The car smelled like popcorn, sticky-sweet candy, and two smelly adults who had been out in the sun to long on a summer day. Well technically one teenager nearing adulthood, and his mother.
We were coming back from the local carnival. It always shows up every summer and compared to other carnivals, this one was actually pretty high quality. Good rides that didn't look like they were falling apart, fun games, good prizes. Dad was suppose to come but he had yet another work meeting. At this point of my life I was starting to forget what he looked like.
I was in the passenger seat that day while we drove home. I was slouched down with a bag filled with cheap prizes, cotton candy, and a bunch of melting chocolate bars. Even at 16 I was guilty of having a sweet tooth.
A large man sized teddy bear was resting on the side of my lap. Even though I told her I was too old for stuffed animals she had won it for me, I told her not to, but she insisted. For an old woman in her late 40s she could still throw a mean curve ball. Even the Carnies were shocked.
It was embarrassing when she handed it to me in front of the crowd . . but I appreciated it. She was actually trying to make memories, unlike dad.
She kept glancing over from the driver's seat, doing that thing parents do where they give this weird smile but you can tell they want to scold you about something. I was just mindlessly munching on churros and a cold pizza minding my own business so I wasn't sure what was wrong.
It was probably me sipping on a nearly finished soda as it made that annoying "i'm finished" sound that drove her to say something.
"You good over there?" she said.
"You downed all that food like it was nothing."
I wiped my mouth awkwardly looking at her, I never knew what to say to comments like that. So I just gave an awkward smile instead.
"What can I say mom . . I was hungry"
She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
"Fine. But if it comes back up, you're sixteen now. That makes you old enough to clean your own mess."
I groaned and clutched my stomach.
Okay… maybe churros and last slice of pizza were not the best duo to test out during a 1 hour car ride home.
We drove in silence for a bit.
"…Hey, Mom?" I said after a minute.
"Do you think Dad's gonna come next time?"
Her smile thinned.
She didn't answer at first.
Then finally, with a sigh:
"I don't know, sweetie. You know how he is. Always working, always traveling." She was also annoyed by the situation, he promised us he'd make it this time. Naturally he didn't, it was just as much a annoyance for her as it was for me.
I sighed and looked out the window. I should of expected that answer.
She added, gently:
"He really does love us . . just things can be complicated with work"
I didn't answer.
I just nodded.
I should be grateful, we had a nice house, two cars, lived in a good neighborhood. Better life than most had, but frankly it was like a routine at this point. Every baseball game, he missed, every teach conference night, he missed, if mom and I had a family plan to go out, he missed. He felt like some weird stranger who simply handed us money when we needed it.
Still though mom tried, so I should try to.
"I liked today," I said.
She didn't respond at first. But after a while she smiled and said "Me too."
That was when it happened . . and it happened rather quickly.
My eyes widened as I noticed a car on our right. I knew I couldn't drive yet, but I was old enough to recognize danger. Moms eyes were straight ahead, not checking her right. I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Mom LOOK OUT!" She then saw it coming, but it was too late, she had no time to do anything about it.
The sound of glass shattering and metal grinding against metal tore could be heard that day over the highway.
I remember a large SUV crashing along the side of my mothers car, the SUV made a full stop after the crash. My mother and I were not so lucky . . our car shrieking in a violence noise that would remind one of that horrid sound of nails on chalkboard, as rubber tore into asphalt.
I don't know why it happened but our car spun out of control over the guardrail, and it was from there things only got worse. Our cars frame could practically be heard groaning as it fell down the slope until it launched just enough into the air for it to violently flip through the wild grass. Flipping over and over again, at least three different times. It was during one of those roles that I suddenly felt searing pain . . it hurt so bad that I couldn't even muster a scream.
A mirror snapped free. Our bumper crumpled like foil.
An airbag burst with a deafening POP, releasing a cloud of dust that burned my throat as it caused me to cough. The horn jammed and mother was screaming like a banshee.
Each slam of the frame against the earth rattled the cabin like a cage.
Shards of glass whirled in the air like glitter made of razors.
Then finally the movement stopped.
Just . . stillness.
My entire body felt sore and bruised . . but my legs . . for some reason I coulden't feel my legs . .
We were crumpled at the bottom of the hill, steam rose from our mangled car hood.
Hazard lights blinked in a slow, mocking rhythm.
As if it wasn't obvious enough to the world
"yes a giant car accident happened here"
And the blood . . blood streaked the glass—wet, was that my blood .. or my moms?
Mom was coughing, most likely bruised in multiple places. I must of been a mess in her eyes.
I was barely concious but I remember her looking at me.
She weakly she called for me.
"Henry …?"
"HENRY"! . . .
"OH GOD . . HOLD ON HENRY I'LL CALL FOR HELP" . .
"WAIT . . WHERE'S MY PHONE"?!
"Just . . just hold on Henry . . mom is going to find help . . ."
She coughed forcing herself out of the car . . I had no idea how she even accomplished that, I just remember that final scream she had
"SOMEONE PLEASE CALL HELP"!
The horn still blaring, I really wish it would stop . .
Somewhere nearby, people shouted, distant, panicked voices. Screams.
And then, almost mercifully
The horn died.. . . Silence. And the image broke.
.....
"Hmm. Weird. Why remind me of that day?"
I continued walking, giving no further thought of the imagery that was shown to me.
As usual the roommate inside my head had nothing important to share.