It was early, 4:30 in the morning to be exact. I felt a nudge on my shoulder “come on Connor you need to get ready you can sleep in the car” I slowly pulled myself from the couch and hobbled into the bathroom. I opened the cupboard reached for a tube of tooth paste and then my tooth brush. I squeezed the tooth paste until some oozed on my tooth brush. I ran it under the sink and gently scrubbed my teeth. I snatched my coat from the hanger on my way out the door.

A light frosh covered the grass like a blanket of fresh snow. My sister and I crammed ourselves into the packed car then patiently waited for my mom to get in. she finally did locked up the trailer and hopped in.

I was so excited that once we pulled off of the rocks and onto the pavement we would legitimately be on our way to Yellowstone National Park. “We will be there by early afternoon” my mom said
“Are we going to go visit the park today” I questioned
“No were going to pack our stuff into the hotel and get comfortable so were not rushed. We will go first thing in the morning, now get some sleep you got a long day ahead of you”. The Tires touched pavement and we were on our way.

I rested my eyes for what felt like an eternity, but I just couldn’t fall asleep. I persisted at this for at least another 10 minutes with no luck. I finally when I felt a moment of peace and Zen when I was about to fall asleep my mom spoke.

“Oh God” she mumbled. Then out of no where the brakes locked up I heard the sound of rubber burning on the pavement. When I finally opened my eyes what I saw I will never forget. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a deer break from the brush toward the road. She jumped. Then I heard the noise of bending metal as the deer’s hind end met the left side of the car. Then when I looked out my left window all I remember seeing was a deer flying through the air front legs over hind legs. That image is burnt into my memory whenever I think of wanting to go to Yellowstone National Park again all I see is that image and it makes me regret wanting to go back though fear.

After we pulled the car over the damage was immense it was lucky that the car was still in working condition. The left side of the hood was completely mangled the left head light had been shattered. The Smell of burnt rubber was so strong that I could almost taste it.