Silence on the Road

Author's note: The main reason I wrote this story was because I had to for English class, but  I wrote this specific story becasue it relates to me. Although I have never been in a car accident, I am 16 years old and have a driver's license. The story provides a clear understanding of what happens when there is a mixture of repression and a conceited ego in your life. Now just read the story if you want to understand more!

Silence on the Road

The sound of the music protruded from the speakers, creating a calming atmosphere hidden within the doors of the vehicle. Flowing in sync with the soothing melody, the car quietly drove through the midnight air, letting the drapes of blackness encircle its presence. With no clear destination in route, the car pressed on, allowing the rhythm of the music to determine its next course. Inside the vehicle’s cockpit was a young boy.

Separated from the outside world, the boy pondered about his own life, listening only to the calming melody of the music around him. He was 16 years old and had always been a safe driver; never before had he even come close to getting in an accident. As the music continued, the boy remembered why he was here. Earlier that day the boy and his parents had gotten in a fight causing him to flee to the safety of the one place he could trust, his car. Thinking back now at their conversation, the teenager couldn't recall what the fight was about in the first place. 

As the night grew darker, the street became more slippery from the fresh December snow cascading down the gloomy sky. The musical cadence slightly picked up in pace revealing a more alarming frequency, as the boy approached a 4 way intersection. Still day dreaming over the past encounter with his parents, the young teenager failed to see the octagonal red sign begging him to stop. Hearing the honk of another vehicle just a little too late, the boy slammed on his breaks, the tires refusing to halt on the icy road. A sense of fear overwhelmed him as he saw the blare of the adjacent headlights inching closer and then slowly fading from view. The boy’s car slid through the intersection barely missing the approaching vehicle on the right.   Shocked by this encounter, the boy collected himself and continued driving along the street leaving behind him an angry cluster of honking cars. Slightly more cautious, the teenager realized how close he had come to an accident and how lucky he was for his car to still be intact. Refusing to believe that this barely escaped tragedy was his fault, the only conclusion to this miracle the boy would accept was how his great driving skills and quick reactions prevented the catastrophe. Now heading towards the highway, Adrenaline rushed through the boy giving him the feeling of confidence, assuring that his driving skills could accomplish anything.

The cadence pulsed louder, straying from its calming and gentle tune, and started to release a more fast paced rhythm. The car’s inside remained warm, while the outside was cold to the touch, ice and snow continuing to pound the vehicle as it picked up speed and merged onto the highway.

            Seeing the open space ahead of him, the boy pressed further down on the pedal, making the car accelerate faster and faster until it hit its top speed. The boy drove at this pace for several seconds before he saw the tail lights of the vehicles in front. Thinking he was too good to be stopped, the teenager headed for this new pack, showing no indications of hesitating. Speeding past the first car, the boy needed to perform a lane change in order to maintain his rampaging velocity. Eventually, the adolescent was constantly switching lanes in order to avoid the swarm of the driver’s around him. After several minutes of this insanity, the boy became bored of the new sport he had created and was glad to see an exit ramp.

            The once melodious tempo was now drowned out by the airwaves of melancholic pulses flowing throughout the car. The speakers rumbled with dejected clarity, which transformed the former vehicle into a demonic deathtrap on wheels. The cadence no longer remained perfect, but rather it emitted a sequence of violent undulations that twisted the car’s atmosphere into an aggressive riot.

            The adolescent drove along a bridge above the highway, looking down at the passing cars twenty feet below. The boy’s hands were on the steering wheel, their fingers curled around the rim; his foot firmly gripped the pedal. As the boy drove across the overpass, an overwhelming sense of prestige came over him and he couldn’t help the feeling of superiority. In his mind he had driven recklessly, yet still remained in control enough to avoid any errors. He had always thought of himself as a safe driver, but now he understood not only could he get away with driving safe, but also manage to drive hastily and still remain in control.

            As the music continued to blare the boy finally remembered why he was here and recalled what the argument was between his parents. He had failed his driver’s test. The entire week leading up to it the boy had practiced and thought he was ready for the trial. During the exam, the teenager confidently drove through the course, but one minor error caused him to auto-fail. Paying too much attention to the rode, the boy failed to see the yellow light that turned red after he was already halfway through the intersection. He hadn’t even realized the mistake until his instructor broke the news after the drive. The boy’s parents were furious at his clumsy mistake, knowing that he wouldn’t get another opportunity for at least two more months. Feeling betrayed after the argument, the boy snuck out of the house, with the car keys, and drove away. As he turned off the overpass, the boy noticed a similar intersection to the one in his driver’s test.

            The music’s momentum propelled the car forward, its pace still continuing to increase.  Up ahead the light turned yellow, challenging the boy to try and get passed before the crimson glow emerged. Feeling confident his speed could prevail, the boy pressed down harder on the pedal. With 50 meters to go the light switched colors, yet the boy showed no indications of slowing. The car flew through the intersection with blinding speed, but it was too late. A large truck had pulled out on the right side, the driver oblivious to the approaching car on his left. The two vehicles collided with spectacular force, causing the boy’s car to flip several times in mid-air before returning back to the ground and screeching to a stop. Under the scraps of debris lay the young adolescent who had died on impact. The car’s radio cracked and sizzled, lashing out its last violent tune before coming to a stop and emitting nothing but silence.