The clock foretold a terrible fate -
it was now half past the hour.
His parents would be angry that he’s late
His girlfriend would be angry without her flower.
Through county roads, headlights pierced on
revealing wooden ghosts of past intent.
Rearview mirror revealing a life that had gone
when each tire’s revolution is spent.
Speedometer rising - odometer going crazy

The miles coming faster and steady now.
Night fog settling, the landscape becomes hazy
as sweat begins to etch his young brow.
But faster, he wanted to go faster to beat the clock.
The car - a metal angel grounded without wings
Temperature light begins flashing, the engine starts to knock
and the radio breaks into static, then silence it brings.
Would his parents believe he was late over a flower?

No, not after the lies that he has found himself in.
He knew he’d be late by more than a whole hour.
But for his girlfriend, he’d do it all over again.
That next morning as the fogs began to dissipate
a strange silence befell the waking dawn.
His parents were angry, why had he been late?
The empty driveway proved that their son was still gone.

The day came and fell into memory’s past,
still no word from their troubled young boy.
Over the airways, his image was cast
His girlfriend was crying, was her heart just a toy?
Then, the doorbell chimed around nine that night
and the girl answered the door with hesitation.
Her eyes blinked twice to see that one sight...
He had arrived at his final destination.

Her boyfriend stood there with a flower in hand
and a tear laying still on his left cheek.
His hair was a mess and he could barely stand
His lips were parted, but did not speak.
"Come inside" she pleaded quickly to him
"Your parents are worried and borderline insane"

But he softly stared and would not venture in
though it was obvious that he’d been in pain.
He turned to leave as she glanced away
and the darkness welcomed him in.
Her eyes darted back as she started to say
"Please tell me where you have been."
That was the last that he was ever seen -

The wreckage was pictured on page one.
His parents questioned all they’ve ever been
And what they’ll be without their son.
They say he was pinned in that twisted-ness
and suffered from a broken spine.
Trapped 24 hours in that horrid wreck,
Time of death estimated: tonight about Nine.

©October 9, 2003 Lori S. Maynard