1001 LOVE STORIES(book Of Oneshots)

Hitchhiker (98)

Word count:2941

I know it was a dumb decision. The snow poured down from the pitch black sky and his view about a foot past the car window.

So when the figured appeared on the side of the road it was only a few moments to decide weather or not to stop.

But was death really that bad? This was the thought that caused me to stop.

He pulled just a few feet pass the hitchhiker, he pooped the trunk and the man quickly threw his bag into the trunk and jogged to the front seat.

He pulled his mask off the moment he was in the car and I was stopped by his face.

His skin was a warm color and his eyes were green. He seemed muscular but his clothes were rags. He wasn't saved but he didn't look bad.

"Thanks this means the world to me." He says with a goofy smile.

"I'm Mason, Richards." He says and I nod.

"Tom, Tom Peter's." I tell him and he smiles.

"So we're are you going?" I ask and he smiles slightly embarrassed.

"Honestly I don't know. Where ever you decide is far enough." He says slightly creeping me out.

"Where are you coming from?" I ask and he smiles.

"Ohio. I was abandoned when I was young grew up in Foster Care and when I turned 18 it was go to the military or onto the streets. I chose the military did six years got shot and got sent home. Only I don't have a home. So I decided to just head straight until I find a life." He says still smiling.

"So you aren't spending the holidays with anyone. You seem like the kind of guy to walk two hundred miles to surprise his girlfriend on Christmas." I tell him honestly.

"Nope. Hopefully I'll find a soup kitchen and eat there." He says and I nod.

"What about you. Are you driving to surprise your girlfriend on Christmas?" He asked and I look away.

"No I heading home from a business trip up north. I'm a forster kid too. Only I chose college on a writing scholarship." I tell him.

"And you chose to drive rather than fly?"

"I don't know I drive to clear my head. I guess."

"Well thanks I'm pretty sure I would have froze to death waiting on someone to stop." He said and I smile.

I drove all night. We spoke for hours about life. I told him about Christmas and he compared my life to the life he wanted.

"I always wanted to cuddle up with a family and watch Christmas movies while eating cookies." He says and I only looked out the review mirror at the snow.

"I did too." I told him and he only placed a hand on my shoulder.

"It's not too late." He said with a smile and I only smiled back.

"I guess you're right."

*

We arrived in Iowa at around seven that morning and I woke him up only for him to smile and look almost ten times better in the light of day.

"Come on I'll treat you to breakfast." I told him and he smiled at me.

"Thanks I appreciate it." He said and I nod before getting out of the car and he followed into the mall Ihop.

As we ate I couldn't help but notice that he wore dog tags confirming that part of his story.

He didn't show any signs of addiction. Seeing I've been with him for eight hours and he showed no signs of withdrawal.