A Seat Belt Holds You Tight

Sawyer McFarland is a senior who is passionate about writing and creating stories. He often writes psychological fiction. Authors such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and Philip K Dick have influenced him.    

A Seat Belt Holds You Tight

Every time the truck comes to a stop, the momentum inches Bjorn’s body closer to his steering wheel. His seatbelt holds him back, his butt goes slightly up, and then whoomph he’s pulled back down again. He pushes against the gas pedal, turning his wheel, speeding up only to have to slow down again in front of his first house. The first house belongs to a quiet family–a father, mother and two children. All the lights are off, the curtains closed, the only thing out of place is a car missing in the driveway.

        Bjorn sits there for a second, staring out his cabin’s window, shaking himself awake as he presses the mechanical arm button. The arm comes down, missing the trash can. Annoyed, Bjorn forces himself to exit the warm comfort of his heated cabin and leaps down the two-foot gap into the road. “What a way to start the day. Seriously–if only people could place their trash bins on the actual street,” he grumbles to himself. He moves the trash bin under the arm, presses the mechanical arm button again, this time finding the trash. As the can lifts, he looks at the house and imagines what it would be like to be the father returning home from work…The two kids running around…Staring with bright eyes, their faces pressed to the windows…Watching him as he parks in the driveway, and running into his arms before they sit down for dinner… Later that night, he’d say goodnight to them…He’d kiss his wife…and–“Skrrgh, svrrggh” he’s quick to turn around as the mechanical arm clangs in place, unable to release the can. He climbs up and unhooks the bin, places it back on the street. He climbs back in his cozy cabin, turns on the ignition, and with a resounding groan of metal on metal, pushes down on the gas pedal.