In Love With Life

Agony claws my mind, I am a statistic. When I first got here I felt ver much alone. I was overwhelmed with grief and I expected to find sympathy. I found no sympathy. I saw only thousands of others whose bodies were as badly mangled as mine. I was given a number and placed in a category. The category was called "Traffic Fatalities". The day I died was an ordinary school day. How I wish I had taken the bus! But, I was too cool for the bus. I remember how I wheedled the car out of Mum. "Special favour," I pleaded. "All the kids drive." When the 3:25 bell rang, I threw my books in the bag. I was free until 8:40 tomorrow morning! I an to the parking lot - excited at the thought of driving a car and being my own boss. Free! It doesn't matter how the accident happened. I was goofing off - going too fast. Taking crazy chances. But, I was enjoying my freedom and having fun. The last thing I remember was passing an old lady who seemed to be going awfully slow. I heard a deafening crash and felt a terrific jolt. Glass and steel flew everywhere. My whole body seemed to be turning inside out. I heard myself scream… Suddenly I awakened. It was very quiet. A police officer was standing over me. Then I saw a doctor. My body was mangled. I was saturated with blood. Pieces of jagged glass were sticking out all over. Strange that I couldn't feel anything. Hey,…Don't pull that sheet over my head. I can't be dead. I'm only seventeen. I haven't lived yet. I can't be dead. Later I was placed in a drawer. My folks had to identify me. Why did the have to see me like this? Why did I have to look at Mum's eyes when she faced the most terrible ordeal of her life? Dad suddenly looked like an old man. He told the man in charge, "yes - he is our son." The funeral was a weird experience. I saw all my relatives and friends walk toward the casket. They passed by, one by one, and looked at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. Some of my buddies were crying. A few of the girls touched my hand and sobbed as the walked away. Please - somebody - for God's sake - wake me up! Get me out of here. I can't bear to see my Mum and Dad so broken up. My Grandparents are so racked with grief they can barely walk. My brother and sister are like zombies. The move like robots. In a daze. Everybody. No one can believe this. An I can't believe it either. Please don't bury me! …I'm not dead! I've got a lot of things to do! I want to laugh and run again. I want to sing and dance. Please don't put me in the ground …I promise of you give me just one more chance, God, I'll be the most careful driver in the whole world. All I want is one chance …Please, God …I'm only seventeen.

By Luke Stacey