The wind was in her hair and the sun on her face while Bob Marley crooned on the car radio.
A smile lingered on her face as thoughts of meeting him filled her up.
Weekend plans were taking shape in her head as a truck crossed three lanes of traffic and struck her car head-on.
My theme for this year’s Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is Crime Stories in 55 Words.
Today’s story, Z is for ZZZ… or Falling Asleep While Driving.
Maggie’s Law states that a sleep-deprived driver qualifies as a reckless driver who can be convicted of vehicular homicide.
You can check out my A-Z posts thus far by clicking on a highlighted letter!
56 Responses
This is so true! So many accidents thanks to falling asleep at the wheel and I’m very impressed by the way you turned this into a crime!Well done, Shilpa!
Thank you for all the company this A to Z 🙂
Oh yes, this is truly dangerous. Have been a car where the driver fell asleep. Saw it in the nick of time!
Thanks Shailaja, glad you liked this one.
Thanks, I enjoyed doing it with you too 🙂
Oh ! that has been a true incident so many times over.
It was such an exciting theme you chose this year.
glad to have followed it through with you.
here’s my last
http://poojasharmarao.blogspot.in/2017/04/z-zbigniew-herbert-inspirational.html
Thank you so much, Pooja. Glad that you enjoyed reading this year’s 55ers. Thanks for your company and thanks for sharing about some inspiring writers 🙂
Wonderfully penned as usual even though its got such a sad ending!!!
Congrats on completing the challenge; loved reading your brilliantly worded fiction everyday Shilpa!
Cheers
Theme: Peregrination Chronicles (travel)
Z is for Zen in the Glen #atozchallenge
Thanks a lot, Shalini for your kind words.
Thanks much for all your support and congrats to you too for successfully completing the challenge.
Cheers!
Now you can have a “zigh” of relief. Waiting for the same next year.
Oh yes, a big sigh of relief indeed. Thanks a lot for your support, SG. Appreciate it! 🙂
Another great story, and a fitting conslution of your challenge.
Just wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoye it, shilpa. You often left me without words, but always with lots of feeling.
A great challenge!
Thank you so much, Sarah. Am glad that we met through this challenge. Thanks for your support and enlightening me on Film Noir. Loved the insights. 🙂
oh no … that’s terrible 🙁
I have loved all your short crime stories in this challenge Shilpa. I wonder how you came up with different ones every single day. And left all the readers amazed by the endings 🙂
Thank you, Raj. Glad you enjoyed reading these bite sized crime stories. Your support inspired me to push myself.
Thank you for everything, Raj 🙂
Really scary! Thanks Shilpa for a lovely month of scary stories. Some I didn’t ‘enjoy’ but all in all it was interesting how you spun a yarn for every letter .
Thanks for your feedback, Sunita and your support too.
Thanks to you, I know a lot more about textiles now. 🙂
This almost happened to us once..we had been driving all night, and just one moment of sleep and hubby almost crashed into the truck ahead of us. Scary as hell!
Thanks for being a part of my A to Z!! See you soon!
OMG!! That must be soooo scary! Thank God, all was ok.
We have experienced this too, I saw our friend dozing and driving. It was early morning and all were sleeping. Thankfully, it was an expressway and without any traffic. 🙄
Thanks for all your support too, Subhangi. Appreciate it!
Life is like that, isn’t it? We plan as if we’re going to live forever. But what’s going to happen next instant is so unpredictable. Loved reading this series through A-Z, Shilpa. Congratulations on finishing the challenge. 🙂
Oh yes. Life’s so unpredictable. Your world can go topsy turvy in a second.
Thanks a lot, Vinodini. Glad you liked this series. Thanks for your support and congratulations to you too. Your letters to your son are absolutely gems and must read by all kids.
Shilpa this one is perfect.Did ypu know most long distance truck drivers are sleep deprived.On another note ,do you know all doctors in Government hospitals are sleep deprived ?Food for thought ! You are extraordinarily talented in your brevity.
Yes, have known about doctors working long hours. That’s truly sad. We travel a lot from Jaipur to Shimla and back to Jaipur by
Volvo bus. The bus driver drives for 17 hours to Shimla with a break of 1.5 hours and then rests for 2 hours and drives back again to Jaipur. So he is like driving for nearly 35 hours with sleep for just 2-3 hours. I find it so scary, and have chatted with them about it. They say, it’s routine for them and are used to it!! 🙄
Thanks a lot for your kind words and support, Amrita. Appreciate it.
a wonderful series with a wonderful ending 🙂 Next step – EBOOK!
