Panic shot through me for some unknown reason and I saw a vision of all of the occupants in my car in ghastly conditions of dismemberment. I cautiously, but firmly stated "slow down." A warning that was unheeded, which then led me to yell "this is my car and I said SLOW THE FUCK DOWN" everyone shot me a dirty look for spoiling the mood - but I didn't care.

B calmly, (she was always calm) looked at me in the rearview mirror and smiled reassuringly. "Dawn, relax everything is fine," and she proceeded to slow down, as her eyes returned to the road she saw what we had all seen almost simultaneously; flashing red lights, emergency vehicles, firetrucks, police cars and ambulances. Red flares defied the rain forcing us to slow down immediately as all lanes merged to one.

Like a train in slow motion we passed the scene where all sirens and lights converged. There was a jackknifed semi taking up two lanes and pickup truck smashed in the far right lane. Men were standing around in yellow rain coats, and a man wearing a flannel shirt leaned against the semi with his head down low. There were two motorcycles, but only one gurney with a body on it. As we did the math and were forced to pass the wreckage within mere feet of the carnage, a figure lay sprawled on the road, lifeless. No one wanted to look, but everyone HAD to look.

It was only until we passed the lifeless figure that we saw the body and the helmeted head were no longer one. Blood and bone were easy to identify and we all became white as ghosts and silent as the dead.

Moments later, Scott would blurt out without any tact for those of us in shock, "Did you see that guy's head?"

I was sick and immediately sober. I wasn't alone. It was quickly decided that we would all head back home for a nice quiet evening in our hometown. Our Halloween scare, firmly cemented in our minds forever.

Take heed, beware and have a Happy and SAFE Halloween.

(originally appeared on Dawnolsen.com)