Tic Toc

Fourteen

The last day...

Chris
Kansas City, Missouri
Driving

Tick tick...
Tick tick...
Tick tick...

I could feel a jolt against my chest with each move of the hand. My watch was louder than usual, letting me know that time was running out. My eyes were fixated on the GPS.
He was here. He was in this city.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to find the path he was taking. First a straight line, then in circles. He wasn't making any sense.
Was he chasing something? Or did he just lose his fucking mind?
So many of us has fallen victim to delirium when time was about up.
I turned a corner, finding myself just a mile or so behind him. I watched his dot pull into a post office parking lot and stop. I waited for him to get back on the road. Instead, the dot moved from the middle of the parking lot to inside the building.
My face broke into a premature smile as I switched from the first lane to the second. I went into the turn lane and stopped, I admit a bit recklessly.
Without warning, the semi truck in the opposite lane swerved into the oncoming traffic that was whipping by me. Metal screeched and brakes squealed as the trailer broke apart from the A frame on the back of the truck.
My eyes followed the truck for a second, watching it crash into the side of a building and come to a halt.
A white flash made me turn.
I didn't have time to think. I didn't have time to register anything. All I could do was sit there in disbelief as the trailer came rolling towards me, bouncing high off the ground. Part of me hoped it would somehow bounce right over me. But the hopeless part of me knew better.
I didn't duck like any sane person would do. Not even when the edge of the trailer was crushing my windshield.
Panic can really turn you into a complete fucking moron.

Remington
Kansas City, Missouri
Post Office

"Don't forget, Moonchild," I said as I looked anywhere but at my phone. "I love you so very much."

I've done a billion takes. I've said it a million different ways. I kept telling myself that the last one wasn't good enough; do another video.
But really I just wanted her to hear it as many times as I could say it. Along with all the life lessons I would never be able to teach her.
Everything from how to change a tire to all the sex advice I could give her— tricks, mistakes, and worst positions included.
Was it enough though? Did I have a choice?
No. I didn't.
I turned my phone off in the hopes that it would still be charged when it got to her. I exited the car and locked the keys in it.
The post office was vacant. I swallowed hard and walked up to the bored looking woman at the desk.

"Hi," I said, my voice shaking. "I need to mail this to Nevada."

She took one look at me and her eyes softened. It was that obvious.

"Sure, love." Her English accent shocked me. "Any certain preferences or...?"

"No ma'am. Just make sure it doesn't get broke."

She nodded and pulled out a large box lined with large bubble wrap. I watched her wrap my phone in even more bubble wrap before setting it in the box. The kind woman poured foam peanuts on top for good measure.

"Is that good, dear?" She smiled as she taped up the box.

"That's fine, ma'am." I did my best to smile back.

She printed out the addressing labels. After she weighed it I paid her.

"Thank you."

"Can I ask, sir... How much time?"

The ticking coming through my jacket was an elephant in the room. At least for me it was; she seemed not to hear. Reluctantly I took the watch from around my neck and opened it. I gave a humorless laugh as unexpected tears started to spill and my nose started to run.