[ 100 word flash – 1 minute read ]
I’m standing in dim light, a narrow passageway surrounds me.
“You had a medical event.” A voice addresses me. My confusion increases.
I was driving back home from coffee with a friend.
“You killed another driver, head on, and you killed yourself.”
My children. My grandchildren. The other driver’s family. What have I done?
My son begged me to live with him because of my seizures.
Mom, please, you won’t be a burden.
The passageway’s walls swim around me. I search for the voice. “I’m so sorry. Can I have a do-over?”
The silence crushes me.
What price my independence?
© Copyright 2021—Present, Jenise Cook, All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Published: 30 July 2021, on Friday Flash Fiction
Written: 23 July 2021,
Self published 4 August 2021, on JeniseCook.com
Image credit: TP_/4 images on Pixabay.com
The Story Behind the Story
My heart is sad and heavy as I write this.
July 2021 was a difficult month in our rural county. Many fatality vehicle accidents. One week alone, five people were killed, three in one day. We’ve lived here over 10 years, and never saw accident rates like this month.
Another week ended with two hard-working fathers killed. All accidents were head-on collisions.
Tuesday, July 19th, another horrific head-on collision occurred on the highway that goes by our neighborhood. I found out from a neighbor that the 61-year-old female driver (who had had a medical event that caused the head-on crash and took the life of a 62-year-old man) lived in our community and was a dear friend of our neighbor. The female driver suffered from seizures and had various illnesses.
This all bothered me, especially as I saw our neighbor’s sorrow over the loss of his friend, and knowing a medical event took another life. I don’t know what caused the accident, but I needed to get my sad feelings out in a story. It’s therapy for me.
Prayers to all of the families affected by that tragic accident.
Your Turn
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