A Second Chance

The front tire of the truck beside me exploded just as I was passing. Before I could react the eighteen-wheeler swerved, pushing me hard into the grassy knoll that separated east highway from west, crushing the right of the car with its immense weight. As I began to roll I could hear the moan of the long trailer as it scraped along what remained of that side, pushing it closer to the other as the roof buckled and snapped.

When the now compressed vehicle came to an abrupt halt I was hanging upside down. I could no longer see the windshield; it had disappeared when the roof and hood connected during roll three or perhaps four. The passenger side no longer existed and the back was questionable at best. The shattered driver’s side window was the only means of escape. Unlatching the buckle I didn’t have far to fall to land on what should have been the top of the car had it been upright. As I crawled through the window and stood up I saw the crumpled truck a couple of hundred feet or so ahead on its side, cab and trailer resting at an odd angle much like a broken arm. Or neck.

As I turned back to look at what was left of my car I dropped to my knees as I also saw me. Or what was once me, hanging, still swaying from the violent roll. Blood poured from my neck, impaled by the large shards of glass that had flown from the broken windows. I knew without a doubt that I was dead.

Cars were beginning to stop. People were running to each vehicle and a woman screamed at mine. No one saw me even though I stood amongst them. I had become invisible. I could hear the sound of sirens in the distance; too late for me it seemed, but perhaps the other driver would have better luck.

I was trying to determine what to do about this strange and unpleasant situation when a long black limousine appeared on the side of the road opposite the accident site. It was quite a vision with its dark windows and Texas Longhorn hood ornament. The sleek machine just sat there for a few minutes as if waiting for something. Or someone. In time, the rear door opened and I waited to see who this menacing-looking vehicle had delivered into our midst, but no one came out to join us. As the EMS worked the jaws-of-life to extract the other me from the wreck I began to make my way to the roadside.

Peering in the back of the car I saw a pale-looking middle-aged couple, their dark hair emphasizing their apparent lack of pigment throughout their features. They both looked straight at me, without emotion, and the man gestured with his right hand for me to enter and sit on the seat opposite them. Knowing at this point I had nothing further to lose I sat on the soft cream colored leather as the door closed behind me.

“We have a proposition,” the woman said.

I waited. Silent.

“Your life here is over,” she continued. “Life on our world is in trouble and we need help. We watch for people in your circumstances and offer them more time in exchange for their assistance. Many of your kind are skilled and can offer us what we now lack.”

“Where you are from?” I said, as I could feel my eyebrows rising.

“Not earth. Not this solar system. Not even near Andromeda. Well beyond what your scientists have been able to discover so far. Since the attacks we have been plagued with disorder and disease and have lost citizens. Many of which we needed in order to rebuild and grow. We don’t take people that aren’t ready. We don’t kill. But we need help”.

“And if I chose not to?”

They turned their heads in unison and I followed their gaze as the coroner’s wagon pulled into the center of the action off the highway.

I supposed that life on another planet was better than the current alternative. On some level I knew I should be reacting differently to this entire string of events than I was, but it all just seemed to makes sense. Perhaps I was just in shock from the accident.

“No, it’s real.” She said to me. “Understand we are a kind civilization; we treat all of our people and those that come to us well. We respect life and all it gives us.”

I looked around the car; at the road; the accident site. The jaws-of-life had done their thing and I was now wrapped in a dark bag, lying on a stretcher.

“Ok.” I replied with a sigh knowing there wasn’t anywhere else left for me. “Ok, I’ll go.”

The accident site disappeared and a grove of dense trees surrounded us, and what must have been their space ship stood before us. I was escorted by a small alien into the passenger area and sat down. Across from me was the man who had drowned in the lake over the weekend. I recognized him from the news reports; as of the day before they still hadn’t found his body. And the boy who died in the fire was just in front of me. Horrible story that was, but here, he was free from the burns that took his life, his skin was clear. We all gave each other a timid smile and I turned away to look out the window.

As the engines rumbled ever so slightly and came to life, I looked down at the world I loved knowing that either way it wasn’t mine any longer and I whispered a good-bye to those I would never see again. Life where I was going might be in trouble, but it was life. I was handed a very strange second chance but would embrace it for as long as I could.