If you've read my blog before you know this is a recurring dream/nightmare of mine. The book I intend to write for the NaNo Challenge is on organizing, but also how I do it in my day to day life. And those days usually start with adrenaline filled mornings. Here's a look inside my head: No Edits... :)
Organizing
in the Mayhem
Ahead of me the
road stretched out for miles. The area
was so remote that street lights were few and far between. We were currently driving in the middle of a
National Forest. I’m not sure which one,
but the trees lined up right next to the street leaving very little space to
pull off if you had an emergency. Not a
single car had passed me in the last thirty minutes so when the headlights of one
came rushing towards me I was startled.
The kids were in the back asleep.
Their movie had ended an hour before and the steady hum of the road and
the warm air from the heater had lulled them to sleep. I had lost myself in the quite, not even sure
if I’d been thinking anything or just resting my mind for a change.
But the
headlights were coming fast, they didn’t seem to see me, or they had some
expert driving skills they were about to execute or hit me. I wasn’t prepared to test their skills so
decided to look for a pull off. None was
in sight and I estimated within the next few seconds my kids were going to be
rudely awaked by the impact.
There, on the
right was a pull off, if you could call it that. Maybe half the car would fit, but it would
allow the crazed driver behind me room to pull around in case he took the
double yellow line as an excuse to push me off the road so as not to have to
pass and break the law. Seriously, what
was this guy’s problem?
I turned my
blinker on, not sure if the driver would even notice and I did my best to ease
the car to the small shoulder and timed it just right so that I was out of his
way when he drove even with me. But he
didn’t continue, instead I could see his break lights flash and I heard his
tires squeal, during his 180 degree turn I caught sight of silhouettes, at
least two other people were in the vehicle, I could see now it was a black SUV
with no visible identification. Were
those guns I just saw?
My heart raced,
what do I do? Their vehicle blocked my
way and I couldn’t turn my car around fast enough to avoid whatever they had
planned with those weapons. Before my
mind went in to full panic mode I reached for my own weapon. Never having had to use it, but being well
trained I checked the magazine, the safety and placed it in the back of my
jeans. “Kids, Kids! Wake up.”
I never took my
eyes off the vehicle in front of me. No
one seemed to be moving. “Kids, I need y’all
to take your seatbelts off and get out of the car. While speaking I made sure to turn the
interior lights off so when they opened their doors it wouldn’t spot light
us. I told the oldest, “You hold their
hands and you don’t let go. This turn
off means there’s a house or some building in the vicinity. You run till you find it. If someone is there call 911, whoever lives
or works there will know the address, let them know there are three people in a
SUV that tried to run us off the road.
If no one is there, find a safe place close to the building and I’ll
find you. Is that understood?”
I heard her meek, “Yes ma’am.”
“Don’t let go of
their hands. I love you. Now RUN!”
She slid out the
back door, followed by her brother and sister.
They were still sleepy and stumbled.
“Baby, shut the door.” I was
hoping the people wouldn’t realize anyone else was in the car. Or at least it would take them awhile to
figure it out. I watched my kids as they
walked away from me into the darkness of the forest. I couldn’t tell if they looked back, but I
mouthed I love you one last time.
When I felt it
was safe and the kids out of sight I turned the interior lights back on. I wanted to make sure all their attention was
on me. At the last second I remembered
the map and pocket knife I left in the car for emergencies. Surely nothing as dire as this, whatever this
was, but anything was better than nothing.
I filled my pockets with these items as well as my cellphone, even
though there was no connectivity maybe there would be at some point. I knew it was unlikely, but I had to take the
chance.
Still no one in the
other vehicle moved. It was now or
never. I opened my car door; I took
everything in my power not to look to see if my kids were visible. I just
wanted to run after them and take my chances, but then they’d be a target. That wasn’t an option. I slid out of the car, making sure to pull
the keys from the ignition. I might come
back. This might just be some stupid
prank. But it didn’t feel like it and that
was good enough for me.
The moment my
shoes hit the pavement three doors opened; I didn’t stop to think at that
point. Instinct took over and I ran the opposite
direction as my kids. Away from them,
feeling like I was abandoning them to the elements, but praying I was keeping them
safe from these men. I knew they were
men now. They raised their voices in
shouts and orders. I didn’t understand the
language which frightened me even more.
What if they were saying everything was okay? What if I was leaving my kids to fend for
themselves because of some irrational fear.
But the voices
didn’t sound nice. They weren’t pleading
for me to wait, but orders; it was definitely orders being shouted. At first I heard the gun report. Then I felt the wind rush past my arm. The sleeve of my shirt was tugged tight against
the back of my arm and a hot pain cut across my bicep. Shots had been fired, at me. At me I repeated while in a head first
run. Not my kids, me. That was good. I mean, it was bad, but I was the target and
that was the objective.
Just run, run,
don’t look back, don’t hesitate, just run.
