I take another gulp of tea as I drive along Route 66. The radio blares the newest 5 Seconds of Summer song and the windows let in a hot wave of air. As I look out to the empty road, and barren landscape, I notice that my car is low on gas, which causes me to steer off to a gas station. My pink flip flop hits the dusty ground and I start filling up my Honda. I scan my credit card in the machine and start to get back into my car, but I feel a hand on my elbow. I turn around and see an old woman.
"Please ma'am. My car broke down about an hour up the road and I had to walk here for gas," she says and motions to a gas can in her hand.
"Could you give me a ride in that direction, please?" I agree to do so, and put her has can in the back of my car for her. I then take my position in the drivers seat. She here's my radio playing this weeks Top 40 pop songs and frowns but doesn't say anything. Instead of making conversation with her, I just drive quietly. I drive along in the dust for about a half hour and we don't see her car. Not a surprise. She said it was about an hour up the road.
"So, why are you traveling on this long road alone?" She asks me.
"I had a guitar performance and I'm traveling back from it," I respond to her. We sit in silence for another half hour. Still no car. I decide to keep going because she could've estimated incorrectly. After another 45 minutes, we come up to a small diner. I pull into the parking lot and stop my car.
"Why are we stopping?" She asks.
"I'm hungry and tired and I need a break. We've been driving for almost two hours and haven't passed your car. Are you sure it was in this direction?" I respond in a sharp tone.
"Yes yes! But you can go inside and eat. I'll wait out here," she says back. I think about if I actually want her to wait in my car, and decide it will be fine. I take the keys and go inside. After a meal of mashed potatoes and peas, I pay and go back out to my car. I see through the windows that there's no one inside my car. I go over o the passenger side of the car, and open the door. There's a note left on the seat.
You've reached your destination.
Then I feel a sharp pain in my back and warm liquid dripping down it. I collapse on the ground and scream in pain. The woman removes her hair, or as I now know, her wig, and I see it's actually a man. He slips the dress over his head and reveals strong shoulders in a black Tshirt and now looks much tougher. He laughs in a deep voice at me and then steps over my body to close the door and drives off in my car. I am left crumpled in a heap until my eyes blue over and go black. The last thing I hear is a voice say,
"Yes officer. She was traveling alone. I saw her pull up. She was talking to herself before she came in."
