“Want a piece of gum?”

He asked, holding out a mint one wrapped in silver paper.

I look at him with disbelief, wondering whether the airbag hit his head too hard, or if he’s simply just an idiot.

“Are you serious?”

I smack his hand away from my face, making the gum fly across the car.

“What?” He blinks, confused.

I stare at him again, my brows knitting together and my cheeks heating up with anger.

“What do you mean ‘what’?! Look around! We’re stuck in a goddamn car!”

Wilbert turns away his head to face the windshield.

Quiet.

Not a single word.

Like he’s examining the situation.

Suddenly, as if nothing happened, he reaches out to his pocket for another stick of mint gum and unwraps it carefully.

“I mean—“

He plops the gum into his mouth,

“It could have been worse,”

I can’t believe this guy.

Out of all the people in the world—I need to be stuck with him.

With Wilbert.

I cover my face with both of the same blood stained hands that minutes ago were behind the wheel, and I take a deep breath.

“For your information, we’ve been hit by a truck, our car is completely ruined, we’re laying on the side of the road—upside down—and you’re telling me, ‘it could have been worse’??”

He nods.

“You know, we could have been dead. But obviously we’re not, so be thankful.”

Wilbert’s mouth curls into a smile as blood droops down from his cracked lip into a path alongside his neck. His whole face is covered with dark purple bruises and scratches.

I think he broke his arm, but I’m not sure.

“Well be thankful I can’t strangle you right now, because you’re really getting on my nerve.”

I huff out air I didn’t know I was holding, dangling from my seat upside down, as I try to turn my body away from him.

There’s silence for a moment.

“Guess we’ll need a tow”

Wilbert says, lettng out a quiet snort, as he spits his gum out the shattered side window.

I close my eyes and imagine the sweet release of being in _any_ other car crash—with _any_ other person.

I pray the sound of sirens from the ambulance will soon be heard from the distance.

“Are you sure you don’t want gum? It’ll help you calm down,”

I don’t know how long I can stand him.