Insomnia Horror Collection

Officer Parnell

My wife worked for a large insurance company and recently received a long overdue promotion to senior agent late in 2018; the catch was that there were no available openings where we lived. She agreed to relocate to secure the significant pay raise and benefits package. Our son Aiden just turned eleven and Sarah stayed long enough to celebrate his birthday and help us pack the house with the movers. Not long after that she caught a flight to our new home in Birmingham, Alabama to begin work as soon as possible.

It was stressful, depressing and caused a few arguments with Aiden, this is the only home he'd ever known so it was expected and understandable. We were to finish up with the movers and drive to our new home a few days after Sarah. We got the last bits of our belongings loaded up later than expected and we were tired. But with the bedding packed up and nowhere to sleep we decided to go ahead and hit the road. Seven in the evening found the sun beginning to set and our drive just beginning with both Aiden and I already exhausted, but we both missed Sarah and we just wanted it all to be over.

A few hours later and after a pit stop at a Waffle House, we were deep on I-20 heading towards Birmingham... heading towards home.

It was dark, pitch black and inky dark, the kind that headlights barely pierce. The highway turned into a two lane for a long stretch surrounded by thick woods on each side. One vehicle passed us in thirty minutes and that was miles behind us. I'm not saying we were dead alone out here on this road in the woods, but if anyone was around we damn sure couldn't see them.

The road started winding a bit in various places but with no one around and Aiden asleep I just used both lanes so that I could handle the turns without decreasing speed. In all honesty I was sleepy myself but the GPS said we were under a couple hours away from our destination so I would speed every chance I got.

There was this one wicked turn that I rounded and I'd be lying if I said I didn't see the "Slow, 35 mph" sign posted. I ignored it as I hugged the turn at around fifty five miles per hour. It was then that it happened, piercing the blackness all around us the red and blue flashing lights lit up the night like flares. They bounced off of the towering pines around us as the patrol car sped up behind me.

He didn't have sirens on; he didn't need to, anyone who would pretend they didn't see this cop in the middle of this dark nothingness would be outright lying.

Shit.

That was basically all that ran through my mind. Aiden was waking up because of the lights and decrease in speed as I pulled over... Sarah was going to kick my ass over this ticket.

With it being so dark his headlights behind me were blinding, I tilted my mirror up for some relief and readied my license and insurance.

Oddly the officer did not step out of the vehicle; it just remained there behind us on the side of this dark and empty interstate. Lights flashing and headlights pouring into my cab I was confused as to what was taking so long. A good solid two minutes went by and after Aiden asking me what's wrong several times I leaned out of my window and faced the police car shielding my eyes from the bright lights.

"Officer, something I can help with?" I asked.

There was no response, the door to the squad car never moved but my heart did when I heard a voice just to the front of my car.

"Sir please remain in your vehicle, for my safety and yours."

I pulled myself back into my driver seat properly and completely confused, I was all eyes and I swear on my mother not a damn person ever got out of that police car...

"Sir why you speeding in my county?" The officer asked as he shined his flashlight into my car.

Aiden squinted and looked away from the light while I just couldn't get over the fact that this guy simply appeared in-front of my car.