Dead Zone

When you do a first aid course, you never think you will actually have to use it, and they don’t tell you about when you won’t be able to use it. They need a new section on those courses called, ‘What to do when someone is Dead’.

The world suddenly slowed, advancing frame by painful frame.

George saw Matt running up the footpath on the school side of the road, bag slung over his shoulder, the remains of marmite toast in his hand with a smear up his face, waving.

Matt’s mum accelerated into the gap in the traffic and realizing it was a rather small gap she nailed it upsetting the coffee that was not quite in the cup holder, flooding the center consol.

Annie jumped across to the next crack to continue her journey.

The duty teacher flapped her hands to indicate Matt’s mum to slow down.

George waved back to Matt.

The wind gusted.

The road patrol sign was ripped from George’s other hand and flew out into the road.

Matt’s mum looked up to see the road patrol sign heading straight for her.

Annie found another line to continue her journey.

Matt’s mum stamped on the breaks to avoid the sign.

Matt’s mum’s cell phone went flying from the safety of its position between her shoulder and her ear.

Matt’s mum went flying, not yet constrained by the safety of a seatbelt.

Her head made contact with the window, inertia carrying her forward, her body followed.

Matt’s mum tumbled across the bonnet, her body a dull thud as it hit the road, headfirst.

The wind paused.

Annie looked up, a scream.

No one knew what to do.

“Jane? Jane? Are you there? What happened?” it was John’s small voice, still on the phone. “I guess you’re in a dead zone. If you can hear me, call me back when you get coverage. You’re gonna be late!”

“MUM!” Matt screamed and ran towards his mother’s body on the road.

And with that time started to run at pace. The duty teacher enlisted the support of other parents to shield the children from the scene. The Ambulance was called and another person went into the school office to get the principal. The road patrol signs were disconnected and taken to the side of the road. Matt’s mum’s car was put in park and another person who had stopped had a tarpaulin to use as a quick cover.

“Mum, mum, mum,” sobbed Matt. His broken mother on the road. Gentle hands scooped Matt up and took him to the side of the road and put him on the grass verge sitting with him, his hands covering his face, an attempt to block out what he will never not be able to see. Annie had made it all the way up to the crossing on just the crack and lines and seeing Matt crying on the grass verge in the midst of the chaos she quietly took up a position on the other side of him, sitting close she said, “it’s me, Annie. I’ll stay here with you.”

George and the other road patroller were taken to the staff room and given a hot milky milo but neither of them touched it. They could hear the approaching sirens and George started sobbing, “it’s my fault, it’s my fault, it’s my fault.” And Mrs D reassured him that it was not his fault and everything would be okay.

But it wouldn’t.