I run the hairbrush through my thick brown hair two more times. “Ninety-nine, One hundred,” I count to myself. I flip my hair over and twist it into a loose bun, wrapping a ponytail holder around it. I switch the radio station into softer music, throwing myself into the comfort of my bed. Staring at my ceiling, I reflect on my mediocre day. “Ugh,” I grunt, “My life is so boring. I’m a mediocre girl with average grades, a plain boyfriend, and ordinary friends. I have an unexceptional family with normal riches.” I roll onto my side and close my eyes, falling asleep to the sound of a commonly catchy song.
The music in the car pumped as Jessica and I danced and sang obnoxiously in our seats. We weren’t paying attention as the stoplight changed up ahead. It was only a matter of seconds, but it seemed like hours. I watch the glass shatter and fly back at our heads as we slowly move our arms up to protect ourselves. The airbags seem to deploy at the speed of a tortoise as Jessica’s car continues to collide into the semi-truck in front of us. I look over at Jessica, blood beginning to stream down her face and clothes. I stare at my hands, covered in my own blood and then…
I sat up, gasping for air and shaking violently in bed. I wipe my head; I’m covered in sweat and my head is pounding. There is a whining in my ear, along with a continuous beep that speeds up. Nurses run into the room and inject me with medicine. I look wildly around; trying to understand what is going on. “It was just a dream. Just a dream. I’m fine. Why am I in a hospital? It was a dream!” I insist to the nurses. “No honey,” a spunky redheaded nurse replies, “You were in a terrible car accident two days ago. You’ve been in a coma for two days love.” “No. No. No,” I tremble, “I distinctly remember falling asleep in my own bed. I never even left the house that night.” “Shhhhhh…” the nurses coo to me.
I stumble out of the drug house towards a gas station. “You’re fine,” I remind myself. I grasp at the payphone and call my best friend Sherrie. “Girl, I’m at 7/11 by the hospital. Come pick me up. Please. I can’t stay there anymore,” I plead. “Okay. Okay. I’m on my way. Hang on!” Sherrie reassures me. Fifteen minutes later, the sun begins to rise as Sherrie pulls up next to me in her white convertible. “Get in,” she orders, “I’m taking you to the train station.” I wobble into her car and she speeds toward our small town’s miniature train station. “I don’t have money for a ticket,” I warn her. “No worry,” she replies, “You can just hop it.” As we pull up by the tracks, we hear a train’s horn. “Hey, there’s one,” Sherrie whispered in anticipation. “Start running now. Grab for a cattle car as they should be dropped off already. You could ride all the way to California if you wanted to. Just…don’t get caught,” she instructs me. I start sprinting alongside the tracks as the train’s light swept over and past me. I spot the car I want and leap onto it. “Perfect…”
I wake to the click-clack of train tracks and the shudder of a train car. “What?” I look around groggily. “I…I was in the hospital…” I survey my surrounding and open the door to look outside. “Welcome to the hitchhiker club,” a gruff voice chuckled behind me. I spun around to see a scraggly dressed man sitting in the hay across the car. “Jake,” He introduced himself, “you’ve been out for quite a while missy.” “I was just in the hospital yesterday,” I told him. “Nah sweetie, you’ve been on here for four days at least. You wouldn’t smell like yah do if you just got on.” “No… I think you are mistaken,” I advise him. “Honey, how long you been on drugs?” he squinted at me. “I don’t do drugs!” I stomped my foot incredulously. Jake smirked and nodded, “Okay princess. Whatever you say.” “What is going on?” I think to myself as I sit down and curl into a ball, “Why are my dreams controlling my life?”