"Nigel!"

"Dude, relax!"

I opened my eyes, and a bright light was shining down on my face. I shielded my eyes with my arm and observed the room.

No longer was I in darkness. The walls were all white, and hanging on the white ceiling were three to four lamps. The lights shined down on me, as if they were ordering me to put on a show.

"Is everything alright, Son?"

I turned my head and saw my dad and Damian by me. Damian was sitting in a chair and staring intently at me, and Dad was standing and holding my left hand.

"Dad? Damian?" I managed to choke out. "Where...where am I?"

"At the hospital," Dad answered, gently rubbing my hand.

"Hospital?!" I was surprised by his clear answer.

"Nigel, it is okay. You are okay," my best friend reassured me. "The doctor informed us that you only suffered cuts and bruises, and they are not severe. You will be out of the hospital soon."

"And when we get home, I will be treating your wounds," my dad added. "Just to be on the safe side, so you will not have to worry about infections."

I was totally confused. "How...how did I get the cuts and bruises?" I asked.

"From the accident," Damian replied.

A shiver shot down my spine. "A-accident?"

"Yes. I was awake throughout the mess." He showed me his right arm, and my mouth dropped open when I realized that his arm was in a cast.

"Oh my gosh. Damian..."

"Allow me to explain what happened." He let out a cough. "Mr. Robinson was driving on our street, and we were a few blocks from school. He decided to pull over to the left lane, and he was in the right in doing so. Unfortunately, a truck that was in that lane apparently did not like the idea of being behind a bus. The driver of the truck decided to get ahead of him. As Mr. Robinson was pulling the bus to the lane, the driver sped up and...that is what caused the crash."

"Oh, jeez."

"This is why I am careful on the road," Dad said. "There are many drivers that are not using their brains."

"Did you not hear the crash?" Damian asked me. "Everyone on the bus heard it in an instant."

"Hmm." I pondered. I remembered hearing a deafening cry. Then a deafening crash. "Yes!" I proclaimed. "I did hear a crash. That was before everything went black."

"That was probably because you got knocked out."

"What? Knocked out?"

"When the truck collided with the bus, the bus flipped on its side and was caught on fire."

"F-fire?" I shivered. I loathed fire.

"Luckily, nobody died, thanks to me, Mr. Robinson, and another kid. We helped you and the others out of the bus. Mr. Robinson and most of the kids made it out with minor injuries, like you. The other kids have serious injuries, but if treated correctly, then they shall make it with no problem."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that is good to hear."

"There is only person who is in critical condition though."

"Really? Who? Do you know his or her name?"

"Yes, and so do you." He patted my arm. "It is the new girl, Maxine. Maxine Rogers."

Just then, someone walked into the room, and my eyes widened, seeing who it was.

"Hi there," Shade said.