Did that just Happen?

Mornings are always a bit sluggish. Even though I get up early and run, by the time I leave for work I’m ready to crawl back into bed. Typically I can’t stop yawning as I make my commute every morning. Today was a bit different though.

 I’m on my way to work and getting into my exit lane when the cars in front of me start slowing down. I do as well, morning traffic on I-35 is always like this, when I see them swerving around something in the road. I slow down even more and look up to see that there is a truck fishtailing off my exit . . . and it’s on fire underneath. It stops right underneath the bridge and bursts into more flames and so much smoke. A side door opens and someone runs out.

I then  look at the ‘something’ in the road and see it’s a person rolling around on the ground like he’s just jumped out of a car or something. (There’s about 4 cars stopped in front of me and all three lanes of traffic are now stationary). A few people are jumping out of their cars and I see a few nurses in scrubs, and a paramedic running toward the man on the road. Looks like they too were on their way to work. Another guy runs past my car with a little fire extinguisher. Meanwhile the car up ahead is billowing black smoke from the fire now engulfing it. The whole highway sits there for a few minutes, sirens in the background, and I hear a few loud pops, like gunshots. The truck is completely engulfed in smoke and flames.

 Eventually traffic starts moving by on the far left away from the burning truck to break up the traffic and let the professionals through. I had a clear view of the fiery vehicle as I drove past it to exit and saw a motorcycle lodged beneath the flaming truck.

 Of course all this happened in a matter of minutes but seemed so much longer. It was so unreal to watch something like a scene from an action movie happening literally right before my eyes. I hope in the end everyone is okay and accounted for, and I’m grateful I wasn’t any closer to the accident when it happened.

Needless to say I’m wide awake now and wondering if that just really happened.