Tyler woke to stillness. The car rested at an angle, its front end buried low. His chest burned. His shoulder throbbed. Julia wasn’t moving.

“Babe,” he said.

     No response.

     He fumbled for his phone.

     No signal.

     He shouted until his throat burned.

     Lights appeared above them, followed by voices. Paramedics and police moved quickly, their questions overlapping.

“I’m fine,” Tyler said. “Please help my wife.”

     Metal screamed as tools forced the door open. A paramedic spoke into a radio, controlled but urgent.

“Pregnant female. Unresponsive. Possible major trauma.”

     Tyler tried to watch everything at once. He reached for Julia, but hands stopped him.

“Sir, we need space.”

“That’s my wife…” Tyler said, his voice cracking.

     They were already moving Julia when an officer leaned close to him.

“Sir, how fast were you driving?”

“I don’t know. I was trying to get to the hospital.”

“Have you been drinking?”

     Tyler froze. The officer stepped closer and aimed the flashlight directly at his face.

“Answer me, sir.”

“Can we focus on my wife, please?”

“They’re working on her, but I need you to answer me.”

     Tyler tried to follow the officer’s voice, but the words wouldn’t stay with him. Gravel still clung to his shoes. His ears rang. Somewhere behind him, someone shouted instructions he couldn’t make out.

“Have you been drinking tonight?”