Near Miss

         

They called it a near miss, but I called it a brush with death. The dark sky filled with heavy, wet snowflakes. I felt the sweat build in my palms as I gripped the steering wheel tighter.

Just another mile or so. Breathe. Just breathe.

         Brake lights reflected off the icy roadway as the vehicles surrounding me began to slip side to side. My heart thumped in my chest and my eyes widened.
In an instant, my car was suddenly sideways, barreling towards the back of the semi trailer in front of me.
         The world around me spun like an amusement park tea cup. White knuckling the steering wheel, I prayed the car would stop whirling. Darkness crept over me like a heavy blanket and silence filled the chilly air.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

What is that?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Why can't I wake up? 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Where am I?

         My head throbbed in sync with constant beeping and I felt as if razor blades were slowly making an attempted escape from my skull. My throat burned as I swallowed hard.

Open your eyes. Open your eyes.

         My eyes suddenly fluttered open and bright light filled the space around me, causing tears to sting the corners of my eyes. Through the blur, I took in my surroundings realizing the room was very familiar.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

         I straightened my back, wiped the tears from my cheeks, and reached over and tapped the snooze button on my alarm clock.