Chapter 2: Terror on the Road

~Dream sequence~

I found myself standing in a cornfield, with no recollection of how I got there, just staring at a strange looking scarecrow in the distance. I moved a bit closer and noticed that I could hear faint whispers coming from it. "…te", I heard it say but couldn't make out the word. I moved closer, but suddenly I felt like I shouldn't try to move any closer and I didn't. I felt that something was very wrong and that I shouldn't be here. As the feeling of unease grew, I started to back up and walk in the opposite direction of the scarecrow. I walked about five feet before I heard a low growl coming from some distance behind me. I looked back, even though my instincts were telling me to keep moving and saw that the scarecrow was no longer on the post; it was standing in front of it and growling. I gasped and ran in the opposite direction as fast as I could. I made it about 50 feet before a heavy weight landed on me, pinning me to the ground.

~End dream sequence~

Before anything happened in my dream, I woke up. I woke with a start, but somehow kept myself from screaming. I notice that I'm sweating despite not feeling hot at all. I look up and see Trish staring back at me, knowing what she's gonna say.

"Are you, all right?" Trish said, looking back at me with a concerned look.

I look up at her and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it was just a bad dream that's all." I tell her.

"Ok, but you look like you've just seen a ghost." she said as she turned to face forward in her seat.

I felt that my nightmare wasn't just a dream, but more of a vision. I shake my head and push away those thoughts, trying to convince myself that I'm being ridiculous, but I knew that there was more to my dream than what I saw. I never told my family this, thinking they were just average dreams, but ever since I was little, I've always dreamt of being in a wide-open field like the ones we are passing right now. In these dreams, I'm surrounded by white crows and they tell me to stay away, but whenever I asked, 'from what or where' I would wake up as if something didn't want me to know the answer. I eventually grew out of these dreams, but they always made me question what or where I was supposed to stay away from.

"You actually did something nice for me that's a part of history you can't change." Darry said as I tuned in to their conversation.

I notice that Trish has her feet propped up on the dash board, but she puts them down and looks back down the road. I look back to see what she's looking at and see a stop sign fading into the distance.

"That was a stop sign." Trish said.

"You're kidding, right?" Darry asks all serious.

"In your car, I'd be kidding." Trish commented. It was true that Darry had a habit of barreling through stop signs when on a deserted road, but if the cops didn't catch him doing it, he would be fine.

"On this road? I haven't seen a car in 50 miles." Darry said.

I was surprised that I was asleep for that long but figured I must have been more exhausted than I thought. I feel the car begin to accelerate, so I look up and see that Darry is racing to catch up to a Winnebago. I knew what he was doing, he wanted to get close enough to read the license plate to see if it has a message. So far, Trish was winning the plate count; I was never really interested in the game, but hey it was something to occupy their time, so I just went with it.

"Come on Darry." Trish said trying to deter him, but we got closer and closer and he started to sound out what he saw.

"G-Gay… gay fever, no gay forever, gay forever ha that's mine, that's three for little bro." Darry exclaimed, only to realize his mistake too late.

"That's a six not a 'g' you idiot, that's sexy forever, that's mine, that's five to two." Trish said stealing his point.

"Shit." Darry replied.

I smile and cut in.

"Gay fever?" I asked with a smile and we all couldn't help but giggle.

Trish looked back at me and we all had a laugh. Darry proceeded to drive around the Winnebago and we all looked at the drivers and were a little surprised to see a middle-aged couple.

"Oh, sexy forever huh?" Darry commented, and Trish rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

"You know that is you in 40 years." Trish shot back in a disinterested tone.

We sit in silence for a few moments before Darry looks at Trish. I have a feeling I know what he's thinking and that our parents will be thinking the same thing. A few years ago, Trish brought her boyfriend home to meet our folks, this was before I graduated high school, and I immediately didn't like him. Mom and dad fell in love with the guy, but Darry and I had a gut feeling that he was no good.

"You know there's usually a reason when you like to take the long way home." Darry said, breaking the silence.

"Gee, like, maybe I like the country?" Trish said, trying to avoid the subject.

"Okay." Darry said, unconvinced.

"Just drive, brat." Trish replied harshly.

"Hey, I'm only thinking the same thing mom and dad are gonna be thinking. Trisha? Trisha why are you driving home for spring break with your sister and brat brother and not headin off somewhere with that nice Mr. Poly-Sci-Track- Team guy?" Darry said mimicking what our parents would likely ask. I sat there and was amazed at how accurate my feelings on what Darry was thinking were. I smile and continue listening to the conversation, hoping that Trish will finally tell us what's going on.

"I will tell them the exact same thing I'll tell you: none of your goddamn business." Trish told Darry trying to get him to drop the subject, but I knew our brother was not going to back down that easily. He looked at her with a curious expression and had a moment of silence before continuing.

"What? You don't think I could understand the complex nature of your relationships?" he shot back.

"No, I look at you as a real expert." she said sarcastically.

"Whatever, I don't care." Darry said, not really meaning it.

At this point, I saw that Trish didn't want to talk anymore and turned the radio on. Darry continued talking about if Trish broke things off with her boyfriend, she should figure out what she was gonna tell mom and dad. Trish wasn't really paying attention as she turned through the stations trying to find something other than preachers, farm reports, and country. Darry said something about how mom and dad were in love with Trish's boyfriend, but it was drowned out by some crazy preacher station. I saw Darry trying to suppress his laughter, but he couldn't hide his smile.

What would Jesus do-

I am no fanatic, what I am is a fan of God-

A serpent-headed demon, shaking you by the…

After that, Trish turned off the radio, frustrated.

