Brother

Waking Up

The very second I came to, I could feel my head pounding like crazy.I couldn't even remember anything from the night before,or even falling asleep.How drunk was I?Dare I even open my eyes?

To my surprise,I didn't see my ceiling fan swirling at high speed above me.I didn't hear my husband snoring like a pig.No,I woke to the sound of an accelerating car and thunder.I tried not to move too quickly, partially from fear but mostly because my head was killing me and I was so damn dizzy.

I turned my head slowly and carefully to the right.Everything outside of the car was just a blur;streetlights rushed by in meshed colors that looked like thumbprints of neon paint.The sky was pitch black,no stars.How late was it?

I watched the colors zoom by until the inevitable question came into view:Who was driving?I rolled my head to the left to see none other than my younger brother.He looked so focused,his eyes fixed in a trance on the road ahead.But why was he here?We hadn't spoken in years.I couldn't take my eyes off of him,he had changed so much.Who I once knew as a boy had changed into a full grown man.
I stared for what felt like forever,taking in what he had become,until he noticed I was awake.

"Renee,"He sighed."Roll your head back over,please."He looked at me,but only for a second before turning back to the road.Just in that second,I saw pain take over his expression like a poisonous cloud.Did it hurt that much to just look me in the eyes?

It was difficult to respond.It felt like my heart was being contained in my head.I couldn't even think of what to say,so I just rolled my head over like he told me to.

"Don't you even think of falling asleep until we get there."His words were as ice cold as the weather outside.How did I get here?