“Don’t try to move,” he cautioned me. “Tell me your name.”

“Taryn.” I tried to swallow. The blood tasted horrible. “Taryn… Mitchell.”

“Taryn, it’s Officer Carlton. The ambulance is on its way. Are you allergic to any medicines?”

“No.” I felt relief knowing I’d be rescued soon.

“Can you tell me what happened?” the officer questioned.

I could see from the corner of my eye that Jimmy Pop had my phone in his hand. He and another man were fumbling with it. If they would just hand me the phone I could call Ryan. “Give me…” I weakly asked, holding my arm out to them.

“Taryn!” Do you remember what happened?” Officer Carlton asked again with more urgency.

“I was… crossing the street. She was… car… waiting.” I tried to lift my left arm and point in the direction where Angelica’s car was, but when I tried the pain shot down into my elbow. My arm must be broken.

“I didn’t see.” I tried to swallow. The blood was congealing in my mouth.

“Oh, Mister Ryan, Mister Ryan. It’s Jimmy. Oh, come. You come quick! Miss Taryn, she’s been hit by a car! Oh, ho, ho!” He started to cry.

New sirens joined in the mix of noise and confusion. They seemed to come from all directions towards me, and they had different tones.

“I’m alive,” I mumbled, hoping Jimmy would tell Ryan the same. The police officer that was holding my head still kept asking me questions.

“Um, I’m on the pill... just birth control.” I answered his question about what medicine I take. Someone covered me with a blanket.

“She’s talking to the police,” I heard Jimmy say in the phone. At least he knew I was alive. Oh, Ryan, I cried inside.

“Ambulance is here. You come now!” Jimmy ordered. “I don’t know. I find out.”

I was glad that the police made the crowd move away from me. There was too much going on; it was confusing.

“Tell me your name,” a new voice asked. Latex clad hands replaced the policeman’s hands and I was looking at a new upside down face. The paramedic was attending to me now.

“Taryn Mitchell.” I tried to pick dried blood off my lip. It felt strange to talk; my lip seemed way too big. Swollen. My right arm moved with only the slightest bit of pain.

“I’m twenty-seven,” I muttered, answering his age question.

He asked me the same questions about medicines and allergies. Just get me off the damn cold street is what I really wanted to say. My head was wrapped in some red colored rubber collar thing. It made me feel claustrophobic when they squeezed it to my cheeks. No longer could I glance at Jimmy Pop and the phone that connected me to Ryan.

I heard the ambulance driver tell Jimmy that I’d be transported to Saint Luke’s Hospital, which was one town over. He conveyed the message to Ryan. I was so relieved that he knew where to find me. I’d never make it to Miami or his hotel... not today.

The ambulance crew rolled me to my side; I cried out in pain when they rolled me onto my arm. Slowly they rolled me onto my back and I was strapped down in place on a stiff board.“I tried to cross the street. We have a stalker. She was waiting, in her car.” I had to catch my breath. The pain in my stomach was excruciating. “I

thought she was going to run me over. So I ran. I ran. I didn’t see the other car. I wasn’t looking.” My words came easier now, even though my teeth were starting to chatter together and my lip felt twenty pounds over-inflated.

“Officer,” the paramedic shouted. I had to repeat my story.

“Angelica… Staunton. She’s… stalking me and my boyfriend. She must have gotten out of jail. We have a restraining order; it’s in my purse.” I tried to point. It hurt to breathe. “She was waiting in her car, and she pulled away from the curb when she saw me. I thought she was going to hit me, so I ran. I didn’t see.” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t see the other car. It was my fault.”

I was glad to finally be up and off the street, even though I was lying on a stiff board. I know they tried to be careful but I was still jostled a bit when they rolled me into the ambulance.

The cameras flashed repeatedly off the glass in the ambulance. Great, more embarrassing publicity - just what Ryan needs!

I felt a needle stick me in the arm, but the discomfort was minimal. Needles, tape, questions, shoes removed… my head swirled.

The sirens blazed to life and we were finally on our way to the hospital. About time!

I sighed, relieved we were moving. My eyes glanced over at the paramedic; he had menacing silver scissors in his hand. No sooner did the ambulance get going, he stuck the scissors into the pants leg of my jeans and started cutting.

“What are you doing?” I panicked as he cut my jeans, the same jeans I was wearing the first day I met Ryan.

“Stay calm, Miss Mitchell. I need to assess the level of your injuries.”

I closed my eyes while he cut up the front of both legs of my jeans, all the way to my waist. Next he cut through the layers of my shirts, snipping my white lace bra open between my breasts. He cut my underwear and pushed the tattered, wet remains of my clothing out of his way, exposing my naked body. I felt like I was being raped and there was nothing I could do about it.

All my clothes were cut, one by one, piece by piece, from my body. Tears formed and dripped out of the corners of my eyes.

He started running his hands from the top of my head down every part of my body and I shivered with fear. He squeezed my arms, stopping at my left wrist when I cried out. Damn, it’s definitely re-broken.

He was listening with his stethoscope and when he ran his hands over my ribs the pain it generated made me moan out in agony. He squeezed my legs; I was glad that it didn’t cause any major pain. I could feel every touch of his warm hands. I was naked, fully exposed, and freezing.

He hooked me up with that annoying oxygen thing that fits in your nostrils. Although it was uncomfortable, it actually helped.

“I’m freezing.” My teeth chattered. I was glad when he finally covered me with a nice, thick blanket.

“Unit 1784 inbound, ten to twelve minute ETA…”

“Is the driver okay?” I asked when he finished talking on the radio.

“Let’s just worry about you right now,” he flatly replied.

“What did I hit?” I murmured.

“It was an SUV ma’am,” he answered.

“I remember silver. Was it silver colored?” My eyes squinted, trying to remember the details.