Route 66

10 Lost

I shook my head in disbelief, gripped Annette's shoulder, and blurted out, "Blake reminded me to gas up last night. How could I be so stupid?!"

Annette's gaze never left the fuel gauge.

"We'll be okay. I'll think of something so get a hold of yourself and calm down."

"Someone's bound to come along," I said half-heartedly as I glanced over my shoulder at the road that ended in the middle of nowhere.

"It's so strange. The road just...ends," Annette mumbled half to herself and half to me.

"Maybe it was a road made by a couple locals," I suggested. "After all, it's a dirt road."

"I guess we could discuss the mystery of the disappearing road until the cows come home but that isn't going to get us back or found," Annette reasoned.

She stepped out and surveyed our surroundings with narrowed eyes; deep in thought.

I followed and slammed the door; gazing down the endless road which disappeared into the horizon thinking that if I just stared long enough, another car might somehow materialize, and someone could take us back while we laughed about it later.

"Maybe we should start walking," I said.

Annette shook her head and said, "I think we should wait in the car. It'll give us some shelter from the sun."

"It's going to feel like an oven in there," I said.

"We'll turn on the air conditioning."

"How long will that last without the engine running?"

"I really don't know but we need to keep cool. Hopefully someone will stop and give us a ride back to the motel and then we can come back for the car."

After we situated ourselves, neither of us said anything for about a half hour as we listened to the whirring of the air conditioner until I broke the silence and said, "What if nobody comes?"

"Blake and Paul will be looking for and they'll be furious! I don't know what's better, being stranded out here or facing them," Annette said trying to lighten the mood.

"They don't have a car," I pointed out.

"I'm sure they'll notify the sheriff and there'll be a search party out looking for us, we just have to be patient."

"We don't really have much of a choice do we," I mumbled under my breath.

Five hours went by with no sign of life except for our own. We spoke on and off to each other but for the most part kept to ourselves and our own thoughts.

The sweat from our drenched clothing started to pool at the base of our seats. Every now and then we would get out of the car and look down the road hoping to hear the distant mechanical sound of an engine drawing closer to us.

Anticipation was mingled with a feeling of dread since the disposition of someone driving out to this desolate location may not be a friendly one and then what? There wouldn't be anyone to hear even the shrillest of screams.

It was a maddening feeling, wanting someone to come down that road but fearing them as well.

I gazed at the majestic orange colored sun as it slowly descended. Any other time I would have wanted to snap a picture of it set against the beautiful desert landscape but that was the last thing on my mind now.

The setting sun meant one thing - we'd be alone and helpless in the dark.

I glanced over at Annette and saw a look that was rare for her...one of listless defeat.