"…Chug a lug a lugin' 5 miles an HOUR… On my International Harvester!!" Jake sung. His hands gripped the wheel tightly and his head was thrown back against the headrest as the song came to a close on the radio.
He was in his truck, delivering logs to the paper mills as per usual. He had done it every weekday for the past 14 years (except, of course, the sick day here or there and holidays) , and it paid well enough for him, his wife Clara, daughter Cindy and their dog Bear – a shaggy mutt of a jack russell terrier that always sat beside his master on the job – to live on.
Bear always went on these jobs with Jake as they both got lonely during the day otherwise. Sure, Jake had to stop and unload every hour and a half or so, and then he got to talk to the workers at the mills, but the time in between? That's what got to him. Those first few years without company at his side were almost enough for him to quit. In fact, the only reason that he hadn't was because of Bear at his side. Plus, he needed a back up singer.
"What should we listen to next buddy?" Jake asked. "Should we switch the channel or listen to this song?"
The dog showed its distaste for the rap song that came on the variety channel they were listening to by growling slightly and making a yapping noise.
"I agree," Jake said, reaching over to change the station. "Time for something more… oldies. Yeah?" This time Bear gave a yip of agreement, signifying that the agreed with his owner. The two seemed to really know each other well, almost to understand what the other was thinking… or so Jake thought. After all, Bear was his best friend.
Jake reached over and turned the knob to change the variety station to an oldies ones, numbers two to four on his preset stations, and smiled delightedly when 'Love Shack' came on.
"You know this one boy, right?" Jake asked the dog. Bear didn't answer right away, as if listening to the first few notes to check if he did indeed know the song or not, before he yipped a 'yes.' "Well then, how's'bout you sing the lead part, and I'll sing backup this time?" Bear didn't answer him, instead he burst out howling (or singing, as Jake called it) surprisingly in a manner very close to the tune of the actual song.
More than half way through the song Bear suddenly stopped, his 'voice' cutting off half way through the verse.
Jake looked over at the dog, seeing that it was looking out the front window from it's spot in the passengers seat. Bear quickly jumped down, then ran into the nook behind the seet that he typically went in when he wanted to sleep. The dog shook for a second as if sensing danger.
"Bear, what's-," was all that Jake could get out before he noticed what it was that was upsetting the dog. A shiny black car, at least 20 miles over the speed limit on the straight road, was in the wrong lane. It was in their lane. And it was headed right at them.
"AHHHHH!!" he screamed, his head thrown back as it had been just minutes before but for a completely different reason. His eyes closed as if by shutting them the attack he was sure to accompany was going to stop, as if he could shut out the world and Bear and him could just go back to singing 'Love Shack,' maybe even back to 'International Harvester.' But time travel wasn't' possible. Magic like that wasn't possible.
However, the collision that he was sure was coming never did. The bright light went away after a few seconds, the flying debris completely gone.
And, as the truck finally came to a stop about 8 seconds later, and when Jake looked into the rearview mirror, it wasn't a half bent car that looked back at him. No, it was fully intact, still-shiny-black car that appeared as if it didn't even have a scratch.
"What the…?"
Jake was confused. And his head, back, throat… and, well, everything hurt. Going through what you believed to be a near death experience was sure to knock off a couple of years on his lifespan.
That was a given.
The black car, after idling in the road for a minute, swerved a bit, then went back to it's original speed, this time on it's own side of the road.
"Stupid kids," Jake mumbled, still shaken as he checked to see if Bear was harmed. Pleased that there wasn't a scratch on the dog, he resumed driving, this time with the radios volume turned down and without the singing.
Well… in all the 14 I've had this job that was defiantly the scarriest…and most thrilling thing that has happened to me…
OIOIOIOIOIOIO
Well, that was fun to write. It was when the darkling came the first time, remember? I just thought that I'd write this fun little one-shot from the guys POV. And, incase you don't' remember, that was Calebs' black car that 'Jake' keeps referring too. just so you know.