Car Accident, Part I

I drove through Cashmere today, like I do every day.

Some days, I can drive by, and I feel nothing. But today, as I drove through that intersection, something prompted me to look at the side of the road. I saw the tire marks in the grass, where it was matted down still, and even some debris strewn around. And then the thought came, -- what if...?-- and, before I knew it, I was in tears and keenly aware that God was with me that night, one week and a half ago.

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Thursday night, coming home from church, between 9:00 and 9:30 PM, I was approaching Cashmere and thinking about school...kind of emotional over a hurtful incident that came to mind. "Gosh, Dahlia," I told myself, "stop it!" as I removed my glasses to wipe my eyes.

Whether I ever put my glasses back on or not, I'll never know. Next thing I knew, there was a black car crossing the intersection directly in front me. Frightened, I realized I was in the middle of the intersection and that -- as a quick glance up confirmed -- the light was red.

Oh, no! Swerve to the left, getting past the car, CLANK of metal hitting metal. Hands gripped the wheel, foot floored the brake, but I watched helpless, as the highway spun out of sight, and I was propelled toward a grassy hill on the side of the road.

Immediately, I recognized this feeling. I felt it before, crossing Blewett Pass, when I slid on a patch of ice and my car U-ed around, out of my control, straight into the snowbank on the side of the road. Only, this time there was no snow to stop my car.

It went up onto the grass and flipped over -- "AAAAAHH!" I screamed, like when you're on a rollercoaster and you realize for the first time that you're about to go upside down. The flip sent a shower of dirt into my mouth and eyes. "Glass!" I thought, and covered my face with my hands. "Oh my gosh," I thought. "Will I still have time to make cream puffs tonight?"

And there I was. Upside down. Hands shielding my face. Seatbelt stretched taught across my chest and lap. Wheels spinning on the other side of the car floor, above my feet.

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To be continued.