I’m still shaking the bright lights from my eyes when I realize what’s happened. I’ve veered off the road, maybe from the ice, and hit a tree

Even from the inside of my car I can tell the automobile is totaled. I pull the handle of the door but it seems crushed stuck, I kick to door to try to loosen it but to no avail. Then I climb over the passenger seat and try that door, only to receive the same result.

So instead I reach a shaking hand into my pocket and slowly pull out my phone, trying my best to dial 911 with my shocked body. Finally I manage it and push the phone screen to my ear, listening to it ring.

After what feels like forever, a cool female voice is on the other side of the phone “911, what’s your emergency?”

“Oh thank God,” I breath “Hi, um... I was in a car accident, just off of willow street, I... I’m stuck in my car,” I inform her, my shaking getting worse as the cold seeps in through the cracks and the AC.

“I’m sending an ambulance and a fire truck right away, but they’re on the other side of town, it might take them half an hour to get to you,” she tells me. I give a shaky sigh, I don’t really have any other options.

“O- Okay” I stutter.

“Stay on the phone okay?”

“Ok-okay,” I repeat.

“Are you injured?” She asks me, and for the first time I take an inventory of myself, letting myself feel my body and try to figure out if anything is wrong.

“No,” I say after a moment “just really c-cold”

“Okay, do you have any blankets or extra clothing?” She asks.

I shake my head before realizing that she can’t see me “no,” I get out, and it’s now that I realize I’m shaking not out of shock, but now cold, my fingers are starting to go numb, that’s when the panic starts to set in.

“It’s really c-cold,” I say, trying not to let my worry show in my voice, “I’m freezing,”

“I know,” the voice on the other side of the phone tells me “Can you tell me your name?”

“Delilah,” I tell her, rubbing my free hand over my arm as I try to contain some warmth.

“That’s a beautiful name, I’m Elizabeth, Delilah, I need you to tell me what you have around you,” Elizabeth says.

“Um...” I say as I look around my dark car, “All I have is some paper, the owners manual, and...” I reach over and open the glovebox “and a hairbrush,” I silently curse myself got cleaning my car this morning.

“Okay, well, rub your arms on your chest, try to avoid staying still, right now you need to conserve the warmth you have,”

“Okay,” I tell her as I start rubbing my free hand on my chest.

I wait in the cooling down car for over twenty minutes, trying my best to stay calm while Elizabeth keeps up a steady flow of conversation.

By the time I start to hear sirens, I’ve stopped shivering, and every inhale feels like I’m breathing in fire as opposed to ice.

Eventually though, the firefighters and ambulance make an appearance, and they’re using the jaws of life to open my door, I’m rushed to the hospital in a warm ambulance, and the next thing I know I’m under several heat lamps and bright lighta.