It was a twenty minute drive to the school on a clear day with little traffic, today was not clear and there was an accident. Living out in the rural part of town did have its advantages but at times like this I hated it. There was only one way into town from this direction, through an intersection with a red light. I was currently sitting at this red light watching it turn green for the fifth time, trapped and waiting for them to clear the mess in front of me. Thankfully I had missed most of the show; the end of it was bad enough.

From what could be seen, a semi was making a right hand turn and a SUV decided it was going to go straight at the same time. The red semi was still trying to make the turn with its wheels spinning on wet pavement, the dark blue SUV trapped under the trailer being dragged along, metal screaming the whole way when I pulled up. It took a while before the rescuers were able to get in the truck and shut it down completely, the AI running it would not accept the codes they kept putting in. The AI was focused on getting from point A to point B with its logical brain ignoring the fact that it had humans stuck under it. Guess it just thought it was debris from the storm. Another tragedy and another example of how humans should never let AI take over certain things entirely. What, for a bottom line? So pointless, and then there are the people who watch.

The onlookers, what passes for human now, seemed to have mixed reactions of disgusts and something akin to apathy as they posted their videos or pictures of the scene. To me, it was all just another prime example of what was wrong here. I am sure the six o’clock sanctioned news will say it was something wrong with the software and just an isolated event, so on so forth to ease the sheep. Considering the company that puts those trucks out has a big government contract it will all be swept under the rug, yet there have been too many of those recently. I turned on the radio to get out of the head space I was finding myself in, getting disgusted with the morbid onlookers posting videos and pictures trying to get as many ‘likes’ as possible.

After another ten minutes or so the wreckage was clear enough to let traffic pass, even if it was just one at a time. I made it into the town proper with its ‘allowed’ paint themes in the historical district and the old clock tower dwarfing all in less than three minutes. About to make the right onto Main Street I am confronted with three ambulances, sirens blaring, lights flashing, blowing past me towards the hospital that sits across from the high school. I managed to pull onto the road with no further incident and into the school parking shortly after. I parked the car in front of main entrance, figuring if he was that sick he does not need to walk in this rain. Sighing as I shut off the engine because for the second time I am regretting not grabbing a coat. I step out into a good old Texas gully washer.

Thankfully the trip back was uneventful, the accident was even clear. However, what awaited me upon entering the door was chaos of a different sort.

“Why did you miss the damn trashcan? UGH! I don’t do puke! Nope, your mom can clean that! No, NO, and NO!” Lexi’s voice carried through the house. I could hear Chase puking from the direction of the bathroom as well as gagging now. My only guess was Lexi was the one gagging; she did not handle vomit well at all.

I came around the corner to a trail of vomit leading towards the bathroom down the hall. At the partially closed door stood Lexi, gagging into the trashcan, retching noises were emanating from Chase in the bathroom. As I walked closer I noticed that the vomit had some bloody mucus in it. I heard from the direction of the kitchen a crashing sound and Lexi more than happily dashed towards the sound.

“Tag you’re it! I’ll get the other one.” She said as she passed me I knew it was Samuel hitting the floor again for the second time today. Passing out kid, she can handle; expelling of bodily fluids, a resounding hell and no.

“Alexis, call an ambulance now!” I yelled in her direction. I had to get my sons to the hospital quick and I did not think I could manage the drive this time.