(I had to create a story based on a photo of a crow)
Never Alone
Fading in and out of consciousness, I see a crow across the street. It is slurping the water from a puddle, minding its own business while panic sets in for the rest of us. I can’t feel my legs, I don’t want to look. I can’t look, I can’t even move my head. I’m stuck in a position where I can only look out the broken car window and see that crow. Am I upside down? I can’t tell. Where was I going before all this? I can’t remember. My memory is hazy, maybe it’s because of all the blood I felt dripping off my face. I lose sight of the crow, as someone’s shoes are in front of my vision. I can’t tell who it is from the shoes. I try to look up, but I can’t even tilt my head. “Try not to move.” I hear. I try to say okay, but it comes out mumbled and I feel the blood in my mouth ooze out. It feels disgusting, I cough some of it out. My body is being moved out now, and I slowly realize I was upside down, indeed. As I am being dragged out, I can see the car, upside down, and totaled. Great. It was a lease, my boyfriend and I just got it. I can see the person behind the shoes now, it was a firefighter. I am lifted to a stretcher and my head is turned to the side. I see the crow again, minding his own business, looking around.
I lose consciousness and wake up in the hospital. I move my hand to my face and see an IV connected to my hand. I try to touch my mouth but there is an oxygen mask in the way. I bring my hand down because I’m starting to feel pain. I wrinkle my toes; I can feel them now and move them. Great, I am not paralyzed. The doctor and nurse come in, and they notice I’m awake. It grows quiet and I feel a sense of doom in the air. They tell me about my condition and how I am expected to make a full recovery. I was lucky, but “The other person in the car didn’t make it, I’m sorry for your loss.” I’m confused. Who was with me? I suddenly remember it was my boyfriend. Tears pour down. Words can’t describe how I am feeling right now.
Four months pass and I am out of the hospital. I walk outside and look across the street and see a crow looking back at me. It feels as though it was the same crow that was at the crash site. There is a long pause between us as we stare at each other. It flies away and I just continue to stare until I can’t see it in the sky anymore. A single tear drops runs down my cheek, but life continues on. I wipe my face and carry on.
