A

SO SHES WAITING IN LINE -- RED SUV AND SHE ACCIDENTALLY TAPS THE BUMPER IN FRONT OF HER, D AY D R E A M I N G . CALLS TO THE DRIVER IN FRONT -HE LOOKS CONCERNED, SORT

OF. A HAND OR SOMETHING GRAZES THE WINDOW -STARTLING HER. SHE S TA R E S TRANSFIXED AND AN OLDER WOMAN, STARES BACK.

THEN THE OLDER W O M A N , WA L K S AWAY. SIGNALS NOW FLASHING YELLOW -SHE LOOKS BACK FROM THE MIRROR -A SIGN FLASHES

 WA R N ING: CONS TRUCT ION NEXT 180 FEET.

SHE JERKS THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, REALIZING SHES SPEEDING TOWARDS R O A D CONSTRUCTION BARRELS -- SHE SWERVES BACK

LEFT, RIGHT BEHIND THE BUS. SHE PULLS AROUND AND SHE PASSES A CAR WEAVING ON H E R R I G H T. T H E DRIVER REACHES INTO

THE BACK SEAT TO QUIET A BARKING DOG HANGING, ITS HEAD OUT THE WINDOW. A CLOUD PASSES HER HEAD. SHE TURNS AROUND,

TAKING HER EYES OFF THE ROAD -THEN HER CELL PHONE RINGS. SHE HITS THE SPEAKER BUTTON.

S H E PA S E S A STATION WAGON ON H E R R I G H T, T H E DRIVER SQUINTING AT A MAP WHILE DRIVING. A M AT T R E S S A N D SOME FURNITURE TIED TO THE TOP

SHIFT AS THE WAGON HITS A BUMP. A COP IS SPEEDING UP BEHIND. A HORN BLASTS. A TRUCK SWERVES. THEN SPEEDS BY ON THE RIGHT. A

COILED CHAIN DROPS DOWN TO THE HIGHWAY. SHE TURNS UP THE RADIO AND LEANS OVER AND ONE END OF A RUSTY CHAIN

HOLDING THE LOGS IN PLACE RATTLES ON THE P A V E M E N T , SPARKING. LOOKING IN HER REARVIEW MIRROR, SHE TURNS PALE -THE COP PULLS

IN BEHIND HER.

ANOTHER GIRL PASSES -- SHE SAYS INTO A PHONE HEADSET WHILE SMOKING A

NO, IM STUCK ON JURY DUTY SO I

CIGARETTE:

WONT BE ABLE TO PITCH THE

CAMPAIGN . LETS GET SOME ONE TO

COME IN AND...
SHE SEES SOMETHING IN THE

D R I E D L E AV E S BENEATH HER WINDSHIELD WIPERS -- A MOMENT LATER, A SMALL FLAME CRACKLES. AND SAYS:

 W H AT T H E H E L L ?

NO, NOT YOU.

THE GIRL FLICKS ON HER WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID, S U C C E S S F U L LY PUTTING IT OUT, BUT

HER WORN WIPERS SMEAR ASH AND FLUID AROUND, IMPAIRING HER VISION. SHE TURNS AND SEES THE COP

EARLY 20S, ROOKIE COP, HE SPEAKS INTO HIS RADIO:

I WAS SUPPOSE D TO BE

O F TODAY.

HOW DID I G E T

SCREW ED?
HE TRIES TO SIP FROM A COFFEE CUP ON THE DASHBOARD,

BUT ITS TOO HOT. HE PLACES IT BACK ON THE DASH. THE VIBRATIONS OF THE ROAD MAKE THE COFFEE CUP SLIDE CLOSER AND

CLOSER TO THE EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD. THE GIRL LOOKS UNEASY AS HER DASHBOARD -- A LIGHT

BEGINS FLICKERING:

CHECK ENGINE
AND SHE SPOTS A ROAD SIGN -- NEXT SERVICE 18 MILES.

SHE SAYS:

THIS T R I P BETTER

BE WOR TH IT.
A W H I T E VA N I N FRONT OF HER SUDDENLY SLAMS ON ITS BRAKES AND PULLS ONTO THE SHOULDER FOR NO

REASON. SHE SCREAMS, SWERVING AROUND THE VAN JUST IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. A GUY SHOUTS AT THE VAN.

