Drew in his red Subaru, two hours to the train station to pick up his wife. Foot on the gas, the girls in back with their crayons and snacks. He doesn’t feel well, but that’s nothing new. He’s short on sleep. He’s out of shape. He’ll take a nap when he gets home.

Foot on the gas, the miles ahead, the girls in back with their chatter and chirp. Yes, he thinks, he’ll take a nap when he gets home. Tomorrow, he’ll go to the gym. He needs to lose weight, eat right, work out.

Tomorrow, he’ll black out at work as he walks to a meeting.

Tomorrow the doctors will say he has blood clots in his lungs. No, they’ll say, you can’t go home. You could faint at any time. You could die.

But today in the car, the girls in back, his wife at his side, he does not know. Today, heart pounding, he drives.

heavy autumn sky 
the old oak cracks and falls 
quick as lightning 

Bio: Jennifer L. Freed