The Highway Hero

Part Two

Being an inexperienced driver, I panicked and jerked the wheel right into a construction zone on the shoulder. I parked and put on my flashers immediately. I exited the car and inspected the culprit. Sure enough I was now stranded on the road with two flat tires. One being chalk full of road construction items.

I climbed back into the driver's seat and chucked my head back. I was mid pity party when I noticed the radio had changed to a staticy eighties station. As I reached to turn it off, it grew louder in volume. Then the wipers came on suddenly at an unreasonable volume.

I had more important things to deal with so, I shrugged it off as battery issues from the wreck. I took the keys out of the ignition and began to weigh out my options. One, I knew there was never anybody on the road this late or basically ever.

Two, the only house nearby was an abandoned farmhouse. It was dead quiet besides the static radio, ( which for some reason was still on) and the thumping of my heart. I began to look around me for other signs of life. Instead nothing promising besides tall dead crops, and a scraggly forgotten scarecrow swaying in the wind; which in all honesty startled me at first.

Screw it, I thought to myself. I grabbed my book bag, crumpled up choir costume and headed towards the dreaded hill. No one was going to save me, so I decided to take my chances walking back home. I figured it was either that or hang out with the nightmare fuel that was the scarecrow until dawn. About a minute into my walk, a car appeared out of nowhere to my right. I froze momentarily. Then wondered if I should wave them down for help or not. After all, it was going to be a long and terrifying walk back to my house in town.

Before I could decide they turned right up the hill. This left me again in the dark abandoned area alone. I sighed with the realization that might have been my only chance. I uncomfortably rounded the dark dirt road. It was so pitch dark that I reached down to touch the ground. I started to tear up as I stretched my arms out in front of me. I was about ten minutes in when the same car appeared. This time from the opposite direction of the road. I cowered a bit, then ran to hide in the large dead crops. I peered out slightly in the hopes to get a read on them. Seconds later their headlights shined on my face, and I knew they saw me.

I began to shake uncontrollably. Unsure if it was the bitter fall air, or the fear of who this person might be. The dome light kicked on as the car came to a stop beside me. Then a woman about in her early forties, stepped out of the passenger side. She waved, and called me over to her in a gentle voice. As I stumbled over, I noticed a man about the same age smiling at me from the driver's seat.

I remained somewhat skeptical, until I saw two smiling children in the back seats. A sense of calmness then replaced alarm. As the man opened the door for me, my gut told me they were trustworthy. So, I went with it.

I hoped in the backseat, somewhat embarrassed with my over the top makeup and hair. Despite the chill in the air I was sweating profusely. I didn't hesitate to thank them graciously, expressing my gratitude with everything I had left in me. I even shot up a silent prayer to the big man upstairs for being found.

The hero just smiled at me in the rearview mirror, his eyes glistening. He then turned to face me directly. He pulled out his wallet, and proudly showed me his state trooper badge. He reassured me I had nothing to worry about, and was in good hands. He introduced himself officially by name, along with his wife and two young daughters. The little girl sitting closest to me tilted her head back in her car seat and smiled lovingly at me.

I smiled back and noticed she was playing with a specific Barbie doll that at one time had been my favorite when I was about her age. It was the Peaches and Cream Barbie. Eloquently dressed with sequins and a dress of numerous peach undertones. Long curly blonde hair and to die for eighties makeup. While I was busy reminiscing, I noticed the top she was wearing. There was something familiar about it. Then the colorful heart buttons on the shoulder sparked a definite memory. I recognized this because I had professional pictures taken in the same top. It was still my mother's favorite picture of me and was constantly shown to everybody that we knew.

I was curious but thought maybe those were her mother's treasured things she handed down. The drive home was actually very comforting to all involved. We spent it talking about how they found me hiding; and how they were never on this road but maybe once a year. We all had a good laugh.

Even though I felt safe something still felt off about them. I didn't feel I was in danger just, well, strange. I decided it was because I was overly tired and over this whole night. So I let it go. I brought up some current events, and they acted confused. I figured they just didn't want to discuss certain things in front of the kids. Even though none of the topics were bad at all I respected their silence.

As we pulled in the drive, my mother barged out of the door in her robe and curlers. She was obviously shaken up, but I was over the moon upon seeing her. I waved and yelled that I was ok out of the back window. Her hands clasped her mouth, and tears of joy flowed down her face. I then proceeded to hug the man from behind the seat. He then lovingly patted my shoulder. I then proceeded to hug the kids and their mother goodbye. I grabbed my notebook from my backpack and promptly took down his name and badge number. I wanted to make sure this hero and his family were recognized. He thankfully agreed. I felt a tear escape my eye with sincerest gratitude as I copied it down precisely. My plans were to contact my Uncle (the local sheriff) with the hero's information and go from there.

I jumped out of the car and ran to hug my weeping mother. It was now almost 2:00 am. My dad was already out looking for me unsuccessfully. As the hero's car backed out of the driveway, my Mother sobbed the most sincere thank you she could muster.

That night I slept like a baby. The next morning we contacted my Uncle to provide the information. As my mother spoke to him he remained silent. They hung up with the promise that he would investigate further and would call us back. My mom agreed to this but looked perplexed. In the meantime my dad ran down to the tire store so I could drive my old clunker home.

We arrived at the "crash" scene of my car with two new tires in hand. My dad couldn't contain his laughter, but was mostly laughing because I was okay. Shortly after the tires were changed out, we received a call back from my Uncle. We all sat in my mom's van to hear what he had to say. She chuckled and put him on speakerphone of her cell phone.

What he said next chills me to this day.

"Hey, uh it's me." He said

"We know Patrick." My dad said sarcastically with a chuckle.

"Well, are you guys sure that she got the badge number and name right?" Patrick asked.

"Yes!" I said.

"OK well, I checked the database and the name and everything matches up. You know, to someone that's... no longer with us. If you know what I mean?" Patrick said.

"You mean he isn't a cop anymore? Got fired? Switched locations what?" Dad said uncomfortably.

"Well, no. What I am trying to say is that he and his family have been deceased since 1985. Oddly enough It was fifteen years ago today on the same road she popped her tire on. Near the hill right? It says here they were leaving an anniversary party pretty late, and swerved to miss an animal apparently. They crashed near the hill, and unfortunately all passed away.

We all shot confused and terrified looks at each other. Knowing my uncle was a jokester, we waited for him to announce he was kidding. We waited but that announcement never came. He sounded upset as he disconnected the line, leaving us in an uncomfortable silence.

"What?" I said disgruntled.

I looked out the van window to my right. What I had previously thought to be a scarecrow swaying in the breeze was actually a large cross; with a dingy policeman's uniform and hat draped over it. Three additional crosses were lined up behind it.

I exited the van and crossed the highway. I quickly read the birth and death dates indicated on every cross. This little one and I had been born the same year. I knelt down and pushed back the overgrown grass shielding her cross. There leaning up against it was a tattered Peaches and Cream Barbie doll.

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