 W H AT S Y O U R P R O B L E M , YA FUCKIN

CRACK BABY?!
INSIDE THE WHITE VAN ITS A PREGNANT

GIRL -- ITS A DELIVERY VAN FULL OF FUNERAL WREATHS, CROSSES AND CLASSIC ROSE URNS. THE PREGNANT GIRL CHOKES BACK SOBS

INTO A CELL PHONE AS SHE PULLS OVER:

...COULD NT KEEP

Y O U R DICK IN CHECK F O R

ANOTHER MONTH? I K N E W THIS

WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I G O T

PREGNAN T!
SHE POUNDS THE STEERING WHEEL, FURIOUS.

AND CONTINUES:

W H AT D T H E DOCTOR

S AY ? I HAVE TO COME IN TO TEST

F O R STDS???? ?????? GODDAMN

YOU!
A C R AT E I N T H E BACK OF HER VAN TOPPLES OVER AND CRASHES AND A FLURRY

OF SUNFLOWER PETALS SAILS OUT THE WINDOW. SHE JUMPS IN SURPRISE AND, WIPING TEARS FROM HER EYES, ROLLS UP THE WINDOWS AS PETALS SHOWER THE VISOR OF A BIKER.

THE OTHER GIRL FALLS BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND LOOKS UNEASY AS SHE SEES A TRUCK DRIVER GUZZLING FROM A FLASK AS IT PASSES HER SUV.

A H I G H WAY B I L L B O A R D T H AT READS,

DRUNK DRIVING KILLS.

UP AHEAD, THE RUSTY CHAIN SEEMS TO HAVE MORE GIVE TO IT. LOGS STRAIN AGAINST IT. SUDDENLY, A BLACK CLOUD OF EXHAUST

FROM A CAR IN FRONT OF THEM CAUSES EVERYONE TO ROLL UP THEIR WINDOWS. OIL DRIPS FROM ITS RUSTY EXHAUST PIPE. THE THICK

EXHAUST BLINDS HER AS SHE TIRES TO ENTER THE PASSING LANE, BUT SHE'S BLOCKED BY ANOTHER CAR. IN THE FRONT SEAT, A SEVEN-YEAR OLD KID IS SADISTICALLY

SMASHING TWO TOY CARS TOGETHER. THEN IN ANOTHER CAR, ANOTHER KID HAS TWO BOTTLES HES PLAYING WITH.

HIS M O T H E R S AY S :

CUT THAT O U T ! ICAN'T E V E N

H E A R MYSELF THINK!
THE KID FROWNS AND THEN WINCES, HOLDING HIS JAW.

AND S :

DAMN, IT R E A L LY

HURTS, MOM.
AND SHE REPLIES

I K N O W, WE'LL BE T H E R E SOON.

THE KID DROPS THE BOTTLES ON THE SEAT. ONE OF THEM QUIETLY FALLS TO THE FLOOR, ROLLS A B I T, F I N A L LY SETTLING UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL.

MEANWHILE THE GIRL IN THE SUV PASSES ON THE LEFT. AND IN ANOTHER CAR A GUY LEANS DOWN TO SNORT A LINE OF COKE OFF A CD

CASE. HE SEES THE COP IS BEHIND HIM AND HE REFLEXIVELY TAPS THE BRAKES. EYES LIKE SAUCERS, H E S I T S R I G I D LY TRANSFIXED AT THE WHEEL AND

N O N C H A L A N T LY WIPES THE CD CLEAN ON HIS PANTS. INSIDE THE SUV THE GIRL HAS DROPPED BACK BEHIND AND SHE SEES THE COP FLICK ON ITS LIGHTS AND PULL

INTO THE SHOULDER AROUND THE GUY AND BEHIND THE SEMI LOADED WITH LOGS. COP PULLS BEHIND THE LOG TRUCK, HIS COFFEE CUP LURCHES

FORWARD, SPILLING ALL OVER HIS LAP AND THE FLOOR.

SON OF A BITCH!
HE SAYS: HE BENDS TO WIPE UP THE MESS. HE

ONLY GLANCES AT THE ROAD AS HE TRIES TO SOAK UP THE COFFEE.

DD

SU

DDE N LY

DD

UP AHEAD, THE RUSTY CHAIN SNAPS! THE LOGS ROLL OFF THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. ONE BOUNCES AS IT HITS, AND SLAMS THROUGH THE

FRONT WINSHIELD AND OUT THE BACK, TAKING HIS HEAD WITH IT. THE BIKER SLAMS ON HIS BRAKES. HIS HARLEY SLIDES OUT AND HE IS SLAMMED

TO THE GROUND, SLIDING AT 60 MILES PER HOUR ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE YELLOW BUS. THE BUS DRIVER BRAKES TO AVOID

HIM. THE PASSENGERS TUMBLE FORWARD AND HIT HIM IN THE HEAD. HE LOSES CONTROL AND SLIDES OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE GRASS MEDIAN.