And ran I did. I knew branches
were ripping at my clothes and face, but I didn’t care. I could feel the moisture that was a mix of
sweat and blood but I didn’t care. I had
to run. Another shot was fired, this one
hit a large rock near my thigh. I could
feel the pieces hitting my leg, but I kept moving forward. I was getting further away from the car and
the kids. I wanted to make sure all
three men were following me. I didn’t
want a single one off looking for them.
I had to find
higher ground. I needed to see what was
going on and maybe find that lost cell tower signal. I could see to my left a rise in the forest
floor. Not much, but it might help me do
a head count. I hugged a row of trees
and made the quick trip up the hill, finding a large tree that had fallen ages
before I hide and took the time to catch my breath and check my weapon. How far was I now, a mile, two maybe. Could the kids have gone the same
distance? How long would it take me to
get to them? Were they scared? I could feel the pressure behind my eyes and
knew tears would make aiming harder. And
I didn’t have ammo to spare. Three men,
I had a few shots a piece. Could I do
it?
I saw the first
man come in to site, he’d lost me and was looking around. Another man was close behind him. They spoke in that foreign language. They were angry words. The third man showed up soon after shrugging
his shoulders. Was that shrug because
they couldn’t find me, or did they know about the kids and couldn’t find
them? Either way I counted three men and
that meant no one was after my kids. My
job was done… or was it?
If I doubled
back would they hear me, I couldn’t be quiet with dry needles layering the
ground and by the time I reached the kids the men could be back at their
car. How could we escape and still I had
no idea why they were following, much less firing at me. I had to decide what to do. And the conclusion I kept coming to was
making me sick to my stomach. But they
were sitting ducks. All three had their
weapons ready, they came after me, and in the process my kids. I didn’t need to think any more.
I laid flat on
my stomach; I had had time to catch my breath as the men planned their next
move so I took aim. One last calming
breath, I’d need to fire off at least three shots, maybe more. It wouldn’t take them long to figure out
where I was hiding and their weapons held more ammunition and judging from
their attire and behavior, taking human life came easy to them.
I said a quick prayer;
I didn’t ask for forgiveness, I asked for perfect aim.
My first shot
took us all by surprise. The four of us
jumped in unison, the one I aimed at landed on his face. The other two looked down at him in shock, I
didn’t let mine take over, I shot again, this time I hit his the man closest to
me in the neck, it was a good shot, he’d bleed out in seconds. The third man, finally realizing what was
happening to his companions tried to duck and run, but I caught him in the
leg. He stumbled and tried to get up, by
my forth and finally shot stopped him for good.
I waited a few minutes to make sure no one moved.
I said a prayer
of thanksgiving and I got up and ran. I
had to find my kids. Nothing else
mattered. Who they were what they wanted
didn’t matter, I needed my kids in my arms and I needed to get us to
safety. I felt the same branches again,
this time I could feel each cut, each pump of my heart, the ache in my back from
laying so still, I worried they’d gotten off the path or that maybe there was a
fourth man who didn’t jump out of the car with the other three. Was there a trap waiting. Dear God were my kids okay?
I saw the road,
both cars still in the same place, no signs of life. I slowed down to make sure no one was
watching as I crossed the deserted stretch of highway. Once on the other side I spared a glance into
the car to make sure the kids hadn’t gone back and that the men hadn’t check on
our things. The car seats might still
have been warm or their DVD player. Did
they have time to check? The fear
started to flood my emotions. I couldn’t
stop the tears, they stung my eyes and flowed into he cuts on my face. The physical pain was nothing compared to the
thought that my kids were scared or worse.
I ran harder, my lungs screamed for me to stop;
my throat was so dry I could feel my esophagus was
sticking to itself. But I wouldn’t stop,
I couldn’t. I had to find them. In the distance I heard something, at first
it was faint, I couldn’t make it out, but I opened my ears up and focused, but
never stopping my pace. That’s when I
heard the voices, so clear, almost melodic.
It was hard to focus with the rustling of branches
and the crunch of dry leaves, but finally the sound of music penetrated my
thoughts. In the background I heard call
letters; maybe the kids had run to a radio station tower. The music was louder now; I could almost make
out the lyrics when I felt a hand gently brush my back. How could that be? I was running, no one could gently rub my
back.
Suddenly I was pulled from the forest. The ground, the trees, the cuts the aches,
all were gone and I found myself in the my bed, my husband telling me the alarm
was going off and it was time to wake up.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and took a
deep, shaky breath. “The kids alright?”
He didn’t respond, I rolled over, “Are the
kids okay?!”
“I just heard the youngest yell she’s
hungry. So I’m assuming so.”
I exhaled the breath I’d been holding… and stretched.
“I guess my job here is done.”
The husband didn’t ask. He usually doesn’t. My dreams tend to vary from the bizarre to
the mundane. But nothing else mattered,
the kids were okay and three bad guys laid dead in the forest of my
imagination, never getting their hands on my family.
