Deathwish 53: Melchor


“Don’t wake me, I plan on sleeping in”

Melchor.png


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I dreamt about crashing my car–

 

Seatbelt fastened, hands punctually placed,

….I bypassed brakes; I let pedal meet railing and

………….wondered who would feed my cats

 

In the seconds before sailing off the shoulder, I thought to grab my phone;

………….considered who I’d try to reach, if I’d even be able to–

 

I caller ID’ed the embankment with a few curse words;

……mumbled dream speak, tumbled dream speed

 

I spoke clearly through shattering windshield;

………..painted poems on dashboard;

……I made it to rest at the bottom of a ditch,

……….whispered through a broken stereo–

……..said, “Don’t wake me, I plan on sleeping in”

 

I let myself relax, I cruise controlled into a coma

………for just a couple extra last moments;

…I apologized to my mother for all the nights I didn’t come home,

………..her brother and father both accident victims,

……………my dad always driving away from us,

………I realized how I’d left her alone; parked and waiting

 

I could smell the engine oil leaking, the gasoline burning,

……but I knew, no matter how many miles it haunted,

……….that it wasn’t real, this recurring nightmare–

 

So I shook it off and turned on my blinker–

 

I’d reached my exit

 

I got off the freeway

…..drove home

………..and

……fell asleep

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To read the previous installment, “Deathwish 052: Colin”, go here. To participate in Deathwish, find details here.



Melchor was born in Stockton, California, and currently lives in Stockton, CA.

Matty Byloos

Matty Byloos is Co-Publisher and a Contributing Editor for NAILED. He was born 7 days after his older twin brother, Kevin Byloos. He is the author of 2 books, including the novel in stories, ROPE ('14 SDP), and the collection of short stories, Don't Smell the Floss ('09 Write Bloody Books).

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