an essay I pulled out from last quarter

Well here is my descriptive/narrative essay from English 101, from the Fall Quarter. (I know you wanted to read Marika and I was going to send it to you, but I was like, "why don't I just post it on my Blog.") So without further delay here is...

A Night of Comfort
As the vehicle slid over the edge of the gravel road, I prayed aloud breathlessly, “Oh Jesus, help me!” Instantly, the big gray suburban came to a stop, and everything was still and quiet in the darkness. That moonless night I realized how much my friends really cared about me, and learned more about God’s protective hand.

Half an hour before that I was at the Perdew’s house on the phone with my mom. “Can’t I stay a little later?” I questioned.

My mom answered saying that I must be home by 11:30 PM, because my Dad, who was not home at the time, would not appreciate me staying there after midnight.

While the clock drew nearer to the appointed time in which I was supposed to leave, I ignored it. I told myself that I could get home in ten minutes if I went fast enough down the winding mountain road. Besides I was enjoying the time I was having with my friend, Megan and her older brother, Tyler. Finally, I could delay it no longer; I needed to leave. I said goodbye to Megan, wished her parents goodnight, and made my way around their house in the dark to where I had parked the family vehicle earlier. I hastily jumped into the car and with one swift motion buckled up and started the engine. Driving out of their driveway, I proceeded to hurry home over the bumpy gravel road, which was full of many potholes.

I glanced at the digital clock to the right of the steering wheel and had to look again to make sure the green glowing numbers told the truth. 11:24 it read. I did not have
enough time to get home. I pressed my foot down harder on the gas pedal watching the speed dial go up to 25 mph.

“I am going too fast for this road,” I thought to myself, “but I have to get home on time! I’ll just take the corners slowly, and go faster on the straight stretches.”

The headlights bounced off of the trees in the blackness of the woods as I sped down the narrow road. As if I had memorized every turn, I braked for them like a professional, but all too suddenly it happened. The next turn was sharper. It came up to fast and was a 180-degree bend in the road. I gripped the steering wheel as I turned it hard, but it was not enough. I took the turn to wide and fast. The big suburban without warning started sliding toward the edge of the road. The loose gravel made a grinding noise as the wheels lost grip with the ground. As the car slid off the road into the forest, I prayed, “Jesus, help me!”

The vehicle came to a halting stop. When it did, I found the vehicle parallel with the sloping hill and off of the edge road. I tried to drive forward, but was unsuccessful. Shifting into reverse I attempted to back out, but my effort was hopeless. By now I was close to tears. I looked out the window into the dark woods and knew I had to get help, so grabbing my keys I opened the door and jumped out. The ground was farther away then I expected so I stumbled. The night air being to cold for comfort made me wish I had a jacket. I slammed the door and staggered up the hill onto the road. It was silent and still. The trees towered around me and the sky was barley visible. Even if I could see it, there were no stars to guide me or moon to give me light. Fear crept into me and my heart began pounding like ocean waves against a house in a hurricane. I could hear the agonizing sound in my ears. It was about a third of a mile back to the Perdew’s house and that was a long way to run in the dark.

“No, I must not run,” I thought in fear, “what if there is something in the shadows watching me, waiting to jump out and chase me!”

The thought of that made me more frightened as I proceeded to walk at a quick pace. Many panicking questions flooded my mind. What would Dad say? How will we get the car back on the road? Why did I go so fast? What will happen if something attacks me before I reach safety?
“God, please keep me safe. Jesus be with me and protect me, because I love you.” I whispered softly to myself. Coldness seeped through my T-shirt, so I folded my arms in front of me to get warm and hastened my steps. I knew I just had to get to Megan’s house and everything would be all right, but I still was afraid. The dark shadows of the forest began to close in around me and the trees seemed to hide the quiet, unfriendly noises of the nocturnal creatures, the creatures that were waiting to get me! Then I thought of one of my favorite hymns and began to sing it faintly to myself.

“When I survey the wondrous cross.” As I rounded a corner, in the distance I saw
through the trees, the glittering lights of the Perdew’s house.

