Last Road

The Last Road

Begin Chapter 1 Bacon and eggs

I opened my eyes, the lights of the triple down gas station barely registering, feeling a stabbing in my face. I forced myself up by my hands, rubbing gravel from my cheeks, realizing I was in the middle of the road. I stood groggily trying to breathe, the lights of the gas station blaring like a lighthouse to my panging stomach and bone dry mouth. Shuffling through the doors, the clerk in his red and white polo shirt the store obviously made him wear barely made a glance from his book as I moved toward the bathroom. The door locked, I glanced in the mirror met with the same tattered flannel, ripped up jeans, and shoes with rips to match that I've been wearing for god knows how long. I pulled my phone littered with cracks and random messages from numbers I didn't recognize. "I've been here for 33 min" from a number with a 407 area code which I've never seen before "where are you '' different number another area code id never seen "we're leaving just try to meet us" from the same number. Confused realizing my phone was on 3% and knowing I'm not entirely sure how to get home from here. I cleaned the dirt from my face the best I could and moved out the door. The feeling of eyes watching me gripped my mind, slowly I moved out of the bathroom letting the door shut in front of me. Directly in the middle of the aisle behind the counter, the clerk stood straight up eyes fixed straight through me, like a deer in the headlights i froze for a full 30 seconds darting behind the isle grabbing a water jug and an almond joy, never liked em but they were always my dads favorite. Mustering up a bravado of courage that felt a bit silly I walked up to the counter setting my items down with a quick "Hey" he didn't seem to so much as twitch he just stood there staring at the back room like he was in some kind of trance. Uneasy, I muttered "Hello?" to no avail just him standing there. A bit angry now with time being a bit of a factor i pulled a crumpled 10$ bill out of my pocket gingerly placing it on the counter with a quiet "you can just keep the change" moving for the door touching the handle, a loud pop rang out thru the fuel station panicked i turned around to see him staring straight at me his smile was all but dominating his skinny, grimy, sunken in face "where ya going? why not stay a while?" panic set over me trying to run fear rooting me to the ground. "There's nothing out there for you, why not stay with me!" he cackled, his raspy voice felt like sandpaper on my ears. I moved slowly backwards trying to force myself to run. Locking eyes with him I felt the door with my hand opening slightly. He leaped over the counter, sending me flying around the door slamming my body against it, bracing myself for him to follow, silence overtaking the cityscape. Slowly turning my head I almost choked, he was seated reading a book, backing away slowly but with purpose to the bus bench a bit down the road keeping my eyes on the station the whole walk, catching my breath once I sat down trying to rationalize what I just saw. Shakenly I pulled out my phone checking rideshare apps, opening one to the message no driver found displayed. Checking the other app with the same message displayed, I really didn't want to go to my last resort. My mom and I are still fighting, I don't know if she'll come get me no matter what's happening. The fear helped me swallow my pride. I rang her phone to no avail not even a ring just dial tone. Checking the bus routes I saw, route 3 would take me directly home. The only problem is the buses don't run until 8am. Knowing full well I couldn't just sit here all night especially after my run in with whatever that was. I checked my maps to see it was working showing me a 33 min walk time taking two right turns and one left at different intervals. Realizing i didn't seem to know these street names i committed them to memory best i could and started off up the street. My mind immediately went back to that clerk, "I know what i saw" I muttered to myself, trying to rationalize how he sat down so fast something felt wrong. I stopped, looking around the lack of cars or even just one person setting a deep dread in my chest, the fog thicker than I really noticed. I forced myself to move just wanting this to be over. I tried to convince myself he was just some weird dude working the night shift at the triple down but easier said than done "I know what I saw" i muttered to myself feeling the adrenaline fade, realizing now the Almond Joy in my back pocket would only last so long the i pushed forward. Confusion took a head, noticing these buildings didn't seem to actually have doors or windows... just outlines in the glass buildings to give that impression of buildings for some reason. It's really starting to feel like I'm in some kind of bad dream but if I wake up it would just be face down in the road again and I know I just have to get home. Something about the empty streets makes me feel hopeless. My first right turn came into view glaring at my phone while it died. I took the turn. 3AM