Rabbid Guy

Even Flow

After work or perhaps an errand, Guy found himself driving home with some free time left over. Feeling adventurous, he opted to follow the road and discover places he'd never been. His playlist drummed as he passed by picturesque mountains and titanic seas, podunk towns and cities with their bizarre monuments. It felt like he could drive forever, but perhaps he'd been out it a little too far and a little too long. Of all the cities and towns he drove by, he hadn't seen a single person the entire time. It was eerie, void of life. These places were beautiful, but made him feel like he was trespassing, as if everyone else had suddenly left and only he remained somewhere hostile.

Before he got too paranoid, he called it quits and decided to drive home. He turned around in a gas station parking lot and went back the way he came. He drove for a while down the highway, but started to feel unwell. He suspected he missed an exit. He shut off his music in an attempt to focus. He had driven so far out that it was becoming harder to remember the route back. He didn't even know where he was or if he was getting any closer to his house. He could even be driving further away without realizing it.

The sun was starting to set. The vacant spaces filled with darkness as if better to hide how empty it was. Eventually the only thing he could see were the streetlights revealing nobody there. Everywhere he turned was a new setting, as if he could only go further from home no matter what he did.

Driving in the backcountry of a mountain town, Guy drove over a bridge standing out in the darkness.
It had been a while since the sun had gone down, and he still hadn't seen another human in all this time.
He thought he was used to it, until he spotted headlights in his rear view mirror. Somebody was out there after all, following him. Guy stepped on the gas harder in order to make some distance, but the car behind him kept up. Before Guy could make it past the bridge, the other driver sped up and passed him, getting in front of him and breaking.

Guy shivered behind the wheel, trying to back up, but he had gotten himself stuck in between the curb and the other car. He gave up when he saw the other driver open his door. The man walked up to Guy's vehicle with an assault rifle in hand, but when he saw Guy, he gasped. He dropped his weapon at the sight of him. Guy could hardly believe it himself. So drawn into wonder, all fear vanished as he opened the door to get a closer look.

Before him was no ordinary man, but the spitting image of his own self besides a few changes. The man was aghast for the same reason, looking into a live mirror. It was as if they were molded with the same clay.
Guy was younger and skinnier than his other self, and wore different clothes. The first Guy wore a dress shirt, pants, shoes and tie, while the other Guy wore a blue shirt stained in paint, jeans and beaten work boots. His face was scarred, skin tattooed with zany imagery, and his right eye was covered by an eyepatch.

They stared at one another for a while in the light of the bridge.

Veteran Guy approached, looking closer.
"I haven't seen a thing like you in such a long time..." they whispered, careful not to make a sudden move, as if they expected Guy to vanish if they weren't careful.
"What are you..?" Guy asked, just as curious.
"I'm like you.." the veteran said. They compared his and Guy's hands. Their bodies twinned each other as if they were born the same, even down to the two moles on their wrists.
"How can that be?" Guy asked.
"I.. I don't know. Maybe it just means we should stick together..Do you know where you're headed?"
"I'm trying to go home," Guy said.
"T-that's the same place I was going.." the veteran said, surprised it was the same.
"Do you know how to get there? I've been driving all day," Guy said.
"Take driving for a whole week," the veteran said, "I don't think we're going to find our way back." They slowly shook their head.
"That can't be true! I-I can't live here, this isn't where I'm from!" Guy said.
"Hey, hey, I didn't say we had to give up," the veteran shrugged, "I just don't like it. Maybe together we can figure it out."
"Right.. Right. Do you have any ideas that might help?" Guy asked.
"I don't, but we won't find it standing here. Come with me," the veteran said.