A Car Journey I’ll Never Forget
The New Year’s Eve Party
Wednesday, December 31, 2014.
It was 6 a.m. and the alarm had just gone off.
“Oh fu**! I have to drop off my sister at the airport, but I can’t be bothered,” I muttered under the blankets.
After scrolling for 10 minutes on Instagram, I got up. After breakfast, my sister and I got ready and went out.
It started raining.
We talked about New Year’s Eve. She would be going to a party with her boyfriend and some friends.
And yet, as soon as we took the highway, something unpredictable happened: it started snowing heavily.
It blew our minds because it had never happened before in Sicily.
While driving, I saw nothing because of the snow except for the black tyre prints.
I became nervous and scared because I had to maintain a low speed — 30 km/h — and because of a solid sheet of ice 1 inch thick on the road.
My sister was utterly terrified.
So was I.
Unexpectedly, my car went out of control due to the icy road. We hit the crash barrier, and the front of the car was both destroyed and suspended in the air.
We fainted.
When I woke up, I had a violent headache. I hoped it was just a nightmare, but unfortunately, it was real.
My sister and I were stuck on a highway bridge surrounded by snow and ice, and no one could help us.
So, I grabbed my sister’s arm and said: “Are you okay? Can you hear me? Please, say something.”
She didn’t answer me; she was still unconscious.
I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t come back. The only thing I could do was to arrive at the airport safe and sound and take care of my sister.
I felt scared because I wanted to go home and hug my mother, friends, and my girlfriend.
I took control of the situation by trying to start the car, but nothing happened.
The battery was flat. Sh**!
My sister woke up, but she was a bit confused. “We will get through this,” I said to encourage both of us.
So, I don’t know why, how, and above all, thanks to who, but after about 20 attempts, my old Citroen C3 started.
Making an abrupt reverse, I managed to get back on track, and after 3 hours, we arrived at the airport.
The first thing I thought to do was to give my sister a loving, reassuring hug.
I realised how important she was to me. How much I love her. She managed to take her flight on time, and that night, she had a party with her boyfriend in Milan.
I was happy because I saved and protected her.
I sat on a bench just outside the airport and listened to “Castle Made of Sand” by Jimi Hendrix on my phone to flow adrenalin in my body.
When I arrived home and told my mother what had happened, she passed out.
I also had a New Year’s Eve party with friends of mine, but I was utterly absent.
Welcome, 2015!
In this scary experience, my dear reader, I realised how unpredictable life is. How important the people we love are. How too short our own life is. And above all, how futile objects like cars are.
No matter how detailed our plans are — life is uncertain. What do you think about it? Do you have a story that taught you a life lesson? If so, I’d love to know it.
Thanks for reading. I hope it is helpful.
Hi! I’m an Italian mother tongue who strives to become a professional writer in English. Any suggestions? Thank you!
