Lost and Found

Chapter One

The rain pelts the car with drops the size of marbles. They clatter across the roof of my car. The windshield wipers swipe back and forth at a furious pace. By the glare of my headlights, I watch the gravel of the road rapidly turn the mountain side into a river. A deep ravine slope to the right of the road. I check the speedometer to find I'm still inching along at a measly 10 mph. My gut gives a nervous twitch and my knuckles are white against the back of the wheel. Maybe this last-minute camping trip wasn't such a good idea. I shake my head quickly. No, I need this. I consciously stop chewing on my sore, raw lip. A nervous habit I picked up from my Dad. One last weekend in the woods with the people who matter most to me before- A buzz vibrates from the passenger seat. Laurens' ridiculous face grins at me from the scratched screen. I shrug off the butterflies, as I wedge the phone between my shoulder and head.

"Hey, Sammy-Lamby!" His voice crackles and pops from a poor connection. Honestly, I'm surprised I have any reception. "Where are you?"

"I'm sorry you have the wrong number. There is no 'Sammy-Lamby' here." I hate the childhood nickname and put and extra emphasis. Fuzzy static makes his chuckle eerie and villainous.

"Come on Sam. Where are you? You were supposed to get here an hour ago." I can picture him pacing, his face scrunched in concern.

"I know. The roads are a mess with all this rain." I let out a puff of air. "It's slow going." As if my words jinx it, my tires slip on the free-flowing silt that passes as a road. Fighting for control the phone slips from its perch. It tumbles to the ground. I twist the wheel this way and that so my tires regain a purchase. When it is relatively safe again, I wander my hand across the mud caked carpet. Smooth metal brushes my fingertips. Plucking my phone off the ground, I shove it to my ear.

"Sorry, Laurens I gotta go. The driving sucks. See you soon." I hit disconnect before he can say anything. Laurens will talk for hours. I need to stop kidding myself. The roads are very, very bad.

Tossing my phone to the side, I return my gaze to the treacherous climb in front of me—just in time to see the blinding light of an oncoming car. To close and coming on too fast, the stranger takes up the whole road. There is nowhere to go. No time to react. Metal creaks and groans as both car's hoods crumple. Time slows down. My body whips around. The seat belt cuts into my neck and abs. My forehead meets the steering wheel. A blaring honk reverberates through the air. Glass shatters around me. Glittering crystals sparkle in my hair and on my hands. Shards mix with the crimson blood. Terror claws its way up my throat. It tries to escape the prison of my lips in a horrific scream. I clamp my jaws down. I cannot lose it. My hands are back on the wheel. I try to control the tailspin I'm in. The car skitters to a hesitant stop. I lurch forward and back in my seat. My dinner tries to make a second appearance. Acid burns my throat. The headlights bounce wildly around on tree branches with a few dying leaves. My car clings to the edge of the cliff just like the leaves cling to those trees: for dear life. I'm staring at the sky. I know without looking the two back tires dangle off an abyss as the front two scrabble for a purchase. My rasping breath comes in short uneven gasps. That breath and the rain is the only noise. My body is filled with electricity. I can't stop trembling. The other car slides closer. Closer. Then past me and to the left. Like a flower in the spring, a bud of hope unfurls inside me. Maybe the car will pass me by. Through the pouring rain and darkness, I see it shift. The hood, almost gently, taps my hood, and that is enough to do it. As the world swirls wildly around me, the terror rips itself free. A primal scream rages through my throat, ripping past my vocal chords and echoes in my ears. I plummet through the dark.

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Hi! Some of you may have noticed this is a slightly different version of a story I started a long time ago and recently took down. I didn't have the time commitment for that one and didn't feel connected with it. I revised the characters and developed them more. I can't make any promises on how regularly I'll update, but I hope it's often. Please enjoy the story!