November of 2005

“Oh my God! That was the funniest part!” I laughed out loud with my parents. Dad was already choking from all the laughter while Mom just kept on making funny faces.

“Stop it! My stomach hurts already!” Dad said in between laughs as his one hand held the steering wheel while the other on his belly.

The three of us laughed in unison as we talked about the latest movie that we watched. The car ride home was pretty much filled with Mom’s funny faces, Dad’s unique laugh, and me falling off from my seat from all the laughing.

Dad was ready to drive as we approached the intersection. The green light clearly stated that we can go. As he accelerated towards the intersection, a tanker truck wobbling from side to side appeared from the other direction. Dad drove quickly to dodge the truck but the driver didn’t give him the chance to do so.

The last thing that I heard was Mom’s earsplitting scream together with the shattering of window glass. Everything was silent. I felt like I was watching a tragic silent movie from afar. I realized that I was thrown out of the car, because of the strong impact, and I saw it. The car was seriously damaged. I saw it explode with the truck but I didn’t hear anything. I silently watched it. How the fire engulfed our family minivan. How the truck exploded a couple of times. How the truck driver went out. He was on fire and instantly collapsed as hit feet hit the ground.

Mom? Dad? Are they still alive? I ask myself. I tried to shout. Nothing came out. I just hang my mouth open for a second. I tried to shout again. Still, nothing.  Now I tried to get on my feet. But my legs won’t get me up. And to make it worse, I felt an agonizing pain on my temples. I tried to put pressure on that and I felt something weird. What’s this? I held out my hand to see. I swear, it felt like I just came face to face with death. Blood! It’s blood! I mentally screamed. I looked around once again. I saw an ambulance, a fire truck, a few people who are too eager to look at the damage that has been done, and a group of individuals who are hurriedly running towards my direction. Paramedics. I say in my mind. They blocked my view and started to work on me.  I felt nothing. I heard nothing. I can’t see anything. Mom? Dad? I felt warm tears escape my eyes. Then everything went black. Pitch black.