Matthew

One second Ella’s driving, the next, she’s spinning out of control.

The tires lose grip against the icy road, “No, no, no —”

The car slides off the road and straight into a ditch.

Everything goes still.

Ella grabs her phone. The first person she calls is her best friend.

The phone rings—No answer.

“Come on...” she whispers shakily, tears burning her eyes.

So she clicks the next contact without thinking

Matthew.
Her best friend’s older brother.

The phone barely rings before he answers.

“What’s up, Ella?”

Her voice cracks immediately. “Matthew?”

“What happened? What’s wrong?”

She looks out at the snowy ditch surrounding her car, her hands shaking uncontrollably.