My engine roared out against the sharp cold morning breeze. The air around me was cold and dry, and left my windows fogged. My withered hands reached down for the defrost on my car and cranked the heat to its max.

“Perks of living in northern Minnesota.” I muttered to myself in frustration.

I hustled back inside my warm house to grab my bags and part ways with my parents for the day. “Be careful on the roads this morning, Sara, they are slick underneath the snow.” my mom reminded me. “I’ll talk to you after practice?”

“Yes, have a good day. Love you.”

I took a quick look around my family room to make sure I had everything, then I make my way out the door, saying a quick bye to my dog as I passed her.

I drove down my driveway and mentally tapped myself on the back for leaving enough time this morning to warm up my car. A fresh white blanket of snow settled atop the ground around me, and the sky was a dim grey that weakened my spirits. Typical for a Monday morning in winter, but it was March, and it had been a little over three weeks since I last had to drive with snow. My mind was clouded, going through my day’s plans. I was running behind due to the unexpected weather, and I knew I would be cutting the time close, but was determined to not allow that aspect ruin my entire day. Music rang through the speakers of my Bravada Oldsmobile; I attempted to focus on the lyrics instead of my own mind’s chaos.  I curved around County Road 20 when my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach.

The tail end of my vehicle swerved to the side of the road. Swinging the front of my car in the opposite direction. I couldn’t get control of it. I had had minor fishtales in the past and was always able to get it under control, but I could feel this was different. I was no longer conducting the show. There it went, back and forth, back and forth as though my wheels were plucking the strings of a violin. The thump of my heartbeat played percussion, and all around me the audience waited impatiently. What’s going to happen.  I move closer and closer to the edge of the road. But there’s a rest in the music--a moment of silence before the grand finale as my wheels lost touch of the pavement-it all felt like a movie. This can’t be real.

The formidable cymbals crashed as I slid to the side of my seat. Slamming my head on the roof. With every hit to the ground everything seemed to constrict closer and closer around me. The music picked up speed. My senses were on fire. Every shard of glass that fell, I swear I felt it. Every piece of metal that bent, I heard it. I felt my body shift around my loud leather seats. Why is this happening?  It was all a bright white noise to me.

Then it stopped.

I look around me. My world had gone blank. There was a numb ringing in my ear that left me dazed. This was a small taste of death and I could not swallow that pill.

I need to find my phone, I need to call my parents.

I didn’t have any time to allow my brain to overthink. Beside me, my driver’s window was gone. Don’t think, just do. Don’t think, just do.

I brushed off the glass shards and pulled my body out of the wreckage. Immediate shivers erupted throughout my spine as soon as my converse sunk into the misfit snow below me.

“Are you all right?”  I hear a voice mildly hollar and it grabs hold of my attention for the better.

A sense of relief flooded through my veins like it was my own blood bringing me back to life. I’m okay. I’m okay. A sharp pain refocused my eyes to my hand for there was a large impression just above my left wrist. I continued to search my body for any other possible wounds. I lucked out, all that was there were a few cuts.

How can I be okay?

“What’s your name?”

I try and hold back my tears but my floodgates begin to give under the pressure.

“Sara. Ummmm, do you have a phone?”

“Yes, who should I call?”

“My parents. It’s - it’s ahhh - 732-8076. My mom’s name is - is Nora, and my dad’s name is Bill.” swiping away my runny nose, “Thank you. Thank you for stopping.”

The gates broke. This man stopped for me. I could not have imagined my panic if he hadn’t--completely alone. I struggled to find my phone and my brain was not able to put proper words together. I could never repay him.

“Hi, Bill? Yes I’m here with your daughter Sara. She lost control on the road, I think, and is in the ditch. I saw the tracks and stopped to check. She seems okay-- was able to give me her name, yours, and your number.”

The cool air around me froze my tears mid-cheek. Finally, I looked up to the road where I heard car doors open and shut.  My parents were here and I knew in that moment that I was going to be okay. I didn’t know why and with all my ability I could not possibly wrap my head around how, but I was okay. A deep release of my breath left a cloud in front of my line of vision. The two cars’ engines roared against the cold air, like a dog to a high pitched whistle, my brain focused on that noise as if I was the only one hearing it. Everything else was just white noise to me.