Author: Sam

Story: Full Circle: 4 of 4

Series: Phases

Note: This is written in the form of a newspaper report concerning the car accident the Young Ones were involved in. It is the final explanation as to why the Young Ones had to choose the way they did.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive. samwise_baggins@yahoo.co.uk

Webpage: http://www.oocities.org/samwise_baggins/index.html

Vacation of Horrors

The tragedy ensued at approximately 7:30 PM on June 16, 1991. Late spring melts and sudden down pours made the back roads of the county nearly impossible to travel. Mud and gravel mixed into a deadly cocktail, creating the perfect setup for what could only be termed as the most horrific accident since living memory, according to locals.

Five cars, four headed away from the Interstate and one towards, were caught in the backlash of the storm. The mud apparently caused the wheels of one car to skid, sending it out of control into the nearby river. A second car followed the first. When a concerned driver stopped to aid the occupants of both cars, he was hit by a fourth vehicle as it careened into his waiting Jeep. Unfortunately, unaware of the tragedy ahead, a fifth and final car plowed into the accident on the roadway. No one know who called rescue services, however, though the caller had misinformed EMT's that the surviving victim(s) would be found at the camp house at the end of the road. No one was found in the house, and all persons involved in the accident were apparently still in their vehicles or very close by.

There were ten people involved in the five-car-accident, as follows:

The Jeep: Officer Henry "Hank" Baker, age 24 and an on-the-rise investigator in abduction cases in the surrounding counties, as well as his wife, Diana Lawrence Baker, age 23, a well-known trainer for physically and mentally disabled children. Office Baker, standing outside his vehicle, was caught between his Jeep and the Park Avenue. He suffered multiple fractures as well as a punctured lung. He was proclaimed dead on arrival at the local hospital. Mrs. Baker was still in the vehicle when the passenger side was slammed into a copse of trees lining the road. She suffered a broken neck and was proclaimed dead at the scene of the accident. They are survived by both his and her parents and by Mrs. Baker's brother.

The Park Avenue: Eric Montgomery, son of the founder of Montgomery International, age 23, on a two-week sabbatical from his role as a business executive in the family business. His driver, James Whittaker Senior, age 42, had been hired specifically for the trip. The rental car has been suggested as having hit the Bakers' Jeep, and Officer Baker, head on. Mr. Montgomery was in the back seat, but was thrown through the windshield when his seatbelt broke in the initial strike. He was proclaimed dead at the scene of the accident. Mr. Whittaker is in stable condition the local medical center, with multiple contusions, lacerations, and a broken collarbone. Mr. Montgomery is survived by his father.

The Volkswagen Beetle: Sheila O'Neil, age 22, a local university student majoring in Child Care Development, was alone and according to preliminary reports, the last driver to become victim to the scene. Miss O'Neil suffered whiplash and died of internal hemorrhaging before rescue services could arrive; she was in her second trimester of pregnancy and the infant, a girl, was miscarried. They are survived by Miss O'Neil's parents.

The Ford Station Wagon: Robert "Bobby" O'Neil, age 17, just graduated High School and had planned to join the military in the fall. He was the brother of Miss O'Neil (mentioned previously). Teresa "Terri" Parker, age 16, local High School, student was the passenger in the vehicle. Preliminary reports put this vehicle as the first one over the riverbank. Mr. O'Neil and Miss Parker had drown while still trapped in their vehicle. Mr. O'Neil is survived by his parents, while Miss Parker is survived by her mother.

The Pinto: Andrew Preston, age 21, assistant professor and student at the local university was accompanied by his wife, Valeria Reilly Preston, age 22, and her sister, Unity Reilly, age 17. Their car is reported as the second over the embankment. Mr. and Mrs. Preston perished by drowning in their vehicle, though Miss Reilly had apparently managed to break open her window and crawl out to be sent downstream. She succumbed to hypothermia. Efforts to revive her failed, and she was proclaimed deceased at the scene of the accident. Mr. Preston is survived by his mother, but no living relatives have been found for either Mrs. Preston or her sister.

According to police reports, as well as information provided by horror-stricken family and friends, the occupants of all five vehicles were headed for a two-week vacation at a property owned by the mother of one of the victims. Mrs. Lawrence is quoted to have said, "My daughter [Diana Baker] and her friends had been planning on getting together. They were probably going to celebrate [Robert O'Neil's] the graduation. Diana was looking forward to it." A statement by the Dean of the university claimed Mr. Preston was also "looking forward to spending time with his friends as he worked on his thesis. A hard working, good-natured man was Andrew." A neighbor, who wished to remain unnamed, said, "The biggest tragedy is that both the O'Neil children were involved... even being in separate cars." Many other sentiments echoed these feelings concerning the group of young people.

The lone survivor, Mr. James Whittaker, Senior, claimed, "I did everything in my power to keep my passenger safe, but that blasted Jeep came out of nowhere; he must've been doing a good sixty on those roads!" However, preliminary police reports place the Jeep at a standstill while the Park Avenue, driven by Mr. Whittaker, was going approximately fifty-seven miles an hour. As to the claims of safe driving, a journal written allegedly in the hand of Mr. Montgomery may be used in court to contest them. It is said to describe, in detail, the unsafe driving practices of Mr. Whittaker, as well as Mr. Montgomery's decision to terminate his driver's employment. It remains to be seen whether this evidence will hold up in court. The faulty belt in the rental car is also under investigation.

Rumors that Mrs. Preston and her sister were illegal aliens are being investigated, as well.

Respects for the deceased may be paid this week, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made.

In closing, the only thing that can be said is that ten people started yesterday on a vacation-get-together, and wound up on a trip to hell. One can only hope that, if there is life after death, the nine tragic young people will have a grand reunion on the Other Side.