The Flash

• Ellie Prior, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2010

Everything was moving too fast; life was rushing by in a blur and nothing made sense. My mind was chaotic. All of the thoughts blazing in my head weren’t given time to register. Too much, too fast, my mind was blank. I remember wishing he would slow down, everything should be more deliberate. I don’t know why everyone is in such a rush all of the time. Perhaps they are just looking for a thrill out of life, something to make them feel alive.

The five main factors that cause problems on the road for teenagers are: traffic, excessive speed, rain, alcohol and distractions. On the night of the flash we had four of the five complications going against us. A summer night in Cairns, the rain had been pouring for hours but luckily looked as though it might give us a break soon enough. Everyone around me was drinking, which only made it seem less appealing to me- if only they could see themselves clearly right now. I didn’t even see the appeal in parties; everyone made such a fuss- I didn’t really catch on. But hey, don’t knock them until you try them, so there I was.

The night flashed by and before I knew it people were starting to leave- thank god. I was offered a lift with a boy who was taking some other girls from school home. Traffic was non-existent at this time of night; all of the sane people were already sleeping. I was a sane person; I would have been in bed. Why did I accept this ride? He said he hadn’t been drinking but actions speak louder than words. He was driving too fast, much too fast. The rain had stopped but the tires of the car were loosing grip, the road wound ahead of us like a dark tunnel. He was too confident, showing off for the frivolous girls giggling in his back seat. Speed signs were but an object to him, not worthy of his notice.

I was counting down the streets to my house; time was speeding by yet not getting me home any faster. The dreading feeling in my chest was growing until it pounded and spread to my head. Pound, pound, pound, faster, faster, faster. The car was accelerating in correlation to the pounding in my head. I knew he was coming up to the corner too fast; the consequence was clear in my mind. I opened my mouth and screamed at him to slow down but the music was too loud, his senses too compromised.

The moment I saw the looming street lamp everything slowed down, my head, the rush and the pounding seemed to have stopped. All I could think was: I shouldn’t be here. I looked pleadingly up at the street lamp and I saw a flash of light, the flash was all I saw before the lights went out.