Sleep Hollow Scenery

I’ve seen it many times before in my dreams, every time I closed my eyes. I don’t remember where I saw it first. When I was younger? A glimpse from some movie or tv show? Who knows, but I had finally found it: the loneliest stretch of highway imaginable to man; a two lane road, vacuum-like with a mixture of trees and rock looming from both sides of the road. It seemed to go on for miles, especially in the rain. If it weren’t for the Rainx on my windshield, I’d have certainly thought I’d die that night. Rain pelted on the hood of the car, sounding like hail. No street lights, only my headlights. Whether I had my high beams on, it didn’t make a difference.

Damp inside the car. The rain had been falling for hours, starting just as I made my way inside the liquor store. I even waited, hoping it would die, but it didn’t. My defrost was on full blast, and the windows still fogged. I jerked the car back onto the road. I could barely see the reflective strips. My breath shook as I realized I had almost run off the pavement. What if someone was stalled up ahead? Would I have enough time to stop without hydroplaning? I didn’t have anti-lock brakes. Before I even finished that thought, I found myself slowing down, putting on my hazards and pulling off to the side. Scary place to stop, but I couldn’t see a thing.

I left the car on, running my damp palms over my face. In the passenger seat laid my brown bag. My pretty brown bag. I fingered it, contemplating. This could go on for hours. There had been a drought all summer and finally, the conditions for this bowl were just right. Clouds had gathered for two days and tonight, they unleashed their fury on the world. I slipped the bottle from its brown shelter, pulling it into my lap.

I was an alcoholic. I hated it, but I needed it so bad. I was vacationing in the area and tried to ignore the billboards for the discount liquor store in the next county. Obviously, tonight, I failed. It was a 1.75 liter bottle of Jack. I chuckled.  This was dramatic. Very dramatic. With the rain tap dancing on the roof of the car, myself in my leather jacket, unzipped and open, and pulled over on the side of the wall with this Sleepy Hollow scenery around me—I laughed harder—It was so damn cliché. Alright. My mind was made up.

I opened up the 2 liter of coke I had brought for my special occasion and opened the car door. It was an onslaught. Determined, I poured out half the bottle of coke, then shut the door. I had no cups, but I was a master of improvising. I poured the Jack into the bottle, swished it around and put the cap on the Jack. My hands weren’t as steady as they could be, but with myself covered in water, I didn’t care if my car would reek of stale liquor for the next couple of days. I stepped out the car, didn’t bother shutting the door. Walking to the hood, I shielded my face from the direct blow of the rain as I looked around. Yeah, it was dark and lovely.

Beautiful.

I sat on the hood, lifting the bottle to my lips. Stung a little, but sloshed down like fire. A blinding white flash. When I could see again, I caught the remnants of lightening streaking across the black sky. Seconds later, I swear I felt my car tremble beneath me as thunder cracked over ahead. Or maybe that was my car idling. I shrugged, drank some more. It was just like those movies. No cars but mine. If my headlights weren’t on, I wouldn’t be able to see a thing. I didn’t understand that. I thought it was a law to have those lights along the side of the road. Without them, couldn’t that be dangerous?

Another drink; I looked up. The branches of the trees swayed overhead in rhythm with the rain. I swayed with them, welcoming the wet drops on my face. They stung a little, but I could fix that. Another drink. Man, it tasted so good. A swig this time.

More lightening, more thunder. My car shook. I giggled. It vibrated beneath me like a massage pillow and continued. I opened my eyes. I blinked several times before I realized what was happening. The rock was falling. Right in front of me, less than 100 yards away. I jumped of the hood of my car and stood there. The rocked crumbed from the top, taking the deep seated trees with it. As it hit the road, I almost lost my balance, but not my Jack. I had a death grip on the bottle, looking at it hesitantly. It was half gone. Where had the time gone? Looking ahead of me again, I backed into the door of the front seat. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. There was a gorge between the two roads on this highway. If I turned around, some unsuspecting traveler wouldn’t know what to do with headlights coming for them. And me? Well, I was drunk. I took another drink, looking to the sight before me.

Small rocks still fell, but the huge boulders had already crashed to the ground. The entire road was blocked. Amazing.

Beautiful.

I chuckled.  This was dramatic. Very dramatic.

Word count: 927