Myoclonus

When Kevin glanced up, the woman was in the crosswalk. His F-150's brakes screamed, then the truck jolted sickeningly. Staggering out, he saw the woman lying at an impossible angle.

"Oh, no. Please, no, I --"

Her hand snapped up, snared his wrist, a jolt shivering up his arm. Her heard her say, clearly, "Spasm -- endlessly." Then she smiled and died. Horror covered him like a curtain shrouds a window, a profound fear of the body's manifold misfirings.

"Mister," someone called from the gathering crowd, "the ambulance is coming."

Kevin opened his mouth to answer.

And then began to hiccup.

Postscript: To listen to audio of this and other stories, please download Season One of the I Saw Lightning Fall podcast here.