evening.
Daniel was traveling along the same mountain access road when he saw
flashing hazard lights.
A damaged guardrail.
My car below embankment.
He stopped.
Called emergency services.
Climbed down as far as he safely could.
He saw me unconscious.
Then he heard an engine.
Another vehicle was stopped farther up road.
Daniel recognized it.
His pickup.
Ryan was behind wheel.
“What did he say?”
I asked.
Daniel rubbed his face.
“He was panicking.”
“Did he hit me?”
“I didn’t see impact.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That he had been behind you.”
“That you braked.”
“That he swerved.”
“That he didn’t know whether he touched your car.”
“And you believed him?”
“I wanted to.”
My hands went cold.
“What happened next?”
“Ryan drove away.”
“You let him?”
“Yes.”
“Before police arrived?”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“You let a possible hit-and-run driver leave me in a ditch.”
“I stayed with you.”
