Today:
It was pouring heavily…as if the heavens had opened the floodgates on us mortals. On this insanely deluging night, my white Camry was the only car out on the streets. And, my mind slowly began to cart me away to faraway realms, when suddenly I braked to stop at a red light, inches short of the car in front. The wipers incessantly swiping bucket loads of water, revealed a black Honda Accord. Out of nowhere, a wave of dejavu hit me. Something about the car was very familiar…my eyes leapt to the number plates…XAC 6789…the feeling of dejavu slowly morphed to anxiety and nervousness…and then it hit me. Cold chill filled my heart as a memory, stored in my subconscious mind, riding on train of thoughts, came crashing through to foreground.
10 yrs. ago:
He was not drunk, however wasn’t completely sober either. After a long day at work, he had stopped for a couple of drinks and was on his way back to his apartment. It was pouring crazily, as if the heavens were trying to flood mortals. It was late in the night, and there were no cars at all on the streets. He cursed out loud as a signal light turned red forcing him to stop. It seemed like an eternity…the long hours…the rains…the late night…the signal…the alcohol buzzing in his head…. all slowly got to him, and he let out a loud exasperated, “What the heck!” and put his car in drive and was about to hit the accelerator when suddenly the car behind him honked loudly. He jumped out of his skin, jerked back and let out, “What the fuck do you want?” He cast an angry glace at the rear-view mirror and froze immediately. His anger dissipated to fear. There was NO ONE behind the wheel in the car behind him. At that very instant a huge eighteen-wheeler truck raced past the intersection, crashing through the wall of rain. The gravity of the situation hit him then… “HOLY SHIT!!! THE DRIVER-LESS CAR BEHIND ME JUST SAVED MY LIFE”.
Shaking, he stole an apprehensive glance at the rear-view mirror, and saw the driver side door slowly open. That was it, the last straw…his heart pumped itself to his mouth and he pushed on the accelerator. Just then the light turned green, and he careened safely through the intersection, far away from the car behind him.
He would blabber for a good while as to how a ghost had saved his life. And then eventually forget about it, as friends and family made fun of his imagination.
Today:
As the memory flashed before my eyes, I immediately put my hand on the horn and honked it as loudly as I could. The car in front stopped dead in its tracks…I could not make out the driver. Just then an eighteen-wheeler sped past the intersection. With heart beating faster than the pouring rain, I paused for what seemed like an eternity, and then opened the door. At that moment, the light turned green and the car sped past and soon disappeared in the night. I sat motionless for some time, then closed the door and started the car. As if on cue, the rain stopped, opening a portal that transformed me back to reality.
A ghost of the future had saved a memory of the past.
My mind was in a vortex of intermingled thoughts when I stepped on the gas and pulled away. As, I entered the intersection, loud honking ensued as something heavy crashed into the side of the car. Numbness and fear gripped me as a huge truck crushed my car and me into a mangled piece of muscle, tissue, steel, life and death.
I was just a memory of the past.
Truth Speaks... 