On the Road Again

I didn’t know quite what to think. Here I was, on the road again, and there was a figure, standing directly in the middle of the narrow desert highway, looking enigmatically into the quickly setting sun.  The figure was wearing a jet black, flowering robe that had numerous tears in it. There was nothing to tie it around the figure, leaving it fluttering in the wind. The figure held a long, metallic, stick-like object in its left hand. As I drove closer to the figure, I could see it had flowering black hair, indicating that the figure was a female.

         I drove onwards, hoping that the figure would step aside; I beeped my horn several times to indicate that I was coming. As I got closer, it became obvious that she wasn’t going to move. As I beeped my horn several more times, she didn’t react at all, staring into the quickly setting sun.

         My car began to get dangerously close, and I began to sweat as my speeding car got closer to the unmovable figure. I started to frantically beep the horn. I got no reaction.

         Finally, I got close, too close. I slammed my shoe down on the brakes. The inertia sent me flying forwards as my seatbelt struggled to keep me in my seat. My car kept flying forwards as I hit the breaks. I started to scream as my car sped closer and closer towards the immovable figure.

         My car then, slowly, began to stop. It slowed down until it only just barely touched the tip of the figure’s robe.

         I slammed back into my seat. The figure continued to stand there, not moving. I don’t know how long it was until she finally turned around and I saw her face.

         The first thing I noticed was her eyes. They were enormous and glistening. A light brown colour, but with tinges of green. The second thing I noticed was the blood that was seeping through her white shirt.

         My instinctive urge was to get out of the car. I clumsily undid my seatbelt and stumbled onto the road. The girl looked at me quizzically with her large, glistening eyes radiating curiosity. As I got closer, I noticed that she had a short, cute, imp-like nose.

         “Excuse, me, are you ok? Do you need me to take you to a hospital?” I asked her, concern laden in my voice. She stared at me for a couple of seconds before she started to move towards me. She then brushed me aside neatly and began to get into the backseat of my car. As she did so, she put the long, metallic stick she was holding into an unseen sheath on her back, hidden behind her robe.

         My jaw-hanging open, I got into the car with her. I closed the door and turned on the ignition. Before I started driving, I looked into the seat behind me. She stared out the window, an enigmatic, serious and contemplative look on her face.

         “Umm, hello? Can I ask your name? Do you need a doctor?” I asked, hoping for some kind of reaction. She turned to look at me slowly, and then shook her head.

         Without any other options, I started to drive. I was on the road again, this time with a new passenger.



         As time passed, night replaced day, a full moon replaced the sun at the end of the horizon, and the silence that existed between us became more and more awkward. I stole glances at her as we drove into the night. She stared wordlessly out the window the entire time, a strong look of solemn contemplation crossing her face.

         As we drove, I managed to steal looks at the thing she was holding, now placed in a sheath that was hidden on her back. It was a fighting weapon, the sort of weapon you need two hands to hold. There was a sharp blade attached to either end of an intricately decorated pole. The blades looked sharp and dangerous, and there were a variety of blood stains on both ends. I gave up on questions after seeing the weapon.

         

         Eventually, the girl leant over to the front seat and started to observe me drive. I tried to ignore her, but her enourmous eyes, glimmering in the full moon, were difficult to ignore.

         “Thanks for all this” she suddenly said, with a hint of a smile “I really needed just some time to sit down and think” she told me. I relaxed upon hearing her speak for the first time.

         “No problems, but you shouldn’t stand in the middle of a highway” I replied.

         Her reaction was to smile back and lean back in her seat. I looked back to return the smile, but as I did so, a sharp light glared in my eyes. Directly behind us was a large, white van.  I squinted in the light. I let go of the steering wheel for a moment, and my car started to swerve.

         “The car!” shouted the girl. I quickly grabbed hold of the steering wheel again. As I regained my vision, I straightened my car again. Suddenly, my car jolted forwards and I and the girl bounced in our seats. I looked back.

         The van was ramming into us.

         I slammed my foot down on the accelerator. My car sped up. The girl stole a glance backwards.

         “Oh my god he’s still coming for-“she shouted as the van smashed into the back of my car a second time. This time the glass at the rear of the car shattered and I heard a large metallic scraping sound. The girl then said something strange.

         “I’m so sorry, this is my fault.” She told me.

         “What are you talking about!?” I shouted as the van smashed into the back of the car a third time.

         “Don’t worry, I’ll fix this” was all she said. She then opened the back door, withdrew her weapon, and then leapt out of the still moving car.

         I could only watch in silent horror as she athletically rolled out of the car and onto the road again.  She then stood directly in front of the speeding van.

         My brakes screeched as I tried desperately to turn around my car. I drove my car back in her direction, hoping to catch her before the van. My hopes were dashed however as she did something that I could never see coming.

         She began to run towards the van.

As she ran towards the van, she drew back her weapon and attacked the speeding van head on. As the two collided, a brilliant, white light shone out from her figure.

         The white light grew until it completely engulfed both the van and the girl. I squinted as the entire section of the road was taken up by the illuminating light.

         Then, in an instant, the light vanished.

         Silence.

         Both the girl and the van were gone, leaving behind a lonely, empty road. That was the last time I ever saw the girl again.

         I wanted to leave my car, to investigate, but I knew it was hopeless. I turned my damaged car around, and began to drive off into the horizon. I was back on the road again.