HE BLOWS A FRONT TIRE AND THE BUS B E G I N S T O F L I P, ROLLING SEVERAL TIMES INTO THE ONCOMING LANES OF TRAFFIC, AND IS HIT BY A MACK TRUCK.

THE BIKER SLIDES INTO A HUGE LOG, AND HITS IT WITH A SICKENING CRUNCH. ONLY TO BE HIT AND CRUSHED BY HIS S L I D I N G MOTORCYCLE.

ANOTHER GUY LOOKS UP TOO LATE AND REAR ENDS THE COPS CAR, EXPLODING THE GAS TANK AND HURLING HIS DEAD BODY HALFWAY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD

WHERE IT REMAINS HALF IN/HALF ONTO THE HOOD. A GIRL, DIALING A NUMBER, LOOKS UP, SLAMS ON HER BRAKES, BUT SKIDS THE ON OIL AND SWERVES TO MISS A

HUGE LOG -- ONLY TO RUN HEAD ON INTO TWO MORE, FLIPPING THE THE CAR END OVER END. ANOTHER GIRL SWERVES BACK FROM BEING HIT

JUST IN TIME TO SEE A HUGE LOG AHEAD. SHE TRIES TO TURN HARD TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID IT, BUT HITS IT BROADSIDE -SENDING THE CAR FLIPPING OVER THE

TOP OF THE LOG AND SLIDING DOWN THE ROAD. PASSENGERS ARE TOSSED LIKE RAG DOLLS, SHREDDED BY GLASS AND SHRAPNEL -- A GUY IS EJECTED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW.

THE SUV SLIDES TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE. SHE LOOKS AT THE OTHER PASSENGERS, MANGLED BUT STILL ALIVE. THE MOTHER SLAMS ON THE BRAKES BUT THE FALLEN

BOTTLES PREVENTS HER FROM BRAKING, AND SHE SLAMS INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR AND IT EXPLODES INTO A HUGE FIREBALL. A GUY, BLINDED BY THE SMEARED

WINDSHIELD, IS TOO LATE. HE IS TRAPPED IN HIS BURNING CAR, SCREAMING AND TRYING TO RELEASE THE SEATBELT. THEN, JUST WHEN THE GIRL THOUGHT

IT WAS OVER, A HUGE SEMI SLIDES THRO UGH THE WALL OF FIRE, SMASHING THE GUY OUT OF THE WAY, SPINNING THE CAR LIKE A TOP. WITH THE BACK SLIDING AT 90 DEGREES IT KEEPS

ON COMING. AND THE SEMIS GRILL COMES RIGHT AT HER!

DD

EXCURSUS INTO THE TEAR DUCT

DDDDD DDDDD

I WOULD T A K E

H O T T E S T

SHOW ERS I

COULD

S TA N D F O R HOURS

TRYING T O

CLEAN

CYSTS I NOW

H A D UNDER M Y

SCALP F U L L OF THE

GRITTY BLACK S H I T

AND IT W A S D I F F I

C U L T B E

CAUSE

CO

ULDNT U S E

S O A P A N Y

M O R E

IT G O T UNDER M Y

S K I N A N D B U R N

ED AND BUBBL ED IN

E Y E S N O S E

A N D T O H R

A T

F O R HOURS AFTER

WA R D I COULD

DRINK S O D A

T H E R S A M E

A I

SON

H A D

DELUS I O N S T H A T

D E A L ER WAS

POISON I N G

O U R

D O P E B E

CAUSE

W A N T ED IT

F O R H I M

S E L F WHICH IN CO M

P A R I S O N TO MY

OTHER D E L U SIONS

MAKES SENSE I HAD

D E L U SIONS T H A T

BLACK SHIT IN

S K I N W A S

S O M E N E W F O R M

D O P E O N L Y

P R O D U C E A B L E

BY THE HUMAN B O D Y

AND MY D E A L ER WAS

S E L L ING US TAINT

D O P E SO MY

B O D Y WOULD M A K E

IT

BE

CAUSE HE WAS

GOING T O

C O M E

HARVE ST THIS S H I T

F R O M ME AND T U R N

I N TO A S L AV E

WOULD K E E P

L O C K ED UP A N D

J U S T F E E D M E T H

TO

IN

ORDER T O

O B TA I N T H I S N E W

D R U G I FIG UR ED MY

D E A L ER WAS DOING

T H I S T O

L O T S

OF PEO P L E

A N D

T H A T H E D K E E P

E N S L AV E D

UNTIL I D I E D DDDD

EPILOGUE OF DDDDDDD POETS DEATH M A S K S DDDDDDDD D D D D