The Ladies of Horror
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The Road
by Kathleen McCluskey

Gina awoke and tried to open her eyes. Pain immediately flooded into her as she opened her mouth to scream but only a dry, crackling groan came from her. She searched her memory as to what happened. As her consciousness began to fade again, she began to remember.

In her mind’s eye she was in her car, singing along with her young children. Gracie and Jack were her world. Looking into the rear view mirror she could see them laughing and dancing in their car seats. A large feeling of pride washed over her. On the passenger seat was her longtime best friend Max. Max was a French bulldog who was her baby until the birth of her children. Max accepted them as part of his pack and life was grand. She bolted awake and back into the world of pain and medical equipment. She could hear the respirator and the beeping of her heartbeat. Gina tried but to no avail to open her eyes again. A large bolt of pain ran through her body and she was back in her car. This time blood streamed down her face as shattered glass and twisted metal surrounded her. Jack was nowhere to be found and Gracie lay dead in the back seat. Her eyes welled with tears as she followed a blood trail to Max, he had been decapitated.

Consciousness came back to her and once again she could hear the medical equipment. The incessant beeping was now becoming faint and she struggled to hear it. A large tear rolled down her cheek as pain over took her. She found herself on a road. A cold, wet road. In the distance, behind her she could see the flashing lights of the rescue teams trying frantically to extract her from the vehicle. She could feel the pull of the road becoming stronger as she looked the other direction. Illuminated from the front she could see the silhouettes of her two beloved children and her Max. They were waving at her and beckoning her to join them.

As the monitor in her hospital room began to make the long, loud warning of no heartbeat, Gina joined her family. Upon the road she found peace.

Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Christina Sng

More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!