[ IP ] Midnight Road

`` Sir, this is your last call. You need to evacuate. The fires should be on the house in a matter of moments.'' 
 
 The breath left my chest. 
 
 `` What?'' 
 
 `` Sir please. We need you to leave now.'' The large man with the breathing equipment sounded stressed. 
 
 `` But.....'' I stammered slightly `` I was told we were n't under threat tonight. We would be safe'' 
 
 `` I understand that Sir, but we had a wind change and it roared up the valley faster than we had expected. We need you to leave now.'' 
 
 `` Can I get my stuff?'' I was scared. I had n't prepared. I did n't need to. We were going to be safe. 
 
 `` Sir please. Get in your car and leave. NOW!'' The force in the last word showed me his commitment. He was in this for my safety. 
 
 I grabbed my keys, phone and wallet from my desk and ran to the car. I had my singlet and shorts on. As I stepped towards the car, I saw flaming leaves falling in the hood. The smell was overpowering. The thick choking odour was hanging in the air. It had n't woken me up because the smell was already there. 
 
 How could I know it was going to turn? 
 
 I got in the car, jammed the key in the ignition and the engine rolled over. My first relief. The old Ford was n't going well lately. 
 
 I reversed out into the street. This was only a small town, but the fire crew was always reliable. They were so well trained. I needed to listen. Getting out was the right thing. 
 
 I accelerated past the tavern. I had been there already this evening, I was mostly ok to drive. I did n't have much of a choice though. 
 
 Past the tavern, I drove north out of the town. The flaming leaves and ash were falling thick now. 
 
 About a mile out, I saw the glowing. The harsh red glow from the bush. The fire was n't supposed to be out this end of town. It was in the south today. I drove around a sharp bend and I found hell. 
 
 The trees were burning. The fire had been through here recently. Everything was alight. The influx of reds and oranges brought fear to me like I never knew. 
 
 Then it was too late. I did n't see the flaming tree across the road. 
 
 The front of the Ford ploughed straight through the tree, sending ash and charcoal over the windscreen, while my head made an immediate impact on the wheel. 
 
 It took me a few moments to come to my senses. The engine was silent. My eyesight was blurry and I was stuck. I could n't push myself forward. Something was holding me to the seat. I checked my belt. It had torn through. 
 
 Rather it had been torn through, I felt down to my stomach. I felt the reason for my inability to move. A branch had pierced the seatbelt, into my stomach and through the seat. 
 
 I felt numb. Should I have felt pain? I do n't know. 
 
 As I looked through my mirror behind, the oranges and reds faded out further, blurring together in an almost beautiful shade. 
 
 They blurred to darkness and I heard no more that night.