“All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.” The words of the old hymn began to comfort me, and my fear melted away.

“See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down.” I
tripped from a deep pothole and fell to the ground; I stood up and brushed myself off.

“Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?” My throat began to feel as dry as a cotton ball, but I managed to swallow and continued singing, a little louder this time.

“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Out of breath, I whispered out the final line and came to my destination.

I let out a short sigh of relief and started making my way back around the house to the door. Mr. and Mrs. Perdew were sitting in their living room and as I rounded the corner of their house they heard my footsteps and saw me through the window. Mrs. Perdew got up and opened the door before I got there and poking her head out she inquired if I had forgotten something. All of a sudden I felt a sense of security as I walked in. I mournfully replying that I had taken a corner to fast and slid off the road. Mr. Perdew started up and rushed over to me asking if I was all right and after finding out that I was, he began praying. His rough hand squeezed the back of my neck and Mrs. Perdew’s arm came around me. I felt safe.

“Dear Lord, we come before You now thanking You that Rachel is alright. We praise You that You protected her…” I knew then, surrounded by prayer and love that everything would be okay. Mr. Perdew ended with an “Amen” and then asked to know more about
what happened. After I explained, he said that he would drive out to the location and see if he could try to get the car back on the road. Then a door opened and Tyler appeared with a concerned look on his tanned face and his pale blue eyes very serious. Obviously, he had
heard what had happened and wanted to see if I was all right and if he could help.

Tyler and Mr. Perdew left to attempt to save the day, and were gone for over 20 minutes, but it felt as long as it takes the snow to melt in the spring. During this time I called my mom and she assured me it would be okay and to call her back when they got the car out. Then Megan came down from her room and sat her slender figure down on the floor. She didn't say much to me, but it was comfort to know she cared. After awhile she laid her small brunette head down on a pillow. I didn’t really notice anyway. I just sat there in a woeful state wondering how they would get the suburban out and if there was any damage. When the guys did come back, they told me that they couldn’t get the car back on the road and needed to call a tow truck.

“I tried to drive it out, but it started to tip,” Mr. Perdew declared, “God surely had His protective hand upon you. You were fortunate not to hit a tree or tip all the way over.”
By now I was so distraught I didn’t really care. I burst into tears at the thought of what my parents would say and I didn’t know what to do. Mrs. Perdew was sitting beside me, so she tried to comfort me explaining that my parents would be happy that I was okay. Then she prayed, thanking God again for protecting me.

Mr. Perdew called Triple-A for a tow truck then called my mom again and told her what was going on and she said she would drive up. He told her we would meet her at the
accident, said goodbye and hung up.

The next half hour went by without delay. Mr. Perdew and Mrs. Perdew were going to drive me out to meet my mom and the tow truck. Tyler said he wanted come and Megan had fallen asleep on the floor. Mr. Perdew grabbed a coat for me, we went out the
door, and started driving. When we arrived at the place my mom was already there and not long after the tow truck arrived. I sat in the back of the Perdew’s truck alone because everyone else had gotten out. I didn’t want to get out because I felt reluctant to see my mom. Then the door opened and my mom’s compassionate face appeared. “Are you alright?” She asked lovingly.
I started crying again and sniffled something about Dad being mad. She tenderly reassured me telling me that my father would be glad that I was all right. With that said, I stepped out of the truck into my mother’s gentle, caring arms.

After a time, the tow truck had drug the suburban back onto the road. Hugging Mr. and Mrs. Perdew goodbye, I thanked them and got ready to leave.
Carefully driving home a few minutes later, I reflected back on my experience. God was good and I was safe. He had looked after me and kept me from harm when I drove off the road and placed His guardian angels around me when I walked in the dark. I was not alone. My Father God had placed in my life the comfort of friends who prayed for me when I was in distress. He gave me my mom who loved me no matter what had happened. I had learned a lot from this difficult situation and I will never forget it.

Okay...that's it! It's not my best work, but I guess it was interesting to read! lol. The grade I recieved on it was a B+.