Begetting Tragedy

She hears a dim thud, normally she would notice
The sound only adds to her
Feelings too numb, she relives that night
When she saw her hopes and dreams
Vanish and dissipate like ashes from a furious cigarette
If only he didn’t pin her
No chance, no escape
If only those tests weren’t true

He’s roaring down the road of inebriated despair
Five minutes more and Dad takes his keys
The tests are true; she takes a step and a breath
His reaction in time to miss her attempted departure
The car ablaze, arms and legs broke
Smoke begins filling the moonless night
She finds she can’t move, just too much
She collapses and slips into unconsciousness

He slows his car to a stop at the foot of the wreck
A car in flames and a woman lying in the street
Confused he notices the brown boy choking and trapped
Paramedics training, he knows this is his moment
But his need to help halted by his family scars
He thinks "damn Mexican will just steal my job"
His heart cannot believe what he is going to do
He gets back in his car as the boy passes on