This is my post for #freewriters 2818 prompt head on the door hosted by
If you noticed the bricks behind my truck tire, it is because the day before this, my truck was trying to go into the river. It happened several years ago. I pulled to the dock, tied my boat, and got the truck backed down the ramp. When I put the boat on the trailer, the truck jumped into reverse. I had the E brake on, but I guess it will still go in reverse. The gear shifter was loose, and when the boat bumped the trailer to stop, that bump made the shifter jump into gear.
The truck, trailer, and me in the boat were going backward into the river. I jumped overboard and ran in the water toward the truck still going backwards. Once out of the water, I ran for it and got the door open, but it knocked me down.
I had to duck to keep from hitting my head on the door, I jumped up once it was past me and tried again, but I got knocked down again.
By now, water was coming in the door. I tried to get in it again, and this time I knew it was my last chance to save my truck, the engine was about to go underwater. I grabbed the steering wheel, and when the door hit me, I held on, with my legs dragging under the door. I found the strength to pull myself up to the seat.
I do not think I bothered with hitting the brake. I rammed the gearshift into drive, then popped the emergency brake. The water was now to the front of the cab, but still did not get to the engine. Everything in it was wet, my toolbox was full of water, it was a mess.
Once I got my truck to dry land, I looked back, and my boat was floating out in the river. I got lucky because another boat had pulled up and got it for me. They told me they saw the whole thing, and they just knew that I was not going to save my truck, but I did.
photos are mine