"Tony"

The deafening crunch of metal may just be the last thing I hear.

They call me Tony, Tony Griffin. I'm nineteen, pretty young to die. Wouldn't you agree? If you were dead right now, think about every single thing you wish you did before you died, think about everything on your bucket list. Like tell the girl you love that you do love her, that she's your world. I never got the chance, I wish I did it earlier.

This story begins here, at someone else's party. I wasn't there, I wasn't drinking. It wasn't my fault. We're going to be following a girl by the name of Natalie, the other driver. She was off partying with friends like every other weekend. Maybe she's done it before, but actually got home alive.

"Hey Natalie!" A guy yells towards her upon her arrival. She almost jumps, but in a good way. It's her boyfriend, well of course he's there, it's his party. They've been together for several months at this point, lucky guy. He's lucky because he gets to live.

"Oh hey Rick!" She jumps on him and hugs him tight, as if never to let go. If only she didn't let go, maybe just maybe, things would be different right now. There's something hidden in her ocean blue eyes, maybe she has a feeling of impending doom. They pull away slowly, but he still holds her close to him.

He's the romantic of course. He looks deep into her eyes with his dark brown eyes, and pulls her in for a kiss. Being held in loves embrace must be nice, especially when it's your last night alive. Death is like a looming shadow; you can't fight it, you can only run. But eventually you'll hit a crossroads, and one path will bring you back. We both chose that path I suppose, or perhaps she chose for me.

They pull away, and he whispers something in her ear. "I love you, and I always will." She doesn't say a word, just looks him right in the eyes with both the fear and the truth of his words shining through. They just stand there, locked in each other's embrace for what seems like eternity. An eternity together before Death comes and seizes one of the two lovers; Romeo and Juliet.

Her story is only half the story, mine is the other. But for now, we see her half. Someone whistles at the couple, "Get a room you two!" they yell. It's Jude, Rick's best friend. They're like brothers, been friends since they were five or six I think. It's amazing what you can learn about people after you die. He's five-ten and weighs no more than a hundred and fifty. Short blonde hair and light brown eyes, a rare combo it seems. He gets to live a while longer too.

"Oh shut up Jude!" Natalie yells at him, she knows he's been drinking. She knows he's been drinking a lot, so much she'll be driving him home tonight. She's always the designated driver, but she still gets drunk. This time she'll be getting hammered.

The drinks go around like that old song we used to sing on the bus when we were kids. "99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer, take one down, pass it around 98 bottles of beer on the wall!" Ironically, split between her, Rick, Jude and about three others 99 bottles of beer were drunk that night. You'd think if the beer didn't kill them the hangover would. Only one of them died, Natalie. And it wasn't the alcohol that bashed her skull in, it only helped.

You think by now, people would have gotten smarter. Or at least more responsible, but every generation has to relearn the lessons of the past. I just wish it didn't have to be me. It can't be karma, I'm a nice guy to everyone. This isn't fair, I shouldn't die so soon. But life isn't fair, so why should death?

She got into her car. Black death speeding down the highway to heaven. Jude's in the car, sitting in the passenger seat beside her. There's two others in the back, underaged and shouldn't have been drinking. They're just about passed out. The sirens go off behind the swerving car. The red and blue lights of a police car.

"Oh shit! The Popo! Pull over Nat!" He yells, but she doesn't listen. Somehow that wasted guy managed to have that sliver of intelligence left, too bad she didn't listen. If she had pulled over, Death would not have to come. Death wouldn't have caught her and I.

She speeds up. "No way! There is no way I'm getting caught drinking and driving! My parents will kill me!" Jude continues to protest as the sirens continue to ring. I think he was the only one there with any sense, he'd take the blame if it meant keeping his life. He did, but she didn't. I didn't. She's all over the road, if only I had seen her sooner.

The cars collide. Everything goes black.

I was at my friends house, with a few others. We were having a movie night, we rented Mastermind. It was hilarious, I guess it was a good last movie to ever see. But still, I'd rather it be some random movie that's going to come out in fifty years. I'd rather live past tonight.

Ever listen to "The Hell Song" by Sum 41? I think I've come to realize how fast life can be compromised. I just can't believe that this happened to me. I don't understand why. It's like part of me, just won't agree with it as I float up to heaven. I'm going into the ground, but I'll be resting with the stars. I wish I wasn't going there just yet though, it's too soon. I haven't even had a kid, or finished college. I can never follow my dreams now because someone else decided to drink and drive. Life is a bitch.

"You guys coming?" I say with a laugh as I hop into my car. It's white, like snow. I don't know why, but I've always preferred white over black. It just seems right. The fact Natalie didn't see me earlier is hardly believable.

"Slow your horses Tony! We're just saying good-bye!" One of the others yells back at me from the doorway. She hugs our host and pulls the other two with her. She's been the only thing on my mind for what feels like an eternity, and very well might be. She has long elegant auburn hair and stunning hazel eyes. I'm glad it was me and not her driving that night.

We pull out of the driveway and turn on the radio. I love music, it's my life. We drive across town and onto the highway. The last highway I will ever see. We're laughing and having a good time. It's late, but we're not all that tired. I honestly think we'd been laughing too much to notice if we were tired or not. Up ahead I see the headlights of Natalie's car.

It looks like it's driving normally so I don't give it much thought. But as it gets closer, it almost seems like it started swerving more and more. I didn't notice. Not until it was too late.

The deafening crunch of metal may just be the last thing I hear. And it is. The glass shatters, but I can't hear it over the screams coming from the others. I can only see white. The crunch suddenly over powers ever other sound there is. Everything goes black.

-Zero