crash
when i was about 8, my grandad got himself a new(ish) car. he loved being able to take himself off to wherever he wanted again, having been without a car for a few years. he was always willing to give family members lifts to wherever they needed to go.
one day, my sisters, brother and i arrived home from school to some terrible news: grandad had suffered a blackout behind the wheel and crashed into the side of a bus. even worse, my mum and uncle were in the car with him.
the fear i felt then had a taste, metallic and bitter in my mouth. we waited for four hours for a call from the hospital. thankfully, when it came, it wsn't as bad as it could have been. grandad had broken 4 ribs, both legs, one arm, his pelvis and his collarbone, as well as fracturing his skull, but he was alive. my uncle also had several broken bones. incredibly, despite being in the front passenger seat, mum had got off lightly with cuts and a lot of bad bruising.
i've been freaked out plenty of times in my life, but waiting for that call was the only time i've ever been truly terrified.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Fri 6 Apr 2012, 18:39, 2 replies)

Glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been...
...waiting for an outcome is a real mind-fuck.
(emadex thinks the world will end on, Sun 8 Apr 2012, 11:39, closed)

it really is

( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Sun 8 Apr 2012, 18:20, closed)