Ringing erupts in my ears. She stands in the middle of the driveway, her gaze stoic, her hands covering her mouth.

“Jackson, no!” I say.

Jackson startles, his eyes widening like he sees Claire too. He steels himself and floors it, hitting Claire head on. The car passes through her. Jackson raises his fist and hollers at the night, until, that is, Manuel’s shocked face appears out of nowhere.

Balking, Jackson turns the wheel.

Manuel’s hands go up in meek defense. The car knocks him down.

There’s a crunch, the tires rolling over him. We lose control on the bump. The car lurches, tires skidding through puddles and mud.

The rubber kicks up rocks and grass. We spin out of control. I hold on to what I can. Elliot jams his ankle, letting out a harrowing cry. Even Beth startles awake.

“We’re okay. We’re okay. We’re okay,” Jackson says, desperately trying to regain control of the car.

The headlights ignite a massive oak tree in front of us. We’re barreling straight for it. It grows larger in the windshield.

Before I can blink, metal collides with bark. WHAM!!! The hood accordions. The car’s frame twists. Glass shatters, slicing past my face. Jackson’s seatbelt catches. He jerks forward, hitting his head on the wheel with a clunk. I’m tossed sideways with Elliot.

But Beth ejects from the passenger seat. She rockets through the windshield. The sickening crunch of bone pierces through the rain.

Everything stops.

Silence.

The rain hammers down. Smoke curls from the crumpled hood. I try to speak, but my voice sounds muddled, like I’m underwater.

“El,” I say, swallowing hard. My ears no longer ring, but my head throbs. Elliot catches his breath, slowly checking his arms and legs to make sure he’s still intact.

“Ange…” he says hoarsely.

Up front, Jackson slumps against the wheel, shrouded in a wisp of smoke. Blood trickles down his forehead. The windshield is a gaping hole of shattered glass. The reality of what just happened hits me full force. “Beth…Oh, God.”

I try to move, but my leg is pinned behind the seat. It won’t budge no matter how hard I tug. “Jackson, wake up,” I say. A soft breath escapes his lips as I nudge him. Slowly, he sits up.

“You’re bleeding,” I say.

He touches his head, groaning. His eyes drift beside him.

“Where’s…?” Jackson looks out the shattered windshield to the gnarled tree. “No,” he whispers. He scrambles to undo his seatbelt. Opening the door, he falls out into the wet grass, still dizzy from the crash.

“Jackson, wait,” I say. He lifts himself up. Limping, he makes his way to Beth. The rain hammers down. We need to get out of here, I think. We need to find a way out.

I look off across the massive yard, back up the driveway to the house.