The Night that Changed it All

Through the rain streaked windshield I could only make out the silhouettes of the couple sitting inside the car. I could tell they were arguing by the way they were gesturing with their hands as they spoke. I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't seem to look away. I leaned on the counter and distractedly chewed my thumb nail as I tried to guess what they were fighting about.

I glanced at the door, though I didn't know why. No one every comes into this little gas station convenience store at this time of night. When I slowly moved my gaze back to the car parked outside, I noticed the couple was no longer arguing. In fact, they seemed to be sitting there facing each other, but not moving at all. The female in the driver's side shifted just slightly, and I noticed something in her hand.

My eyes grew wider and I found myself leaning towards they window trying to get a better look inside the car. It was just as my brain was beginning to register what my eyes were seeing that there was a bright flash from inside the car. I covered my mouth in shock and tears filled my eyes. As I reached for the phone to call 9-1-1, a second flash came from inside the car.

I hung up the phone after talking to the dispatcher and realized then that I had not taken my eyes off the car for even a second. I tried to get myself to walk outside to see if either of them was still alive, but I was frozen in place and could not force my feet to work. Then I tried to get myself to at least look away from the car. But, I couldn't do that either. So, I stood there, frozen in place, not even blinking.

It wasn't until the police arrived and one of the officers forced me to sit down that I moved at all. It was also then that I finally drew my gaze away from the window and the car sitting outside of it. I had yet to allow myself to process or even believe what I just witnessed. But, I knew those two bright flashes would be there in my mind whenever I closed my eyes for the rest of my life.