[fiction] Winter Traction
by Alyssa Terry, '23
A wintery storm left the highways closed and thousands of Chicago residents without power on Saturday as the weekend’s warm, sunny weather was replaced by rapid winds, snow, and freezing temperatures.
Terrified to drive--fingers twitching, left foot stomping--Leo held his body stiff as a board while his eyes engaged the road, hardly blinking. He panicked when a tow truck pulled in front of them, breaking fast. Taking a sharp turn, Leo turned off the highway and onto a side street, thinking without hesitation that it would be an easier, safer route.
The red Saab was still covered in snow, icicles hanging from the side mirrors. The car had two-wheel drive and the snowbanks were six feet tall. No eyes were admiring her in the passenger's seat as he took the turn. It was a dark, cold night in February, and the cops were not around; snowplows, elsewhere. There was no way anyone should be driving right now.
Where we goin’? There is no way you know this route. As they approach a stop sign, slowly coming to a stop, he observes the road. How are we gettin’ home? Ugh! You have no idea where we are. Again without hesitation, he blurts will you please stop blabbering so I can focus? You are talking foolishly and asking stupid questions; for god sake I just want to be home too! You are the one that keeps asking questions, so how about you hop in the driver’s seat and get us home. Then he hesitates. I—I’m sorry. Just let me get us home safe. Had he said no more, the car would have been in the middle of the street.
He is just what a young man ought to be. Sensible, concentrated, engaged; she never saw such kind manners! - so much ease with such perfect comfort. But his terrified face was worried and scared that they would be trapped. Putting the car in park, he turned on the hazards. I’m sorry; I just don’t want anything unfortunate to happen to us. You think this is entertainment when really, we first have no idea where we are, and I am driving when I shouldn’t be driving, and you decided to get in a fight with your brother, so now we have to drive home! Like this is stupid. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t mean to be this way, but you cannot distract me. We are in the middle of a blizzard. We should have just stayed at your brother’s house for the night.
While Leo was slowly searching for road signs, she got bored and decided to unclip her seatbelt. Are you serious right now? Come on, what have I been saying to you for the past five minutes? Put your seatbelt back on. This is not funny. Well, what else are we gunna do? Just like you said, we’re in the middle of a blizzard. Why not just wait for help to come to us? What do you say?
Snow drifts from the storm varied from about five to ten inches. Streets were beginning to pile up with snow. Still no snowplows in sight; streetlights twitching, some off. You could see from the road that side streets were covered. There is no way we are going down that street. Well what else should we do? Just turn around and we'll go back towards the main road. I don’t know—you’re the one that said to stop blabbering. It is darkness out here let me go into the light. No, no, no something is different. This isn’t real. They sat there, quiet, both of them were looking forward, confused by what he was saying. Umm- are you okay? Like is there something you need to tell me?
Winter traction problems require a number of changes from summer driving techniques. The rule for driving on slippery conditions is to drive slowly. It’s common sense. You should not screw with cruise control on icy or slippery roads. Are you dumb? This is important. Okay? Okay. When the road may have black ice formed on it, that means driving skills need to change. Traction varies tremendously with temperature changes. Icy roads will look just the same at -2 C or -22 C but will be far more slippery at the warmer temperature.
Winter driving calls for special techniques: gentle acceleration, gentle braking, and small, smooth steering movements. Wait. Swearing in my head? He said. Set out and be a real man. If you want to swear, swear aloud so you actually be heard. Duh. He said. But I don’t want to swear aloud. Well don’t swear in your head. You need to understand there is something wrong right now. JUST WAKE UP.
Leo. Leo. Leo are you there. Come on wake up.
Had he said more, he would’ve kept blabbering about traction control forever! But his eyes slowly opened into the bright room. Paige was laying there beside him, but in another bed. But she was awake, waiting for the moment Leo woke up. She said, Leo we’ve been in an accident. Do you know where you are? The nurse interrupted and said, Paige is okay. You guys drove into a telephone pole. You have a mild concussion, but you should be okay.
Alyssa Terry majors in Biology, in the Pre-Dental track.
Laura Smith and Rachel Baumann edited this piece.