Shhhkkk,
Doors open,
Five teens,
One child, 
Mom always sent one,
To make sure we were being good.

But none of us were ready for that day,
We weren’t even doing anything wrong, 
We were being careful,
It was normal, 
or so we thought.

Then we heard her phone ring, 
That sound of that phone will never leave me,
I still have nightmares about the sound of that phone,
That sound,

Every time I hear it,
It’s like it’s that day again, 
The Radio won’t leave me alone,
That song is always on repeat,
Over and over, and over again,
That melodious tune from that day, 
From that phone.
That one by that famous band, 
That everyone loves.
Everyone but me.

She picked up that phone, 
That day, that song, 
It all happened in a second,
She barely even looked down, 
It was as if she blinked,
And the lights went out.
They all went out. 
All but mine.

I called their names, 
There was glass everywhere,
Everything was red,
No sound,
The world was silent,
And it stayed silent,
Even when they called my name. 

I never answered,
But they knew,
They knew I was the only one who made it, 
Even the child’s lights were out. 
My sister’s eyes,
Her bright, beautiful eyes,
So innocent, so young, so frail, so vivid.
So empty, so dead.

I stared at her as they pulled me out,
Her and her curious words,
Her and her exquisite smile,
Her and her awkward charm,
It was all gone,
Because,
Because, 
Because,
We were foolish,
Foolish and distracted. 

She picked up that phone,
With that tune, 
And It was a text,
It read three words,
“Where. Are. You?” 
She couldn’t even reply,
“Gone.”

Gone. 
They were all gone,
They didn’t even have a chance,
A chance to learn their lesson,
Because they were gone, 
But I was not.
I learned my lesson. 

Five deaths taught me. 
Now, it’s my turn to teach you.
Don’t pick up that phone,
With that tune, 
With the child in the back, 
With the four other teens,
Distracted by talk. 

Driving is not the time to socialize, 
There will always be time to reply to,
“Where are you?”
But not when your answer is “gone.”

Don’t make that mistake,
It’ll be too late to take it back, 
Too late to learn from,

Learn from me, 
Learn from our mistake.
Talk later, 
Focus on the road, 
Text later, 
Check your mirrors,
Take that photo later,
Check your blind spot,
Distract later, 
Focus now. 

No one knows when death will come. 
No one knows the color of that red vehicle,
That hits you when you’re not looking at the road.
No one knows the name
Of that person who picked up her phone. 
No one knows it will happen,
Till it happens.

So be careful and keep your eyes on the road. 
Don’t kill the child with the loud laugh,
And the happy eyes,
And the curious thoughts.
Be prepared for that impact.
Be prepared for that glass, 
The silence of the world,
And make sure the lights don’t go out. 
Stay safe and vigilant on the road.