The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 24: All Good Things - Part 2

"It was a freak accident. Something that wasn't supposed to happen. We were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"See, I was my mother's favorite and my brother was my dad's. It was normal in our family to have a preferred child. One to focus on grooming to become the heir once we reached a certain age. It was more like a silent tear in the family. No one talked about it, but my mother always told me I'd be the one while my father told my brother the same. We were a complicated family--the type to plan ahead for everything. They even went so far as planning in the case of a divorce, where they would both get one child. I would've went to my mother, and it was fine by me...she was my best friend afterall."

"I know how lame that must sound to someone like you, but it's true. I did everything with her. I cooked, cleaned, ironed--whatever she did, I did. People used to call me a punk because of it, but I didn't care. My mom was my everything. It didn't matter what anyone else said about me because I knew I'd always be enough for her. But even though I spent most of my time following after her, I had one, just one thing in common with my brother and my dad. We were obsessed with this show called Thunder Birds--you wouldn't know it. It's way before your time."

"One day, my mother and I were on the highway. It was raining--a terrible storm. The windshield wipers were going crazy against the glass. We had just went shopping and we were on our way home. Me, this hyper ten year old in the back seat could barley sit still. I was excited to get home and watch the new episode of Thunder Birds, and my mom promised me she'd get me home in time. We were almost there, I could see the large green sign ahead with our exit. But as amazing as she was, she couldn't predict the amount of traffic that appeared. There had been a pile up due to the storm and everyone was creeping for miles. I was getting restless."

"I remember she told me to be grateful we weren't involved in the accidents and that we should count our blessings. But I was young and immature. The only thing on my mind was Thunder Birds, so I kept bringing up her promise, and each time, she pressed on the gas ever so slightly, just moving an inch forward to satisfy my impatience. This went on for about half an hour. She tried to distract me. She turned on the radio and fortunately for her, one of my favorites were playing. I had shut up finally--started singing...terribly of course. But it made her laugh so..."

"That's when the lightning struck. The flash was so blindingly bright. I'd never been that close to it before. I had stopped singing, my mother and I both looked in the direction it struck. And the thunder...the thunder was heart-stoppingly powerful, we felt it shake the car. For a moment, we were so quiet, but the radio still played. Then, my mother looked back to me and said how lucky were were to not have been struck, and that lightning never strikes the same spot twice, so there was nothing to worry about. I still remember her face when she said it. That smile she wore whenever the opportunity presented itself for what she liked to call, a teachable moment."

"That's when it happened."

"I just remember this loud crash...metal against metal. The back of the car sprung upward. The rain immediately sounded much more crisp as if I were outside in it. I suddenly felt exposed, the wind was cold, but I felt unusually warm...so warm...covered in warmth. It had happened so fast, I didn't know what I was looking at. Not until my eyes made contact with the large green sign in front of my face, recognizing the number of the exit I had pointed out earlier. That's when I noticed the streaks of something dark and heavy, dripping from the sign onto my leg. My legs were covered in it--my hands--my face. I didn't understand what it was. I just remember it feeling so warm."

He took a heavy breath.

"The lighting had struck a section of the highway sign supports. You know, the strike my mother told me to be relieved about...sent the sign flying down, cutting into our car, landing directly on my mother. She was...my mother...was crushed--splattered everywhere from the impact. I could hear the screams from the other smashed cars around me. Yet, somehow the sign missed me completely. And I...I still remember the chorus of the song playing in the back as I came to the realization that what I was covered in...was none other than her blood and flesh."