The Road Goes Ever On

The street was rolling on endlessly. Monica liked to compare it to a snake that was winding through the landscape. She was on the way to a meeting, driving along the steep mountain road that wound through the Alps. She was tired and sleep had evaded her last night, all of her thoughts concentrating on the 'Big Merge'. Facts and figures were flitting through her mind constantly now and she could barely suppress the urge to check her presentation minutely.

For the past few weeks Monica's workload had been immense and naturally everything else had been pushed to the background. Her thoughts wandered to Lana, her little daughter. They had talked over the phone, maybe two or three days ago. Lana had been crying. She had only turned three two months ago and she didn't understand why her mummy was never at home. Monica's ex-husband Ethan had been less than helpful in calming their little girl but that was only to be expected. After all, her job had been the main reason for the divorce.
But it didn't really matter anymore. Tomorrow around this time the merge would be final and her well-earned two-week leave would start. She had it all planned out in her mind. She would take Lana to the zoo and to the fair, they would eat ice cream at the small beach café and spend as much time together as possible.

Perhaps Monica had been too lost in her thoughts or maybe her lack of sleep had finally caught up to her. Whatever it was, her ear never registered the sounds of the landslide that rumbled down the side of the mountain.
Well, I won't make that meeting in time, were her last thoughts. Then her car was swept over the side of the mountain pass.