Hit and Run
Hit and Run
He was driving too fast to see them early enough. One minute he was shouting at the kids in the back to calm down, the next, two shadowy figures were just there; in front of the car; riding the windshield; falling limply to the floor with a sickening slow roll as the car pulled too slowly to a halt.The sweat poured from his forehead; he looked in disbelief at the young bodies tangled together on the road. His face was aglow, his eyes large. His children for once sat quietly in their seats. His mind was unusually empty of thought, his body still. He relaxed, his shoulders visibly sinking.
Frank climbed out of the car. A fierce wind lashed against his cheeks. The youngest child began to cry - muttering from the back seat, and again silence. He glanced again at the bodies. A car’s headlights flashed into his eyes, at the same time as another sharp gasp of wind slashed his cheeks. The slap of the cold and the flash of lights shook his mind awake. In front of him two young girls were lying either dead or unconscious because of him. Of course he was concerned for their welfare, but the reality was that they shouldn’t have been crossing a dual highway at any time, let alone in the dark with no reflective clothing. He really did need to get the kids home for supper, they would be cold and hungry and their mother would be worried.
At that moment another car pulled up and its driver threw open the door and rushed to the silent bodies. He crouched over them, close to their faces, and pulled out his cell phone. That was the trigger for Frank to turn to his car, walk purposefully to it, climb in and drive off.
The rest of the journey was in silence. The youngest child sat visibly disturbed in the back seat with her hand over her mouth. The children had been witness to the accident and also to their father’s dreadful reaction. They pulled into the driveway and Frank turned off the lights and the engine. The darkness was silent, apart from the sound of the rain
He was driving too fast to see them early enough. One minute he was shouting at the kids in the back to calm down, the next, two shadowy figures were just there; in front of the car; riding the windshield; falling limply to the floor with a sickening slow roll as the car pulled too slowly to a halt.The sweat poured from his forehead; he looked in disbelief at the young bodies tangled together on the road. His face was aglow, his eyes large. His children for once sat quietly in their seats. His mind was unusually empty of thought, his body still. He relaxed, his shoulders visibly sinking.
Frank climbed out of the car. A fierce wind lashed against his cheeks. The youngest child began to cry - muttering from the back seat, and again silence. He glanced again at the bodies. A car’s headlights flashed into his eyes, at the same time as another sharp gasp of wind slashed his cheeks. The slap of the cold and the flash of lights shook his mind awake. In front of him two young girls were lying either dead or unconscious because of him. Of course he was concerned for their welfare, but the reality was that they shouldn’t have been crossing a dual highway at any time, let alone in the dark with no reflective clothing. He really did need to get the kids home for supper, they would be cold and hungry and their mother would be worried.
At that moment another car pulled up and its driver threw open the door and rushed to the silent bodies. He crouched over them, close to their faces, and pulled out his cell phone. That was the trigger for Frank to turn to his car, walk purposefully to it, climb in and drive off.
The rest of the journey was in silence. The youngest child sat visibly disturbed in the back seat with her hand over her mouth. The children had been witness to the accident and also to their father’s dreadful reaction. They pulled into the driveway and Frank turned off the lights and the engine. The darkness was silent, apart from the sound of the rain