Desert Road

It feels like an eternity that I’ve been on this road. It just keeps going. I yawn, and I wish I could close my eyes and take a nap. I’ve been looking for a hotel, but it doesn’t seem like I’m likely to find one out here.

Two tiny pinpoints of light appear in my rearview mirror. Another car. Finally. Does that mean there’s a town nearby, or is it just some other exhausted traveler like me?

I glance at the clock. It’s two in the morning, and until now, I haven’t seen another car since at least midnight, probably longer. The moon is hidden somewhere behind the heavy clouds, and it’s completely dark. I can’t see anything beyond my headlights, no distant city lights, no headlights, nothing but black everywhere.

I look back in the mirror. It’s a little closer now. It's still quite a way back there, but it's definitely closer. According to my speedometer, I’m cruising along at 80, so how fast must they be going?

My back is starting to hurt, so I stretch it out as well as I can in this uncomfortable seat. It doesn’t help much, but it’s bearable.

I lost the radio a while back, but if that car means there’s a town nearby, maybe I can pick something up. I push the button to scan for stations, but the only thing coming in is some kind of public broadcast station. I sigh and resign myself to listening to a local bluegrass group.

The headlights are closing the distance between us. They seem pretty high off the road. It must be a semi or something big like that. That would explain why it’s out here in the desert in the middle of the night. I wish it would slow down, though.

The road curves to the right, and for the moment, I leave the headlights behind. As I come out of the curve, I see the first sign of civilization in hours. It’s a cluster of bright lights, a little oasis in this desert.

It’s a mile or two ahead and way too small to be a town. It could be a tiny farm community. Maybe there’s an all-night gas station? If I can’t find somewhere to sleep, a cup of coffee would be nice. And maybe a snack.

A loud crackle of static drowns out the music, so I turn it off. The radio was too much to ask, I guess. It’s ok. I’m not really a fan of bluegrass anyway.

As I get closer, the lights seem to spread out a little, and I think it’s at least three separate buildings. I just hope one of them is selling coffee.

There’s a flicker in my rearview when the truck comes around the curve. It’s so much closer now. That driver is really flying.

Something’s wrong. I’m a little nervous about the speeding truck behind me, but it’s more than that. My spine and scalp are tingling, and my heart is racing. I press a little harder on the accelerator. It’s suddenly crucial that I reach those lights before the truck catches up with me.

The radio kicks back on, and I nearly jump out of my skin. My heart’s thumping harder, and my chest is tight. Somehow, the harsh crackling makes it even worse. Did I not turn it all the way off?

I push my Camry a little harder, trying to keep some distance between myself and the speed demon behind me. I’m getting closer to my little oasis, and one of the buildings does look like a gas station. Good. Even if it’s not open, I can at least get out of this idiot’s way.

I hear a rumbling sound and look at the mirror. The truck is close, and the light is nearly blinding. My hands already hurt from gripping the wheel, but I grip tighter anyway.

The driver revs the engine and speeds up even more. The rumbling is deafening. The whole inside of my car is flooded with bright, white light, and I can’t see anything.

I have no idea what’s on either side of the road, but I’m thinking about turning off just to get out of the way. There’s at least a chance I won’t drive straight into a boulder or off a cliff or something.

Before I can do anything, though, the car jolts forward, and the landscape spins around me, illuminated by my headlights. The asphalt drifts to the side and out of sight, replaced by desert sand littered with cacti and rocks. Clouds of dust spray up from the wheels. Something crunches on the passenger side, and the car jerks to a stop.

It hit me. That truck actually hit me. And it chased me down to do it.

I crane my neck to look as it speeds past, but… It’s not a truck. It’s a Camry, like mine, same color and everything.

***

The music is too loud. My eyelids feel stuck, and I rub them to coax them open. I’m sitting in my car, but I don’t know why. And why am I listening to bluegrass? I turn the dial until the radio clicks off.

Where am I? And how did I get here? It’s completely dark, so I turn on the headlights, and the road lights up in front of me.

Oh, yeah. Someone ran me off the road. I glance at the passenger door, remembering that crunching sound. I hope it’s drivable. I just need to make it to the gas station. Then, at least, I have somewhere to wait until someone can come pick me up.

I look around for the gas station lights but can’t find them. I must be completely turned around.

I cross my fingers and turn the ignition. The engine is really loud, but at least it starts. I put the car in reverse, and the engine roars louder as I back up. I was expecting a scraping sound as I pulled away from the rock or whatever I hit, but there wasn’t one.

I line the car up alongside the road and take a minute to get my bearings. I still can’t see the gas station, even though I know I can’t be more than half a mile from it.

I think this is the direction I was going. It’s a little hard to tell when all you can see is blackness. I guess I’ll just drive and hope for the best. Not sure what else I can do.

What time is it, anyway? I look at the clock, but all the digits are zeroes. Weird.

I pull onto the road and take my time getting up to speed. The tires seem ok, and there are no unusual vibrations or anything. Nothing except the engine. That definitely needs to be checked out. Otherwise, the car seems to drive fine, so I speed up.

In the distance, a pair of taillights comes into view. That makes me feel a little better, as long as it isn’t that psycho from before.

I can’t help the sigh that slips out when I look at the speedometer. The needle is slowly bouncing between zero and one-forty. Shit. Gotta get that fixed, too.

I feel like I’m going too fast, so I let off the gas. I expect the car to start slowing down, but it doesn’t, so I push the brake.

The car is still speeding up.

Oh, God! Are my brakes damaged?

Ahead, the taillights disappear around an invisible curve, and within seconds, I’m rounding the same curve. As I come out on the other side, I see the little cluster of lights that mark the gas station I never made it to.

What the hell is happening? Nearly in a panic, I push hard on the brake, but nothing happens. I’m coming up fast on the other car, and… It’s a Camry. Is this the same one that ran me off the road?

As I get closer, I look at the tag. I recognize it. It’s mine. And there, in the top right corner of the back windshield, is the decal I put on last month. That’s my car.

Again, what the hell is happening?