The Day I Died
At the time of this dream, I was 16 years old and starting my
junior year in high school. My brother was starting his second year
of college out of state and my friends were getting their driver's
license.
Before the end of the previous school year, I went with my dad
on a road trip from my home in Las Vegas to Portland, Oregon, where
my brother was in school. I got to miss a couple days of school
and view the wonderful scenery through California. Nevada scenery
isnt quite that lovely until you're headed into Northern California.
On the way back home, we took the scenic route along California's
Highway 1. It runs along the California coast overlooking the ocean
on the high cliffs. The drive is beautiful but also scary with all
the curves and the big buses barreling down behind us. In the end,
the drive didn't seem long enough and gave me a rush like being
on a roller coaster ride and leaving me with images in my mind with
the colors and sharpness of a Kodak photo.
Fast forward back to my junior year... I didn't have a driver's
license and wouldn't be getting one until after high school. That
left me feeling a little out of place because everyone else could
drive and those that couldn't had friends that they could ride with
everyday. My friends were quite that reliable because they'd either
rush out and leave early or they had to take extra classes after
school. That left me riding the bus most of the time. I was fortunate
enough to have the same lunch period as my friend Matt. We had an
open campus for lunch so we would go to 7-Eleven or some fast food
restaurant. I was never a fan of his driving style... SCARY! One
time, he was holding his drink and trying to put on his seatbelt
while driving with his knee and somehow shifting at the same time.
This made a dangerous combination and we started to drift off the
road. Luckily we weren't moving too fast or in traffic. I just ended
up with less trust in his driving skills.
Long introduction... So now for the short dream.
I was in a car with Matt driving along highway 1. The drive started
out normally and in sharp detail. We were in his mom's Ford Escort
high above the ocean on the cliffs. The inside of the car was a
little messy with his backpack and books. We were coming upon a
U-shaped curve in the road when Matt suddenly picked up a book off
the floor. He started reading it while he was driving. I started
to panic because the curve and its steel barriers were coming up
quick. I yelled at Matt to pay attention but it was too late. We
were moving too fast and broke through the barrier. The car started
to roll and tumble down the cliff. My thoughts were of me not wanting
to die and having my life flash before my eyes. I could see everything
happen in slow motion. The tumbling... the confusion... the fear...
Then there was the last drop into the rocks below. I saw us heading
straight for the boulders at the bottom and less than a second after
hitting I blacked out and died.
But being a dream, I did a rewind. I replayed the scene over and
over to find ways to get out. There was no way for me to do anything
differently to survive so I woke up. I woke up as if I've been on
the scariest ride ever and what a thrill that was. But it's nothing
I would want to try in real life and probably not in a dream again.
W...
