# PEEL

By [Philosofreak](https://paragraph.com/@philosofreak) · 2025-08-16

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70\. 73. 76. 79. 86. 90.

The numbers blurred. The road was a smear of light. his dad,silent. drove faster and faster. vaemond, sat still. There was nothing to say.

At 130, the car snapped into metal.

A pole took the hit. Electricity sparked. Flames bloomed. The car turned over like it had given up.

The child slipped out through a window cracked open by the crash. the glass cut open his hands. Smoke clawed back at his eyes.

He just sat there made himself comfortable on the highway, staring

They were screaming inside.

His father. His brother.

Begging.

He watched. he watched his brother's hand try to reach out.

Watched their faces blacken.

Watched their skin peel like wet paper.

Watched them die slow.

And did nothing.

not out of hate. not out of fear. Out of apathy

He couldn’t move.

Didn’t want to.

Didn’t care enough to want to.

Then he walked. past trees. past silence.past him. Until a truck stopped and someone said, “kid you okay”?

He nodded.

They called the cops. Told him he was lucky.

He didn’t feel lucky. He didn’t feel guilt or grief

Just a dull heat, a numbness, still there... burning. somewhere he couldn’t reach.

a lack of clarity he found strangely.... comforting ~

He never told them he could have tried.

He just let his family's story become survival.

that was easier. much easier

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*Originally published on [Philosofreak](https://paragraph.com/@philosofreak/peel)*