Screeeeeeeeeeeeech.

Bang. POP. Snap!

White and blue blur into one as the two cars collide, sliding and tumbling across the asphalt, picking up the black of the street and the white of the snow as they go. Chaos seems to explode as horror sets in; instinct sets in. Feet hit pavement, strangers come together and sirens fill the air. Through all of the noise, there is a sense of silence in anticipation, a dread, a second of hope mixed in with a minute of terror. The silence stops and police rush in, and at first, the minute of pain turns to relief, the white-car-man stumbles out, falls into the arms of the strangers he is strangely connected to. And then the horror returns. No movement coming from the blue car. More sirens. Time drags by.

Another pop- this time, the door being pried open. And tears flow freely for the blue-car-stranger, prayers that all will be well.

The next day’s newspaper tells it all; bones broken but all is well. The breath that seemed stuck in the collective lungs of the strangers on the street is released- a relief for the blue-car-woman that they will never know.