"You wanted the back-way home. That's 10 hours of preachers, farm reports and country." Darry said.

"Could you possibly just shut up and drive, please?!" Trish said in an angry voice. To my amazement, Darry started to sing in the most stereotypical country accent I have ever heard.

You broke my heart in two

Now I can't find the duct tape to put in together for you

"Come on, girl, sing along now." Darry said between his made-up lyrics. Me and Trish looked at each other and shook our head but didn't stop him.

When I met you, I thought I would die

I wanted to cry

Didn't know you were evil

Or that you would hurt me

Mr. Poly-Sci-Track-Team guy

Me and Trish both look at him and smile as he continues.

Turns out you're a twit and a real-

We all jump as Darry is interrupted by a loud horn, which scared the living shit out of all of us. We all looked back to see a large truck riding our ass. Darry swerves trying to get it to go around us, but it kept following us and blaring its horn. For some reason, I felt more terrified of who was in the truck than the fact they were trying to run us off the road. Darry and Trish are panicking in the front while I'm trying not to hyperventilate.

"Go around me!" Darry shouted.

"Just get out of his way Darry!" Trish said equally panicked.

"I'm trying!" Darry yelled trying to keep the car under control.

"Let him pass you!" I shouted wanting this nightmare to end.

"He's nuts!" Darry stated.

"We know he's nuts, pull over!" Trish yelled at him, while reaching back trying to comfort me. I grab on to her like it's the last thing I'll do.

"Go around me!" Darry shouted in desperation.

"SLOW DOWN AND LET HIM FUCKING PASS YOU!" Trish shouted at the top of her lungs while still holding on to me and the seat between us.

"I'm trying!" Darry said as he was finally able to slow down and let the crazy driver drive around us.

I look up while still holding Trish for security and see the truck speeding off into the distance. I can make out the license plate and notice it says, 'beating you', but spelled B-E-A-T-N-G-U. I slowly calm down as do my siblings, but that had to be the most terrifying moment in my life.

"Jesus." I said as I gain my composure.

"Shit." Darry said in a quivering voice.

"What the HELL was his problem?!" Trish yelled while checking to make sure I was ok.

"My first guess, INBREEDING!" Darry shouted out the window at the truck as it disappeared over the hill ahead of us.

"You ok, Karen? Trish asked, concerned as I hold her in a death grip. She patted my head to calm me down.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little shook up." I said even though that was the biggest understatement of the day. I had never been more afraid, than I was right then, in my entire life.

I slowly release my grip on Trish, and she sits back in her seat. I'm still shaking, and I can see Trish and Darry shaking as well, this was a terrifying experience for all of us, but I was even more terrified. I felt that whoever was behind the wheel of that truck, we were in way more danger than we've ever been in.

"Get a load of that nasty old thing? What is that? The vehicle of choice for assholes and fucking serial killers?" Darry commented trying to lighten the mood.

"God… you know what I just thought of, right?" Trish asked.

"Kenny and Darla?" I said, knowing the local cautionary tale of drinking and driving.

Trish nodded.

"Trish, they died about a hundred miles from here." Darry stated.

"It's the same highway." I said.

"This highway runs the length of the state." Darry stated.

There was a brief pause before Trish continued.

"You believe it?" She asked.

"That they had to go looking for her head?" Darry answered.

"But they never found them, they only found the car." I said knowing the story.

"No, they never found her head, they found the car. Didn't find him or her head." Darry said, not realizing he was wrong.

"God, look at me, I'm still shaking." Trish said, still visibly shaken.

"You don't think every generation has their cautionary tale of drinking and driving on prom night?" Darry asked.

"No, I always heard it was true. Wheaton Valley High, class of '78." I said.

"You guys wanna know something?" Trish asked with a giggle. Darry and I listened, interested in what Trish was going to tell us.

"When I first heard that story… I used to think this was the highway I would die on." Trish admitted.

"Quite the cheery thinker today, aren't we, sis?" Darry commented, and I agreed. That was unusually dark for her. She looked down at avoided eye contact for a moment.

"What's Poly-Sci Guy been doing to you, anyway?" Darry asked, "Beating you?"

Trish looked up when Darry said that and that's when I knew. The reason Trish was so distant lately was because she's been getting beaten by her asshole of a boyfriend. If it weren't true then Trish wouldn't have had such a strong reaction when Darry said, 'beating you', but I had a feeling he was talking about the truck.

"The was the license plate on the van we just saw 'B-E-A-T-N-G-U'. So, Beating you, that's mine, that's three to five, holy shit!" Darry exclaimed. Confirming my suspicions that he was referring to the truck.

"You can't call it now." Trish said, trying to beat him at this game again.

"My ass!" Darry shouted.

"You have to call it when you see it." Trish lied, I knew the rules of this game very well.

"We were in shock!" I said trying to defend Darry.

"Tough." Trish laughed.

"What is this, a brand-new rule?" Darry asked, not believing her.

"It's not a new rule, it's always been this way." Trish lied again.

"Since when?" I asked.

"Since always." Trish said, as she kept up the lie.

"Since just now, maybe." Darry said truthfully.

"Your memories for shit." Trish commented, still trying to convince us that she's right.

"No, it's not." Darry and I said at the same time.

My older siblings proceeded to get into the old 'uh huh' and 'nah uh' fight. I watched and silently laughed as they sped up trying to outdo each other. It did come to a stop relatively quickly, with Darry saying nah uh infinity, but of course Trish had to shoot back with uh huh infinity squared. They've always done this and each time it gets more ridiculous. I was glad that they found a way to calm us all down, but I was still very uneasy. I just had an awful feeling that we would see that truck again and next time we would see who was behind the wheel.