The Longest Second

I feel drowsy, but I'll be alright. Home is only about fifteen miles away. I'll just shake my head and turn up the radio. That doesn't help much. I guess I could turn up the air conditioning. Maybe the cold air ........will........help.........me.........stay.........
awake...........What the! Oh God, I can't do that again! I have to keep my eyes open. It's a good thing I'm still between lines. I think I'm going to turn the radio up even louder. That ........was........a..........close........call...........Oh God! I'm off the road this time! Tree limbs are crashing on my windshield. I gotta hit the breaks. Oh no! I hit something. I don't have control of my truck anymore. Whether I live or die is no longer in my control.

My life was always simple. It wasn't ever glamorous, but I had everything an eighteen year old boy could ask for. I have family and friends that might miss me when I'm gone. Mama and Daddy would be crushed. I don't know if they could handle it. They have always been protective of me and my brothers. At times I felt like they were too protective. Sometimes they got on my nerves, but none of that matters now. They were always there for me. They were the best parents to me. They loved me very much and they never went a day without telling me that. I hope they know how much i love them.

Mama is like a time bomb ready to explode. She has such a horrible temper. When she's not mad, she's the most loving and caring person in the world. From Sunday morning church to Friday night football games, she was always there.

Daddy is always so easy going. Sometimes, he's too easy going. He can be so annoying sometimes. He always looked out for me and my brothers. He would fight tooth and nail for us without thinking twice.

My truck is airborne now. I can't stop it. This could be the last ride of my life. I don't recall trying to scream, but I can still hear myself screaming. It's almost like I'm just a spectator, watching as each event unfolds. I can't feel anything. This makes me wonder if I'm already dead.

If I die today, I hope my brothers will be strong. Tracy will probably take it the hardest. He's my twin brother. We did so much together. I shared classes with him, and we even played varsity football together. We even fought each other. He's just as different from me as night and day. He's my twin, but he doesn't even look like me. He's more than my brother, he's my best friend.

Bernie, the youngest of my two older brothers, was always the most negative of all my brothers. His glass half-empty point of view is something I just learned to live with. He's really a wonderful guy when you get him to loosen up. I don't know what he would do without my optimistic attitude.

Bucky is my other oldest brother. We are separated by fourteen years of age. He helped Mama and Daddy raise me. He held me as a baby before Mama did. Even though he can be a bit stubborn at times, he still always looked out for me. I hope he knows how much I always looked up to him.

The roof of my truck is caving in. It's still flipping. Words can't describe how terrified I am. This is almost like a nightmare, except it's really happening. I can still hear myself scream, along with the sounds of metal crashing and glass shattering. I know everything is happening so fast, but time stands still.

I have so many friends that would be shocked to hear the news. Chris and Joe would take it really hard. They've already lost one friend like this. To them, it would be like reliving the nightmare all over again. All of my other friends at church, would be rendered speechless. It would have to be hard knowing that one of your friends died at such a young age.

So is this it? Is this how my life ends? Everything continues to spin out of control. Is it ever going to stop? I'm still screaming, but that can't save my life. I got up this morning not knowing that this was going happen. If I survive, I will make sure i tell all of my family and friends that I love them. Life is such a fragile gift.

Everything is calm. I'm not screaming anymore. My truck has stopped. I'm bloody, but still alive. I've never been so happy to be alive. It's amazing what someone can learn in the longest second of their lives.