Black Ice

Black Ice

You always told me to watch out for black ice, you always warned me that it caused many deaths every winter. I listened to you, so why did you fail to listen to your own advice? You were not watching for ice when we were on the road, you were looking at her. She ruined our lives. She ruined her own. So why did you stare at her as if she was an angel?

-

A painful cough arose from my throat as Dad made a sharp turn to the right. I looked to my right to see the last of the clear roads disappear behind us, the rest of the way was ice and snow.

“Slow down Dad.” I reminded him, holding onto my armrest. I was in the back seat of my dad’s old beat up car. In the front seat was my dad, driving, and beside him his girlfriend, Amy, laughing away at his jokes. He ignored me as usual and if possible, went even faster. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to remain calm. It wasn’t a very long drive and soon it would be over. I glanced over at his face to see he wasn’t even looking at the road.

“What happened next?” Amy asked, batting her eyelashes. I felt sick already.

“Well then-“

“Watch the road!” I screeched at him, closing my eyes in fear.

“Calm down Leilu, we’ll be fine.” He grunted, looking at the road for a few seconds, as if to please me, then going straight back into his stupid drunk story.

“So then I punched him in the face, breaking his nose. It made a satisfying…”  I never heard the rest because that was when our car began spinning and I felt like I was on a scary ride at the fair, one I wanted to get off right away. I screamed as the car slid across the road and I heard Amy do the same, Dad was silent. Our car dove downwards and my head hit Amy’s seat. The pain was enough to knock me out and turn everything black.

-

“Hey sweetie! Come look at this.” I looked over to my left to see Daddy holding something in his hand. Exited I ran over, wondering what surprise he had for me today. We were outside in our backyard, my new baby sister Myra sitting on Mamma’s lap while she read a book.

“What is it?” I asked exited.

“You seven year olds are so excitable.” He laughs before opening his hand to let me see what was inside. It was a ladybug, a bright red ladybug with many black spots all over its body.

I smiled, “What are you going to do with it Daddy?”

“I’m going to set it free.”

-

“Daddy!” I moaned. “You’d never embarrass me! That’s impossible!” I giggled as he
ticked my stomach.

“Of course I won’t Sweetie.” He smiled down at me. “I could never do that.

-

“I love you Dad.” I say, looking up into his bright green eyes, the same color as mine. I’ve been told that my dad and I look very similar. Same chocolate brown hair, same green eyes, same sharp jaw and high cheek bones, I always wondered if I looked anything like Mom, I guess Myra looks more like Mom and I look more like Dad.

“Love you too Sweetie.”

-

“Come on Dad! Let’s go!” I yelled at him as I ran out the door. I turned around to see Myra, my little sister, staring at me through the window, Mom right behind her. I waved good-bye to them both and turned the corner to see my bestfriend Kayla standing there. “Hey!” I smiled, dumping my bag in my dad’s car. “Ready for some fun?” I asked, showing off my new braces free teeth.

“You bet.” She smiled; she just got her braces on the other day. “I’m ready to ride the rollercoaster until I puke.” We laugh and chat as we wait for Dad, slow as always. Soon enough he was running towards the car, paper bag in hand.

He slid into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition. “We just have to make a stop on the way.” He said, smiling back at us.

The entire way there, even during Dad’s twenty minuet stop, Kayla and I were talking about how fast we’d become so close. Kayla and I have only known each other for two months now and we were already best of friends. She’s the closest I’ve ever had.
When we arrived at our destination, Kayla was quickly amazed at the height of the coaster. “We are so going on that first.” Kayla told me, looking up in wonder. I laughed, this was her first time ever being to an amusement park, and the first thing she wanted to try was the scariest.

“Let’s go!”

-

“Remember to watch for black ice!” Dad called as I was leaving to go to Kayla’s house.

“Always!”

-

I groan as once again Dad says, “We have to make a quick stop on the way.” Paper bag in hand. I nodded, not really paying attention. I went back to my music and drowned out any other words he might have said. It’s not as if he has anything worth saying.

-

She’s gone… she’s gone. You were healthy, you were fine, why did you have to die in a car accident, why did Myra die with you? Tears ran down my face, Dad tried to comfort me by patting my head like she used to but it made me cry harder. Mom… why did you have to go?

-

“Sweetie… meet Amy... my girlfriend.” My blood shot eyes narrowed. So soon?

-

I shot up screaming, eye wide. I was blinking away the blinding light when I felt a soft hand on my bare shoulder. I cringed away from the touch and tried to move but I couldn’t. Looking around, careful to stay away from the person in blue who touched me, I eyed the room I was in. Pure white walls, sickly smell, and women and men in blue passing by in the hallway. Hospital. 

“Where am I?” I asked even though I knew the answer. I needed to be sure.

“You’re in the hospital dear, there is nothing to worry about now, you’re safe.” Safe? Why shouldn’t I be? Then I remembered what happened.

“Dad…” I said, looking at the nurse. “Where’s my Dad, and Amy?”

The nurse looked down at her charts before answering. “I’m sorry sweetie, but your dad died in surgery last night.” The nurse looked at me, apathetic.

“What?” I choked out. Both of my parents died in a car crash, was this some joke?
I choked back tears. “Amy?”

“She’s okay. She’s in another room right now, recovering just like you are.”

I felt like screaming. She of all people should have died. She was the one to drag my dad into drugs and booze. She should be the one dead.

-

Black, everyone dressed in black. I refused to cry as people came up to me and offered their time, money and accommodations; I refused them all as they lined up, each doing the same. When the funeral was over, I went to find Amy, see what she was up to. Dad had only died a week ago and already Amy was back to normal it seemed. Already coming home drunk, high and beat up, just like when Dad was here. Dad left everything in his will to me, I knew that, but Amy sure didn’t.

I saw Amy next to a person I don’t know and my mind immediately picks up the pieces. I wait as people move around the two of them until they’re alone again. As soon as no one is in sight Amy is kissing the man, kissing someone who isn’t my dad, kissing someone she shouldn’t be with.

I walk up to them and Amy jumps away from the man. “Leilu…” She begins but I stop her.

“You shouldn’t be with her. She’ll ruin your life.” I tell the man, who looks innocent enough, at least not a druggie. “Just like she ruined mine and my fathers.” I walk towards Amy now, knowing I must look intimidating to the five foot nothing girl. “And then I punched her in the face, breaking her nose and it made a satisfying,” I smiled before punching her in the face, her nose breaking on contact. “…crunch.”

The End