تصادف

Chapter two

An accident

I parked the car, got out, and went over to the man on the ground.

‘Is there anything I can do,’ I asked the policeman.

He looked up, surprised, and then he recognized me. ‘Oh, it’s you, Sue. I think he’s OK. He’s breathing, and his heart’s fine. But I don’t like the look of that leg.’

One of the man’s legs was broken in two places. It looked like there were two knees. He was breathing, but his eyes were closed, and his face was very white.

‘Can you go and help Chris with the little girl,’ he said. ‘I think this man is her father.’

I looked at the little girl. She was trying to walk, but she seemed confused. The policeman was holding her arm. I went over and knelt in front of her. There was blood all over her face. I couldn’t see her eyes very well.

‘Hello,’ I said. ‘My name’s Sue. I’m a police officer. Can you see me?’

She wiped her face with her hand, and nodded.

‘Good,’ I said. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Kate.’

Kate. OK. Kate, you heard that sound just now, didn’t you? That was the ambulance. This policeman, Chris, and I are going to take you over to the ambulance, and then the ambulance men will take you to the hospital and look after you. You’re going to be all right.’

‘But what about my daddy?’

‘He’ll come with you in the ambulance. He’s going to be all right, too.’

I held one of the girl’s arms, and Chris held the other. We took the little girl over to the ambulance and sat talking with her while the ambulance men lifted her father and the other driver into the ambulance. When the ambulance had gone, I spoke to the sergeant for a few minutes.

‘What happened,’ I asked.

‘I don’t know yet,’ he said. ‘I think the first car stopped suddenly, but I can’t think why. Still, that’s something that we’ll have to find out. It’s a funny place for an accident. I can only remember one here before - about twenty years ago, I think it was. That was a nasty one, too. A young man was killed - run over by a car. I remember that a little child was hurt then, too.’

‘What happened then?’

‘He shook his head. ‘I can’t remember now. Anyway, this one’ll be your job in the morning - I’m on holiday next week, remember? Thanks for your help.’

On the way back to the car, I could see one of the policemen. He was picking up the little girl’s doll from the side of the road. He walked over and put it in the police car.