Be clutch, don't choke

The steering wheel is already drenched in sweat as I shift up to fourth gear. This isn't where I pictured myself 24 hours ago. Pedal to the metal, golf ball in my throat, speeding towards a watery grave.

The few houses flying past the car quickly change into blurred trees. 

You ever see those movies where there's an intense flash forward or flash back? Everything is in high contrast. Everything is harsh. Sharp, but not clear. Tunnel vision. That's what this feels like. The sky outside is not grey, not blue, but a strange yellow. I can't really seeing the road I'm speeding across, nor the suburbs I'm passing through, but I'm acutely aware of the path I need to take, of exactly what I need to focus on ahead. And yet I still manage to feel a searing pain below my right temple.

Somewhere in the car, maybe the glove box, my phone starts to vibrate loudly. It's a shame this fucking car radio is jammed on the classical channel. My hand shakes slightly (though I can't tell if it's from the speed of the car or the rate of my heartbeat) as I reach forward to turn up the volume all the same.

Road markers become blurred and the trees begin to clear. The Pacific Ocean- or maybe it's the Southern Ocean by now? I was never great at geography - is in full view. I can see waves crashing onto rock as white foam in the distance.  Soon enough, there'll be no road left. 

The car hurtles forward to the end of the cul de sac, and I gasp as the right wheel jolts over the edge of the footpath first. By some stroke of luck (or perhaps, misfortune), the car doesn't roll, but instead drifts along the grass a few metres, but only for mere seconds. I don't know if my foot even comes off the accelerator as I correct the steering wheel and continue on my path once more.

The ride is bumpier now. Tussock underneath, but apart from that, nothing between myself and the cliff face ahead. 20 metres, 10 metres, 5 - my stomach drops and my hands come off the wheel as horror overwhelms me.

The hood of my car sails over the edge of the cliff, almost straight down. In this moment, I can't even grab the steering wheel for comfort. I am open-mouthed, frozen in time, seconds away from my imminent death.

Somewhere in my car my cellphone vibrates once more as my vision narrows to a black hole.

Continued in Feet to the floor.