Toby

All three girls scream, but Bri's is by the far the loudest, the most panicked, for something more than the fact that we just witnessed a major accident.

Through the scream, I hear her trying to gasp out words, including my name repeated several times, but I can't make out anything else.

The car coming into the intersection slammed head-on into the one that ran the red light. The one behind it avoided hitting them, but flipped when it swerved out of the way.

Struggling to keep calm, I turn to my wife. "Call 911, Baby."

She nods, her hands shaking as she pulls out her phone. Bri is still saying things I don't understand, and I turn to her, but before I can speak, she opens her door and leaps out. I do the same, barely catching her before she's rushed straight into the wreckage.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's the matter, Sweetheart?" I ask desperately. "What's there?"

"That's Lincoln's car!" she gasps, obviously barely managing to get the words out. "Toby, Toby... that's... that's Lincoln's car. He... he always sits on that side. He... that's... it's..."

Oh, Jesus, please no. She doesn't need this.

Still holding onto her, I catch her gaze. "Bri... Bri, Baby, it's going to be okay. Wait here, okay? Truett and I are gonna go see what we can do. Mandy's calling this in. It's gonna be okay."

She's still sobbing, but she nods, stepping back towards the car with a hand pressed over her mouth. I squeeze her shoulders once before releasing her and turning to Truett, who just got out of the car.

I point to the car that flipped, and he nods, not needing verbal directions to know what to do. There's already people at the car that hit Lincoln's family's, so I turn to theirs, taking a deep breath.

I run that way, taking in the damage quickly. It hit right on to the backseat. As I approach, another couple does as well, and they turn to his parents, in the front seat. So I set my sights on the shattered window into the back section of the car.

I feel my stomach tighten violently as soon as I see him. The other car's nose is still embedded deep into his car's body, and it hit right where he's sitting. He's conscious, but bloody and panicked, his breathing labored and blood coming up as he coughs. I know in my heart just how bad this is, and I know what I have to do.

I run to the window, reaching through and catching one of his hands, desperately trying to get his attention.

"Lincoln. Lincoln, can you hear me?"

His terrified gaze locks on me and he gasps, coughing up more blood.

"I don't wanna die," he chokes out. "I... I don't wanna die."

"I know," I reply, desperately struggling to stay calm. "I know. Help is on it's way, okay? It's on it's way."

He just repeats it's prior statement. "I... I don't wanna die. Please, I don't wanna die!"

"I know," I reiterate. "But I need to ask you something. I'm talking about right now, okay? Not in the past, not to you know about Him, alright? Right now, today, do you know Jesus Christ, Lincoln? Do you have a relationship with Him?"

"I..." He closes his eyes, and I squeeze his hands desperately. "No." Those eyes snap open once more. "I don't know what happened, but I... I'm not ready to go."

"I know," I say for the millionth time. "But you can be, alright? Is that something you want? Do you want to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior?"

There's an obvious struggle on his face, but he gasps out a single word. "Yes."

I swallow hard. "Okay. Then just listen, okay? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He is Lord?"

"Yes."

"And do you confess that He lived a perfect life before He died for your sins, and that God raised Him from the dead?"

"Yes."

Through my panicked tears, I smile slightly. "Then you are saved, Lincoln. Alright? You are saved."

"I'm scared," he gasps.

"I know." I swallow hard. "But you don't need to be."

Guilt flashes through his eyes, and they close briefly before opening again with a look of desperation written in their depths.

"Please," he pants. "Please. Can I see Bri?"

I hesitate, but nod, turning back her way and softly gesturing her over.

She still has her hand pressed over her mouth, like it's somehow holding back her panic. Her legs are shaking as she walks over to where I'm standing. Immediately, I reach out and wrap the arm that's not in the car around her shoulders. I don't get it there a moment too soon, as, the moment her eyes land on her former-best-friend, I see renewed panic flash through her eyes, a sob catching behind her hand. Keeping her upright with that arm, I keep my other hand where it is and squeeze to get his attention, get his eyes to open again.

"She's here, Lincoln."

He forces his eyelids up, meeting Bri's eyes with an obvious struggle. It's the last straw for her, and she starts to cry, sobbing behind her hand, tears streaming down her face.

"Bri," Lincoln gasps. "Bri, I... I know... I know you could never forgive me, because I... I did something to you that can never be undone. Something that... that no one should have to live through. I... I don't know what happened to me. And I don't know what's changed now. But I..." He's crying by now too. "I'm sorry, Bri! I'm so sorry. I... I love you."

Bri is obviously in no state to respond. She's crying too hard, shaking too violently, completely and utterly terrified and broken. At last, she chokes out three words. "I love you too."

The sirens that have been approaching us turn the corner, first a firetruck, then an ambulance pulling into this little area of wreckage, and I squeeze Lincoln's hand one more time before backing away from the car, taking Bri with me.

There's too many emotions coursing through me right now to comprehend. But I know in my heart how bad his condition was. I just have no idea how to deal with the inevitable truth. 

I know I suck. I am so, so sorry. But I am hoping to update again tomorrow like I'm freaking supposed to. I know, I know, promises, promises.

On a happier note, who else has seen the trailer for Beautifully Broken? Who else literally screamed in the theater when they saw tobyMac? And then again when they saw Alan Powell? Only me? Okay cool.