A Mother's Plea

At first, she thought it was a gunshot, then car jerked violently to the right. The front passenger-side tire literally exploded when it hit the jagged metal object left on the bridge by an old pick-up carrying scrap-metal just a few minutes before. Then everything slowed down. In an almost comical fashion, she saw a panoramic, three hundred and sixty degree view of the world around her. During the slow, dramatic spin, the funniest and scariest part was the face of the driver behind her. A man in a Chevy, hands gripping the steering wheel, looked surprised. His mouth contorted into a perfect “O.” Their eyes met as she continued her spin, and in that millisecond, she realized that she had never looked more deeply into a stranger’s eyes as she did then. As he spun out of her vision, she watched a bird take slow-motion flight from its perch on the opposite rail on the bridge. When the vehicle completed its rotation, it continued to turn and struck the passenger-side of the bridge rail head on, the rear tires finally obtaining grip and accelerating the SUV forward. At that point, Susan took her foot off the gas pedal and jammed both feet on the brakes.

Time caught up with itself, and then seemed to speed up. For the next few moments, she saw only sky, then water rushing towards her. Susan closed her eyes just before impact and her head hit the steering wheel in exactly the same instant that every safety bag deployed. Five white air bags in the self-proclaimed ‘Safest SUV on the road as awarded by Road and Driver Magazine’ blew powder into the interior that smelled like burning rubber. Susan blacked out.

The gentle rocking of the small rowboat woke her. Susan opened her eyes to a brightness that temporarily blinded her. Raising her hand to her face, she squinted her hazel-green eyes to cut the glare. As she slowly adjusted to her surroundings, she realized the fresh ocean air. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she could not help but marvel at such a beautiful day. It reminded her of the first spring day that you really notice and appreciate after a long, miserable winter.

But what am I doing alone in a boat?

Susan looked around, not becoming fully cognizant of her situation; she was drifting toward a tranquil beach. The tropical island seemed to shimmer into view in front of her just a few hundred yards away. Her rowboat, which had no oars that she could see, seemed to be moving under steam, as if towed by an invisible rope. She also noticed that she was not alone. There were other boats in the water around her, moving in the same direction. Each small craft held a single occupant.
Another boat seemed to appear in front of her and to her right. A distinguished looking black man, wearing a dark suit turned toward her and said,

“My God, what a beautiful day!”

He smiled, waved, and turned back toward the beach. She waved back without thinking and looked to the closest boat to her left. Her daughter Lindsey occupied this one. She seemed to be asleep, laying back peacefully, a little smile played across her lips as she dreamed sweetly. Susan was instantly alarmed.

“Lindsey!” she called to her. “Lindsey, wake up.”

Lindsey didn’t move. Her innocent, eight year old countenance held its contently sleeping form. Susan looked around for help from any of the other drifters. An elderly woman in the boat behind her spoke.

“The children don’t understand -- so they sleep. Leave her be, dear. She’ll wake up when we get to the other side…, on the beach.”

“What?” Susan asked, not understanding, not knowing where they were or how they got here. She closed her eyes and tried to remember just how they did get here. She concentrated, thinking hard, trying to remember where they were before. As she did, she began to taste blood in her mouth. Then she heard water gurgling loudly. She opened her eyes to the darkening interior of the SUV. Outside the cracked windshield murky water pressed against the glass. She could feel cold water rising up her legs. She felt herself starting to drift back into unconsciousness. Her head ached and she knew she was about to pass out.

LINDSEY IS IN THE BACK! her mind screamed at her. She struggled to turn but was trapped by her seat belt. She stared at the empty backseat, not seeing her daughter there but then caught a glimpse of her arm. She was lying, unconscious on the floorboard. Water was rising over the child’s chest, threatening to consume her. As Susan strained to reach her daughter, everything went dark for a moment and the world seemed to stop, suddenly.

Then Susan was back in her boat. She was a few yards away from the shore. She looked around frantically trying to locate Lindsey. Her only child’s boat was behind hers, not moving, as if waiting for its turn to dock behind her own. The elderly woman’s small boat was further still. She was smiling.
“It’s okay, dear. You’ll go first, then her. You’ll be together in no time!” she said, sweetly, “It really is okay.”

“No, it’s not ‘okay’. She is going back.” Susan flung herself into the water, which went from warm and clear to cold and murky in an instant. Panic hit her hard when she realized the water had risen to her chin. Lindsey was under water.
“NO!” she cried and struggled against her belt. She fumbled with the release but the mechanism was jammed. Susan choked as she tried to call her daughter’s name. The water filled the compartment completely. Susan managed one deep breath as it did.

Still struggling against the damaged belt, she turned and reached for Lindsey, whose lifeless body drifted in the back. In that moment, Susan prayed for God to help her. She would go, but please, not her Lindsey. Then, just as she was about to allow herself to fade, there was a sharp crack against her side door. She turned in the watery SUV and saw the man whose eyes she had touched so deeply just a few minutes before, wavering in the water outside her window. With one hand, he held onto the side-door mirror, in the other he had a tire iron. He drew back the steel bar, ready to hit the window again. Susan panicked. She began shaking her head violently, Her mind screamed, “NO!” The man stopped, his arm drawn back to strike. For the second time that day, their eyes locked.

As Susan looked into the young man’s face, she pointed frantically at the back of the SUV. At first, the man looked bewildered. Susan was sure he would strike the glass again. Then his head cocked slightly to one side and they were both still. Susan mouthed the words, “My Daughter” as clearly as she could, her blond hair framing her face as it floated there. For a heartbeat more, the man stared at her. Then he moved toward the back, pulling himself along by the luggage rack on the roof. In her mirror, she could just make him out as he cupped his hands to the backseat window and pressed his face to them. Then he drew back his arm and struck the glass.

Susan passed out.


Everything was dark. She could feel her body gently rocking from side to side in the water. Her lungs no longer ached for oxygen. Without opening her eyes, she inhaled and tasted the sweet spring-like air. She could feel the sun warming her face. She felt a slight thump and heard the soft sand crunch against the boat’s underbelly. She had arrived.

Susan opened her eyes. There were people milling around on the beach. Everyone was smiling and greeting each other. The sounds of reunion were joyous. She spotted her own mother just a few yards onshore. Mother Jean was smiling at her, patiently waiting. Susan looked behind her. The other boats were peeling off and docking. Up and down the long beach was a line of boats as far as she could see.

Lindsey’s boat was empty. The elderly woman in the boat behind it beamed radiantly.

“I guess it wasn’t her time. But someday, hopefully many years from now, you’ll be waiting for her here.”

“Yes,” Susan agreed, “but not today.”

End 1413 words.