The Results

                                    

                                          
"Ashley Sanderson?"
                          
Ashley gulped. "Yes?"
                          
"I have news for you."
                          
Ashley didn't recognize the woman on the phone. She sounded worried, and confused.
                          
"What- What is it?"
                          
"It's your mother, Emily Carson. She's in the hospital."
                          
Ashley's breath hitched. "What happened?!"
                          
"She had an accident, we need you to come quickly."
                          
The phone hung up. Ashley scrambled from her seat and grabbed a sweater. She slipped on her green Converse sneakers and raced out of the door in the pouring rain. She ran to Erin's house and started banging on the door. After a moment, Erin answered.
                          
"Ash," she asked. 
                          
"Erin," Ashley breathed, "My mom's in the hospital, I need a ride."
                          
Erin's brown eyes widened behind her reading glasses. In a heartbeat, she grabbed her jacket and keys.
                          
"Mom, Ashley needs me! I'll be back before dark!"
                          
Ashley heard the soft, "Go on, sweetie," from Mrs MacIntosh, and Erin raced out of the door. The two of them ran to Erin's car and drove off to the hospital.
                          
"What happened?"
                          
Ashley shook her head. "I don't know. She left a few hours ago, then the rain started, and then I get a call saying my mother's in the hospital."
                          
Erin nodded. "She might be alright, maybe we don't need to worry about it."
                          
Ashley shook her head again. "I don't think so."
                          
The two arrived at the hospital, where someone was waiting at the front desk. 
                          
"Hi," Ashley said, trying to keep her voice calm. "I'm Ashley Sanderson. I just got a call saying my mother was sent here."
                          
The woman nodded. "Room 216. Follow me."
                          
The woman guided Ashley and Erin through a hallway to the room Ashley's mother was being kept. The woman opened the door and Ashley raced to the bed. It was covered in curtains, but Ashley practically ripped off.
                          
Her mother was unconscious on the bed. She was breathing shallowly, with bandages covering her arms and head. There was blood on the hospital gown she was wearing. Ashley gasped.
                          
"What happened?"
                          
"She was in an accident. Apparently, she was driving in the rain, and an 18-wheeler was coming across the corner. The wet road caused it to crash into your mother's car. Thankfully, she's alive. A bystander called immediately and we came as quickly as we could."
                          
A soft knock on the door. Erin went to open it. "Tori?"
                          
Ashley turned around. Erin was right, her fellow cheerleader and friend Victoria Lewis was standing in the doorway.
                          
"Ashley! Erin! I was the one who called. I didn't know it was your mom until she was removed from the car!"
                          
Tori ran and wrapped her arms around Ashley, but Ashley didn't hug her back.