FUTURITY

THE ACCIDENT

Jason looked up to see the last rays of the sun setting. He walked hurriedly down the empty neighborhood street. Most of everyone seemed to be already home, with warm lights shining through the windows, and happy voices leaking through. The calm broke with a dog's frenzied bark in the distance.

Jason's iPhone hummed.

Shane: I'M BORED. WHAT R U DOING?

Jason: GETTING MILK.

Shane: WHY?!!

Jason: I'VE BEEN STUCK INSIDE PLAYING XBOX WITH YOU ON THE NET. I'VE BEEN CLEANING UP PEE STAINS AND WANTING TO KILL MY AUNT'S STUPID CAT.

Shane: GOTTA LOVE SATURDAYS!

Jerk. Jason rolled his eyes and put his phone back in his pocket. A car slowly passed him, turned, and parked in a driveway. He watched as husband and wife got out of the vehicle. Two blonde teens followed them.

Probably, twins, Jason thought as he looked at the girls. He could hear the family talking and laughing as they entered their dark house. Lights winked on—a real home.

A pain in his soul throbbed the moment they went inside. He'd had that. He'd had a family too. He wiped the brimming tears away and cleared his throat, trying not to lose it minutes before going into the store. The mental image of him walking into Wal-Mart, with red-rimmed eyes, and a zombie walk sounded demoralizing.

Hurrying on, he walked to the end of the street. It opened into a busy intersection. Turning, he followed the sidewalk that led to his destination.

After a few minutes, he walked through Walmart's automatic doors and reached the dairy section. It didn't take long to pay for what he wanted. Holding his carton of milk, Jason stepped into the open air.

Night crept into the streets while he was inside. He hurried down the sidewalk, looking around. The shadows had grown long, making him think of ghouls and slimy things that haunt the dark.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up on end. He turned abruptly. No one was there.

That feeling became more potent, goading him. He turned and looked again—still nothing. The cars passed him as an unbroken stream of flashing lights. Jason's heart began to pound harder in his chest. His body tense, Jason turned back and walked on slowly.

Suddenly, a growl echoed in his ears. 

Images of monster yellow eyes and clawed hands struck him. Please don't be him. Jason forced himself to look back. A black dog stood on the sidewalk a few hundred yards behind, watching.

Jason stood perfectly still.

Its beady eyes watched him with a mad rage; its mouth dripped with foamy saliva. A horrible thought crept into his mind. Rabies.

Instinct took control, and Jason ran. The dog came biting at his heels.

He looked back and fought the urge to panic. All he saw was fiery black eyes.

HONK!

Jason looked around just as a truck careened into him. He felt himself flying through the cold air. Lights flashed, and fire exploded in his veins, then nothing.

***

A nurse wheeled Jason under the x-ray machine. She quickly placed a covering over his legs.

The doctor waited at the screen for the results. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he wishes he could wipe it away. The adrenaline of an emergency thrummed through his system. It had been a slow night, but not now.

The images came on as the nurse kept pressing the button.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, looking normal, no bleeding, and no damaged organs. No." His voice trailed off. Air left his lungs.

The nurse hurried to his side. "Is something wrong?"

"See that dark shape on the right side of his chest cavity?" The doctor pushed a lever, and the screen zoomed in.

"Is it a blood clot, Doctor?" the nurse asked.

"No, and I don't think it's a tumor, either." Turning toward a male nurse, he said, "Zero in on this thing. I want everything about it." The nurse looked down at a notepad. No one moved.

The doctor waited, worry beginning to gnaw at him. "Now!"

The room exploded with movement. Nurse assistants hurried in and out. They took Jason's blood, their voices were loud, and their action chaotic.