Closer Than Your Shadow

Coffee Shop Jitters

November 24th 5:47 a.m.
Gotham
My apartment

A cloudy sky rained down on us as our car continued down the interstate. We were going fast, maybe a little too fast. A song played in the background, but I couldn't focus on it. I was too busy watching the raindrops race each other down the window.

The lights were starting to blur together with the rain as I traced the droplet's path down. I sighed when I asked why we even bothering to come out with the thunderstorm. But my parents just faced forward.

"Mom? Where are we going? We missed our exit." I asked. I watched at least 10 of the streetlights fling past in the lonesome silence. Why weren't they talking to me?

Then I closed my eyes in anticipation. It always took a second to remember this wasn't real.

This was just a memory.

My eyes shut as lightning slammed into the hood. We spun and hit a barrier and I knew, even subconsciously, when the glass would slice up my face. I knew when the seatbelt would tighten against my chest. I knew I'd knock out almost immediately.

The next few seconds were fuzzy, but I saw the EMT cutting my seatbelt and pulling me out of the wreck. My body slumped forward, and they carried me away. Smoke was already in the sky. My head lulled to the right to look back at the car...

The metal was crushed and smoking. The whole front of the car was caved in...

The rain was still coming down, but the air smelled of fire. The rain picked up and then the sky brightened. In the next second lightning broke through the clouds and hit the car again. The sheer heat from the blast burned the hair off my skin and threw us all back. Thunder rumbled and it made my eardrums ache. The car was still on fire and all I could do was watch. Lightning forked across the sky again and we watched it dance.

Maybe it was choosing it's next victim.

"Stay still. Everything is going to be okay," The EMT yelled. He pressed his spindly fingers to my neck as he looked between me, the car, and the sky. Another woman stood next to the gurney frazzled. Once I regained feeling in my arms, I realized my hand was wrapped up in hers.

They weren't even trying to help my parents. Instead, they stood over me whispering about the lightning.

It struck the car twice. They'd never seen anything like that.

I watched helplessly as the only people I'd ever loved in life slipped out of my hands.

"Go check on them! Mom! Don't worry about me!" I screamed at the EMT's, "I'm fine! Why aren't you helping them! They need help!" I screamed as the storm grew. Everything was starting to spin.

"It's okay!" The EMT replied. They gently pushed me back onto the gurney. They were trying to pin me as I fought.

"Please let me go back! Dad! What if they're okay? Please they need my hel..."

"Ahhh! Jesus Christ!" I jolted forward. Rain gushed onto the window in waves that made the glass shudder, the sound almost covered the creaking of the stairwell.

5:49 a.m.

I checked to see if Robin called, but I only had a few texts.

I need to talk to you again. – Dom (602)-896-2147 9:23 p.m.

Dom's been calling me asking about you. Wtf is going on? – Jacob (602)-345-6972 9:26 p.m.

You want to come to dinner tomorrow?Sal's gonna make spaghettini! – Lindsay (602)-544-8562 10:15 p.m.