were close to the child themselves now. The small girl stood in the middle of the road, bewildered by what was happening. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and gazed unblinkingly at Penelope. Shouting could be heard from the property the child had emerged from. Frantic shouting that indicated the child’s mother had seen the accident.
Penelope felt her chin being gripped firmly. She turned her head under the pressure from the fingers holding her to find Mark staring at her intently, his brow furrowed with concern.
‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m fine.’ Penelope’s voice came out as a croak. She cleared her throat. ‘My God, Mark... The woman in that car...’
‘I know.’ Mark was unclipping his safety belt. ‘Get the child off the road, Penny, and tell her mother to call the emergency services. I’m going to see what I can do.’ He paused as he climbed out, reaching to push the hazard light switch. ‘Park a bit further down the road and leave the hazard lights on. Flag down anyone that comes past. We might need some more help.’
The reassurance from Mark’s instant concern for her own well-being above any others’ was enough to galvanise Penelope out of her stunned immobility. She scrambled from the car and scooped up the small girl who was still standing in the middle of the road. A woman was running towards them.
‘Tiffany!’ The mother’s shout ended in a distraught sob. Her arms were outstretched for her daughter as she reached Penelope. ‘Is she all right?’
‘She’s fine. The car didn’t touch her.’ Penelope handed the child to her mother. The little girl took one look at her mother’s face and burst into tears.
‘Can you go and ring the emergency services?’ Penelope was already turning away. ‘I need to shift my car.’
Another vehicle pulled to a halt as Penelope positioned her car. An elderly man rolled down his window. ‘What’s happened?’
‘An accident.’ Penelope could see Mark. He had scrambled over the rocks and was now almost waist deep in water. He seemed to be using all his strength to try and open one of the doors of the red car. The attempt was unsuccessful and he began wading rapidly to the other side of the small hatchback.
‘I’ve got a cellphone,’ the man told Penelope. ‘Shall I ring triple one?’
‘Yes.’ Penelope didn’t know whether the child’s mother would have reached her telephone yet and it wouldn’t matter anyway. Better for the emergency services control room to have too many calls than not enough. ‘Tell them that the occupant of the car appears to be trapped.’
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