We drove in silence for a few moments as each of us considered the concept. I could tell that Alicia was still a bit skeptical of the idea, and I have to admit that I had my doubts as well.
She sighed and stretched her neck from side to side. She looked a bit pallid, and I wondered if I’d made her think too hard.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Just a little light headed.” She looked at me with a weak smile.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a van pulling into traffic ahead of us. Alicia was looking at me, her eyes somewhat droopy.
“Watch out!” I shouted.
She jumped to attention and slammed on the brakes. The squeal of the tires reverberated up through my spine as the van came ever nearer and the car showed no inclination of stopping. I reached forward to grab the dashboard as we pounded into the back of the van. I was suddenly rocked back into my seat by the air bag, and for a moment saw nothing but black.
I shook my head and blinked as the air bag deflated, revealing the crumpled front end of the car that had become one with the van.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Alicia’s head lolled to the side to look at me.
“I think so,” she said. “But I think I have a bit of an issue.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, either the radiator sprung one heck of a leak,” she said, moving the deflated air bag from her lap, “or my water just broke.”
This is an excerpt from How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. Come back weekly for the next part or order your copy in ebook or paperback today!