Thank you, Roshan and I loved your series and the interview with some of the featured people was amazing.
E-book? Nah… no such aspirations. This website is my ‘e-book’ 😀
so sad & to know this really do happen from time to time makes it even sadder.
have a lovely day.
Yes, this is a sad reality. Thanks for your support, all through this challenge. Lissa. Appreciate it!
Oh no! How many accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel or making sudden turns!
Agree, falling asleep behind the wheel can be truly deadly. They say it’s not only due to over work or stress but sleep disorders too.
Oh no! that’s so sad.
Congrats Shilpa on completing the challenge. You totally rocked it with your 55 words fiction. Not an easy thing for sure.
Thank you so much, Parul for all your support. Glad that we did it together again!! Congrats to you too and thanks for sharing some heartfelt, inspiring and thought provoking posts. Cheers!
Haven’t we heard of these accidents way too many times!
Congratulations to completing the challenge , with flying colors, no less! I have loved each of your brilliant stories, Shilpa!:)
Ah! Way too frequently! 🙁
Thanks so much for all your support and congrats to you too for successfully completing the challenge, Mayuri. Loved your food stories and it was good to know so much about you too 🙂
Oh, this one is so common and so scary. We hear so many such incidents of the driver falling asleep while driving.
True, sleeping while driving can endanger lives of so many.
It’s been a great ride Shilpa (not the last one i.e. this post) … thank you for your excellent posts that had me chilled and thrilled! My Z will be up tomorrow … and thereafter looking forward to some zzzz’s those of the eyes closed in a warm bed ..
Oh yes. We all need that zzz, now that the challenge is over. Thanks for all your support, Susan. Truly, appreciate it. I have to catch up on reading your posts. Will do so in a short while!!
Very tragic outcome but happens far too often, unfortunately. Another great flash fiction piece. Good for you finishing the challenge and writing all these wonderful short stories. They are not easy to write. Bravo!
Thank you for your kind words, Cathy. Appreciate your support.
It was wonderful to read your lovely rhyming verses. You are amazing! 🙂
Awesome on completing the challenge.
Thank you and congratulations to you too 🙂
And how sad is that? Congrats on finishing the A to Z 2017!
Thank you, Lee. Missed you this year. Hope we do it together, next year 🙂
Well, you certainly ended the challenge with a bang. o.o
Congrats on reaching the end.
Thank you, Patricia and congratulations to you too 🙂
Today I had a narrow escape twice, once returning early hours from my walk – a bike speeding away almost would have pushed me on a rock. Another one while taking a turn to my workplace, another speedy bike would have pushed me in the middle of the traffic. Both the times I escape and was thanking God. Reckless driving is a crime, thanks for all the beautiful posts, enjoyed reading, congrats for completing the challenge, wishing you Gods blessings 🙂 😛
OMG!! That was so scary, Genevive. Thank God that all was ok. Wonder when will people learn to be safe in roads.
Thank you for all your support, all through April. I simply loved your comments on 2-3 posts at a time. Hope we will do this challenge, next year together.
Thank you so much for your good wishes. Best wishes to you and your family too ♥
See how you rocked it, Shilpa! Hugs! The percentage of teenagers driving sleep-deprived is scarily high.
Thank you for all your support, Vidya. Truly appreciate it. 🙂
Oh yes, wish they realize their folly and help keep our roads safe not only for themselves but for others too.
That reminds me of an old Rajesh Khanna film. Congratulations for maxing the challenge Shilpa.
You need to tell me the name of the movie! 😛
Thank you, Tulika and looking forward to do it next year with you 🙂
We are increasingly becoming a sleep deprived society.
Congrats on completing the challenge, Shilpa!
Sad reality!!
Congratulations to you too Soumya. 🙂
This was sad buddy. One must always be cautious while driving. It was a pleasure being with you this AtoZ. Keep Shining
True that.
Thanks for all your support, Roma. Appreciate it! ♥
it was like reading a news paper, yes every day it is happening here n there…so true….
Yes, way too many lives are lost because of falling asleep on wheels. Thanks for dropping by, Irfan. Good to see you here.
Congratulations on completing the challenge. Loved all your stories 🙂
Ouch! Nice way to end the challenge 🙂
Debbie