One Wrong Turn

Today is the day!

I was getting ready for the picnic. I reviewed the directions that had been provided to me by my love. Seemed like a strange place for a picnic but he’d led me on some amazing adventures already, so I trusted his intuition. I was not an innately trusting person.

I’d taken a long bath this morning, shaved my legs. I was wearing a pretty moss colored sun-dress and matching sandals with flats. I did not normally wear dresses. I was also not the type of girl who shaved her legs.

I was the trouser wearing, tent camping, hunting and field dressing a deer type girl. But I think that today is the day that he’s going to propose. I’ve been waiting for this and I’ve practiced saying yes to myself in the mirror all morning. I really hate crying. I hope I don’t cry.

I gathered the directions, my bag, checked my appearance once more in the mirror as I walked by. Locked the door and got into my emerald green station wagon and headed north towards Ipswich.

It was a beautiful day, mostly sunny, a few clouds floated lazily across the sky. I had my window rolled down and the cool breeze was blowing in on me.

There was a gust and the paper with my directions on it blew right out the window. I was stunned for a moment. That had never happened before.

I thought that I could remember the directions though, they were not all that difficult. Let’s see: I’d drive to Ipswich and then continue north towards Rowley. Right after crossing the Manuxet River there would be a turn to the left; or was that a turn to the right? It’s okay. It might take me a few tries, but I’ll find it.

I got to Ipswich and followed the state road north-west on the way to Rowley. Just after I crossed over the Manuxet I came to an intersection that went to the right and the left. Both ways looked like they continued for a very long way. I turned left. As it turned out, my love had parked just 300 yards down the road to the right.

A mile or so on, I was approaching another intersection and the light was blinking green. I thought that was weird. Not a solid green light like I’m used to, not a blinking yellow to indicate a yield or caution, not a blinking red for a four way stop. This one was blinking green. I supposed that meant I was good to go, right?

That’s when things slowed down considerably. I would have to guess that the green light was blinking in all four directions because the eighteen wheeler that was about to cross my lane, which I had not noticed till this moment, also took the blinking green light to mean go.

There was nothing I could do, it was too late. I tried to slam on my brakes, and so did he but an 80,000 pound truck does not simply stop. I watched his wheels lock up and begin throwing out smoke. I watched as the nose of his truck made contact with my passenger side door and it crumpled in at me like it was made of cardboard.

My windshield fractured into spiderwebs and then just disintegrated. The steel frame of my car did as well as could be expected. I’d imagine that if I had been in a fiberglass car he would have driven completely through me. Instead the truck pushed me sideways and caused my car to roll. I watched as my vision was filled with sky, road, sky, dirt, sky, dirt, sky, grass; and that's where the ride stopped.

I was there looking at that grass for who knows how long. I smelled gas and smoke, my car was making a pathetic clunking noise, I heard footsteps running toward the car, my world was pain. My vision faded to pinpoints.

Suddenly, everything was green; I was on my feet in a building bathed in an ugly green light. I called out but no one replied. I wandered the halls for who knows how long. Occasionally I thought I saw movement or a person but could not find anyone.

I thought I heard a steady beeping but I could not find the source. Did I hear someone talking too? I tried to find the voices but there was no-one. I was frantic, running; I had to find a way out. I rounded a corner and suddenly there was no more floor. I fell into nothingness. That damnable beeping was all I could hear for the longest time. Far below me was a light and far above me was the green glow.

Suddenly from all around was a voice. It was terrible, like a washing machine filled with ball bearings. It told me that I was on the edge of death. The voice said that I had to make a choice, I could ignore it and find out what was on the other side of death. Or, I could promise my service to it and I could return to life.

I did not give it any thought, I was not ready to die. I agreed and the terrible voice laughed and said that our bargain was complete. I saw a glimpse of something made of rough metal and smooth stone and then had the experience that I can only describe as falling upwards, I fell faster and faster.

Then, I woke up. I was in a hospital bed, lots of wires were hooked up to me, there was a hose going into my nose. The beeping was the machine that showed my pulse in quick green hops. A woman in teal scrubs noticed that I had come to and she quickly called for a doctor.

A week later I left the hospital. They were amazed by my quick recovery. I did not have so much as a bruise when I left, they called it a miracle.

My car was a total loss. I called my love to see if he could come get me and that’s when I found out that he was dead. I was devastated.

My love’s nephew came and picked me up within an hour, my former-love I guess. He gave me a letter written by my love. I read it and I cried. I really hated crying.

A few days later I was in Ipswich getting a new car, and I saw a tattoo parlor. I’d never gotten a tattoo before. I walked in and the scruffy looking guy behind the counter helped me pick the perfect tattoo.

It was a bluebird.

This piece was written for the "Green Light" challenge. This story was written in one night. This is the sixth part in an eight part series. You can read them in order here on Vocal.

In order: "The Barn", "Dinner and Diary", "The Package on the Table", "The Field Where They Found Him", and “The Iron Bull”.

Look forward to part seven, "Best Served Cold" in a few days.