The Accident.

I hate driving in the rain when it's pouring so mercilessly. And I hate driving in the dark. This morning, with all the luck I had, I had to drive in both. Rain and dark.

It was seven-seventeen in the morning and I was headed to work. I had a full fourteen hour shift at my fast food job and I wasn't very anxious to get there. I pulled past the stop light next to the school, just minutes from the house, only to stop again as a line of cars piled up in the lane. They were students no doubt, all rushing to make it to school on time. I stopped behind a giant pickup with plenty of room between us. I glanced out my windshield noticing the rain's sudden intensity as the water pelted against the glass. I sighed. I was glad I'd left early. At this rate I'd be glad to even get there on time. I sank into a silent reverie listening to the music play on the radio. My mind wandered as the cars on my right splashed by and the cars in front of me moved steadily forward.

It happened then. Suddenly, and completely out of the blue. I didn't realize what had happened only that a loud bang! echoed in my ears. My car bolted forward and my body slammed into the seat-belt, and then, just as quickly, I was thrown backward slamming against the chair.

I clutched tightly to the wheel, unable to focus on much of anything. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and my head started spinning as it received an oxygen overload from my sudden rapid breathing pattern. I didn't know what had happened.

The carpet on my dashboard was now sitting on my lap. The plastic cover on my stereo was lying on the floor at my feet (I hadn't even realized it was loose). My uniform hat was now on the bench behind me. As I collected these things, my brain spun with other questions, finally realizing what had happened. I'd been in an accident. I'd been hit. Was the car behind me okay? Was my car damaged? Was the driver who'd hit me okay? Were they as shaken as I was? I pulled my car over -as far as one can when in the middle of a busy street of high school cars- and turned on my emergency lights. I took a moment to calm myself down.

After a few stressful minutes I wrenched open my door and climbed out into the pouring rain. The driver of the car behind me got out to meet me. The car was a shinny red mustang and the girl didn't look any older than seventeen. Her Asian face looked worried and scared. She stopped near the front of her car and I could see her eyes quickly scan where the cars had collided. Without pausing, I went up to her and asked if she was okay. My voice shook and I tried to calm myself down. The girl was shaken by what had happened. That was obvious. It was probably her first accident too.

When she said that she was alright I went and inspected the cars. I glanced at mine. It looked unscathed. I went over to hers and saw the small four inch dent on the lip of the car, just above the silver horse. It was more of a scratch though, like burnt plastic, it's edges rough and torn. I brushed my hand against the car. It was the only visible damage on either vehicle. I looked back at my car and scanned it for any scratches. Through the rain and my pounding head it was hard to tell. Sheldon looked just the same as he always did. I went over to the girl noting the damage out loud.

The girl looked at me as though I was crazy. "I'm the one that hit you. I didn't hit my brakes in time." What she said was true. It wasn't my fault. Regardless, I'd taken on the conversation as though it was my fault, telling her that her car was scratched and asking her if she was sure she was okay. It should have been the other way around I guess. But I couldn't help it. This had never happened to me before. We didn't say anything else to each other after that. I told her that I was fine and that my car was fine. I didn't feel the need to get her information.

The rest of the drive was horrible. My heart skipped faster whenever I saw a set of brake lights. Paranoid that some car was going to slam into me or that I was going to crash into the car in front of me. It was hard to see through my tear-watered contacts and my rain-watered windshield. Once I'd climbed back into my car, I'd broken down. Finally feeling the pain. My head was throbbing and my neck ached whenever I turned it even slightly. Whiplash. My body was shaking and I was suddenly very anxious to get to work and out of the flow of traffic. I didn't want to drive anymore. But I didn't have much choice.

I made it to work and called my cousin over from the neighboring store. I had expected only to talk to her via phone, but once I mentioned that I'd been hit she said that she was coming over.

Well, with the aid of ibuprofen and an annoying job to get my mind off of the accident, I went through the day very much like any other. It was hard at first, but after a few hours I managed to calm myself down. Aside form a stiff, sore neck, I'm pretty much fine. I just hope Sheldon doesn't surprise me with any of his symptoms.