All in a Day's Ride to School
All in a Day's Ride to School
Beep, beep! Billy’s ride honks outside of his house. Its horn gives off a nice homely sound. Billy buttons his jacket as he rushes out the door with his backpack in one hand and a piece of toast in the other. He opens up the minivan’s door to see his friend Joey sitting in the front seat. They say good morning as they turn the first corner onto the main street. Then the unthinkable happens.
As little Billy puts his seatbelt on, it locks in place and tightens immensely, pushing Billy into the back of his seat. It grows tighter and tighter until Billy can barely breath and is about to ask for help. Then Billy sees Joey and his mother turn towards him and laugh hysterically. They have evil in their faces and Billy is overcome with a sense of dread. He knows it is not looking good for him.
At the first stop light, Joey’s mom runs the red and cuts off three cars, She laughs out loud and says, “Damn them crazy drivers. Muahahahha.” They are going 120mph now and weaving in and out of traffic. Joey’s mom gets the back of her car clipped but acts like nothing happened. They spin out and she laughs histerically. She straitens it out and goes on. Mother and son are now in a psychotic trance and nothing can break their concentration. Joey has his eyes in the newspaper and Joey’s mom has her face against the windshield. They are both smiling and tense.
The next light is different. Joey’s mom slams on the brakes and both children go flying forward. Joey doesn’t even seem to notice. He just keeps on reading his paper. Joey’s mom taps the gas; ready to zoom off the instant the light turns green. Billy is about to jump out the window when his seat belts pull him back to the seat once more. With a mad burst of acceleration, the minivan is off again.
Joey’s mom starts chanting in a foreign language. Then she and Joey start yelling at each other or chanting together in that same language. Billy can’t tell. All he can do is close his eyes as the traffic goes whizzing past their car. He is sure they will instantly die. Maybe not…he peeks through his hands and sees the school’s opening 500 yards ahead. Billy sees a glimmer...