Gloomy Day I

The thick grey clouds spanned across the horizon, first casting their shadow over the sea, and eventually over the edge of the city. Onlookers paused briefly during the hustle and bustle below to glance up at the heavens, if even only for a moment. Such an event was a rare sight in this part of the world and deserved some form of appreciation. Gradually, the subtle darkness swept across soft rolling sand dunes, busy downtown streets, and the homes of millions. It continued to consume every inanimate object and living creature, devouring all in its path. Eventually it quietly encompassed everything as far as the eye could see. It was mid-afternoon and although a gloomy sight to most, the sudden overcast reminded me of home. However, its dimsyl presence was more than just coincidence, it set an eerie ambiance for what lay ahead.

The radio chatter soon replaced any thought provoking reflection which lay in the clouds, the transmissions began to increase, ambulance after ambulance being called for assistance, finally, my number was up. We hit the lights and sirens and began to navigate the grey gloomy afternoon streets. Our ambulance had an unquenchable thirst for fuel that we generously fed with speed. We were really picking up momentum, weaving around non-compliant drivers,swerving around obstacles, our tires screeching; truly complimenting the loud sounds and bright lights that continuously erupted from the speeding ambulance. We continued barreling towards our destination, dawning our gloves and documenting our times while trying to avoid accidents and subconsciously thinking how driving in the middle east is insane. Moment later I could see the police lights around a motor vehicle collision in the distance. We finally came to a rolling stop at the scene of the accident as I opened my door, only to see that another unit had beat us to the incident. The other crew waved us on because our help was needed elsewhere, the city was out of ambulances and calls were backed up in a queue. There was another call just around the corner. Both of my feet never even hit the ground and I reluctantly closed my door as we headed towards another emergency. Unbeknownst to me it would be a matter of life and death. To be continued…