Faded Picture

Posted by Terrence Johnson

In the car, I accelerate fast
With our recent argument racing through my head
Anger with testosterone is a fatal mix
A concoction of pure adrenaline
I reach my place up to my room I rush
Slam the door attempting to calm down
My cellphone rings and I know its you
I answer and we begin to argue
Make up is not what I want to do
Hang up is what I do, no more words for you
Laying back in the bed I try to relax
The events of the night hauntingly play through my head
Who was that? Why were you there?
Questions, I created my own answers to
Time passes and another call comes through
This time its an unfamiliar number
The voice says that there has been an accident
One that involved my girlfriend
An accident that was fatal, her body lost
Communication is what I denied her
Now she is silenced forever
My external anger drove me safely home
Her internal hurt drove her to death
The voice informed me that she was hit by another driver
Which drove her car into a tree
She was not speeding, just an innocent bystander
Sitting on the dash was a picture of us
The only picture that will endure

I rush to the scene but she was not there
Only the car and the moon's glare
A letter on the passenger seat explained the story
The phone calls she did not return
Her being secretively silent
Us spending less time together
Not a sign of infidelity but admiration
A surprise vacation for us
The unfamiliar car
A friend that was helping her plan the trip
The phone calls she did not return
A result of exhaustion from coordinating the activities for the week
Her perceived secretiveness
She wanted to do something special for me
A gift for my dedication to her
My over-reaction caused a chain reaction
Of events that cannot be undone
Now my heart mirrors the condition of her car
Mangled, destroyed, totaled
As I stand in disbelief with my head in my hands
A presence seems to approach me
Whispering ever so gently in my ear
"I loved you till death".......