Life - Message From The Past

10-Bridge of Souls

The Tirade

Jeremy sped away from the cottage leaving behind the dog he loved and a woman who cares about him. "Great! Just great Jer! You can screw up with the best of them! You yelled at Charlie! You yelled at the only living thing on earth that ever loved you back! Are you frickin serious?!"

He had nothing but contempt for himself and continued his self demonization. "That dog has been the one shining light among all those stupid, crazy, crappy relationships you have ever been in.

"Pumpkin doesn't even come close! That skirt-chasing moron! I mean you have the Thompson twins, bro! Identical twins that fall at your feet and that isn't enough for you? You need to have Pansy, Mandy, Candy, or whatever her name is too! Like choose one woman and go with her!"

He shook his head. "How did you become such a loser, Jer?" He leaned over to see his face in the rearview mirror and his truck veered into the oncoming lane. A horn screamed. "Damn it!" He swerved back into his lane. "Pay attention you idiot, just because you're dying doesn't mean you need to take someone with you! What is this? A pity party?"

"Crap, I must be tired! I haven't been this cranky since Ginger broke up with me." He smacked his forehead. "Why even bring her up? You must be delusional. My God, she left you a disastrous wreck!"

"Pumpkin had to run your company for a month. And he gave himself a five thousand dollar raise! How'd he put it? 'Retroactive to the last public humiliation'. Who was that? Right, that was Heather." He just shook his head at all the stupid memories ricocheting through his mind from his past.

The Accident and Miguel

Just then headlights crossed the centerline, Jeremy hammered his horn several times but the person in the other vehicle did not respond. "I am not going out like this!" He swerved hard to his left.

The two trucks interlocked and began spinning shearing off a destination sign and an old wooden power pole before splitting apart. Jeremy's truck twisted, finally giving in to the momentum spinning him like a dryer tumble dries clothes.

By the second roll, Jeremy's head struck the door frame turning him into a rag doll. All four wheels snapped from the frame leaving it looking more like a torpedo than a truck.

The second truck nosedived into the ditch stopping violently, setting off the airbags and knocking the driver out cold. The cab of the truck folded like an accordion between the engine and the truck bed leaving very little room for the driver.

Lights from two neighboring farmhouses shot on. The sound of an accident is very distinct and both farmers phoned 911 then made their way to the trucks as quickly as they could.

Jeremy vaguely heard the sirens and the emergency lights flashed through the blood that covered his face. He heard voices the odd time but then nothing.

When he opened his eyes a Mexican man began cursing at him in Spanish.

"What the hell are you saying?" Jeremy pushed the man away then looked around. "Hey, where the hell am I?" He looked around not recognizing anything.

"You, my friend, are in the ever after and I am about to kick your ass! You idiot!" Jeremy did not know the man but he stood face to face with Miguel Consuelo Rodriguez Garcia. Harmony's father.

Jeremy held his hands out fending off the very quick Mexican but Miguel eventually struck him in the face. "Geezus, what was that for?"

"You're an idiot!" Miguel pushed Jeremy with both hands.

"I have been called that more than once in my life but what's your reason?" He put his hands up to protect himself. "I never even met you before!"

"I had it all planned and you had to screw it all up! Gringo idiot!" Miguel cursed Jeremy again.