Devon opened his eyes, and pain shot through every part of his body. His head throbbed with a fierce headache. He raised his hand to his forehead, feeling the warm, sticky blood. His heart raced as the memory of the crash flooded back to him. Fortunately, he was still alive, but Reuben wasn't moving.

He looked around, his body aching with every shift. Reuben was slumped in the front seat, his face pale and his eyes closed. The airbag had deployed, but Reuben seemed lifeless. Panic surged in Devon, but he forced himself to stay calm.

Suddenly, Reuben's phone slipped from his hand and tumbled to the floor. It landed just outside of Devon's reach, resting just beyond the passenger seat. Devon knew he needed the phone to get help, but his body screamed in pain as he tried to move.

Determined, Devon slowly unbuckled his seatbelt, ignoring the pain in his ribs and legs. He pushed open the back door, bracing himself against the car as he stumbled out, his knees weak. He could barely stand, but he had no choice. He limped around to the front of the car and reached for the front door handle.

The door creaked open, and Devon was greeted by the sight of Reuben still slumped in the seat, motionless. Devon gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the pain. He reached down, grabbing the phone from the floor, and held it in his shaking hands.

Lor had taught him how to use a phone just a few weeks ago, and now, in this desperate moment, he had to rely on those lessons. He dialed the emergency number, his heart hammering in his chest.

The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before someone finally answered.

"Hello, emergency services. What's your emergency?" the voice asked.

"Help... we had an accident," Devon said.

—---------

Fortunately, Devon knew the area where his camp was located, so he was able to describe the location to the emergency services. He gave them as many details as he could through the pain, and after a few tense minutes, they found him.

The situation wasn't over yet. Devon knew he had to get to the road to be seen, so he forced himself to climb the steep incline. His body screamed in protest with every move, but he gritted his teeth and kept going. The pain from the crash and his injuries felt unbearable, but he pressed on, inching his way up the cliff. The climb felt like an eternity, and when he finally reached the top, he was drenched in sweat and his body was shaking with exhaustion.

He stopped for a moment, his breath ragged, as he waited for the help to arrive. He could hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance, and with a final burst of energy, he moved closer to the road. His hand, already sore from gripping the rocks, lifted slowly, and he waved it, hoping they would see him. Every movement sent pain shooting through him, but he didn't stop.

The sirens grew louder, and soon, the flashing lights appeared. The emergency vehicle pulled up, and a police officer rushed over to him.

"Are you the one who called us?" the officer asked, his voice firm but with a hint of concern.

"Yes," Devon said, his voice weak but relieved. He could barely stand now, and his body was beginning to give out, but knowing help had finally arrived gave him a small sense of comfort.

"Are there anyone else?" the officer asked, his eyes scanning Devon for injuries.

Devon hesitated for a moment, the words feeling heavy in his chest. He turned slowly, his body aching as he looked back towards the car.

"My dad is in the car. He's unconscious," Devon said, his voice shaky but desperate.

The officer immediately signaled to the other responders, and they headed down towards the crash site. Devon was left standing by the road, his body trembling, but the arrival of the medical staff gave him a small sense of relief. One of the paramedics approached him, asking questions while quickly assessing his injuries.

"How are you feeling? Any major pain?" one of them asked, checking his pulse and looking him over for any serious injuries.

"I'm fine... just sore," Devon replied, trying to downplay the intensity of his pain.

Minutes passed, and the responders who had gone down to the car returned, their faces grim.

"We found the car," one of the officers said, his voice tense, "but there was no one there."

Devon looked at them in shock, his breath catching in his throat. "What do you mean? He was there just a few minutes ago. He was unconscious!"

The officer's eyes darkened as he exchanged looks with the others. "But there's no one there... Only a blood stain," the officer said, his tone heavy with confusion.

Devon stood frozen, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it. He had just left Ruben in that car. How could he be gone now?

He glanced back at the responders, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What... What are you talking about?" Devon stammered. "He can't just disappear!"

The others looked equally baffled, unable to offer any explanations. Devon could only stare at them, his mind spinning with questions he couldn't answer.