Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Abby

When I see the two bright beams of the headlights approaching, I don't hesitate for a second. This might just be my chance to finally get out of here and get some help before I potentially freeze to death.

I jump out of my car and wave my arms frantically, praying that whoever is driving the approaching red pickup truck will see me in this blizzard.

They have to; the lights are so bright that they're bathing the road in bright white light, making the thick sheet of snow falling down look almost nonexistent.

"Hey!" I call out, taking a major safety risk and jumping out into the middle of the road. “Hey, over here! Help!”

The truck doesn't seem to see me at first, and I brace myself, preparing to have to jump out of the way; but I keep waving my arms, jumping up and down while yelling frantically.

"Hey! Stop!"

Finally, the big red truck slows and skids to a stop just a few feet away from me, and my terror turns to instant relief. I quickly rush over to the driver's side, clutching my coat around my shoulders against the blistering wind.

"You alright, miss?” a gruff voice calls out through the cracked window.

"Oh, thank god you saw me!” I exclaim, my voice trembling from adrenaline coursing through my body. “I went into the ditch, and my car battery died, and I've been stuck out here for hours with no service. I just need a lift to somewhere where I can make a call for help.”

The driver, a burly man with a scruffy beard, glances over at the passenger seat. It's now that I see another man is sitting there; he looks a little bit younger from the looks of it, but I can’t see him very well from where I'm standing. The two men seem to exchange words for a few moments, and all I can do is bite my lip and hope that they'll empathize with me and help me out instead of leaving me here.

Finally, much to my relief, the driver turns back to me and nods with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Of course, miss. Hop in. We'll take you to a place with better service.”

I climb into the truck, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. The warmth inside the vehicle is a welcome contrast to the freezing cold I've been enduring out here. I glance over at the driver, offering a polite smile as I buckle my seatbelt.

“Thank you so much for helping me,” I say, my voice filled with gratitude. “I really appreciate it. My name is Abby, by the way.”

The driver nods, keeping his eyes on the road as he puts the truck into gear. “I'm Mike, and this is my buddy, Jake,” he says, gesturing to the man in the passenger seat.

I nod, introducing myself to Jake as well. “Nice to meet you both,” I reply.

"So," Jake says as Mike begins to drive, “what brings a lady like you all the way out here during a blizzard like this?"

It's only now that I'm out of the snow and the cold that I can finally chuckle about it. “You'll laugh at me,” I say, rubbing my frigid hands together and holding them close to the vent, where warm air is blasting out. “But I went shopping for a party dress. I guess I should've checked the weather report.” Mike lets out a gravelly chuckle that sounds like iron being raked over hot coals. “You a city girl or something?”

I shrug. “Okay, maybe you got me,” I say. “I'm from here, but I've been living in the city for over three years now. I guess I forgot just how treacherous it gets in the winter. But I'm lucky you guys showed up; three cars drove right past me!”

“Probably didn't see you,” Mike says as he guides the truck around the snow-covered roads, his high beams cutting through the snow. “Hell, I almost didn’t see you either. Not until you decided to run out in the middle of the road and play chicken with my truck.”

His words make my face heat up. “Sorry about that. I was getting desperate.”

"Ah, it's nothing.”

Mike continues to drive in silence, and Jake is just as quiet, too. Not that I mind; I'm just happy to be somewhere warm and safe. Soon, I'll be able to call Karl and get out of this whole mess. I'll be back in my bed soon enough.

But, as the truck continues down the snow-covered road, I cant help but feel a sense of unease. Mike passes by an exit to the highway that would lead us to the nearest town, but he flies right past it

Furrowing my brow, I glance out the window, my eyes catching sight of an open gas station nearby. “Hey, I think there's a gas station over there,” I mention, trying to keep my voice casual. “Maybe we could stop there? I saw a sign for free WiFi, and I could contact my friend over the internet.”

Mike glances at me, his expression tense. “Nah, that place doesn't have any service,” he replies gruffly. “We're taking you to a better spot.”

It's then that my alarm bells start to go off. “I'm sure I saw a WiFi sign,” I insist, my voice trembling slightly.

Jake turns to me, his gaze unwavering. “Trust us, we know this area better than anyone,” he says, his voice low and intimidating. “We'll get you to a place where you can make that call.”

I sink back into my seat, my heart pounding in my chest. Something doesn't feel right. I can’t help but wonder where these men are really taking me. The initial relief I felt at being rescued has now transformed into fear.

Trying not to cause any concern, I carefully slide my gaze over to the door, only to see that the locking pin is down. When I slyly move my hand to the handle, thinking that I could jump out into the snow if need be and run back to that gas station, though, it doesn't open.

Child lock is on.

"Okay," I think to myself, trying to keep calm. “Maybe we're headed to another gas station.”

I glance out the window, trying to get my bearings and see where we are, but the snowstorm makes it impossible to see anything beyond the swirling white landscape.

Panic starts to creep in, and I clutch my phone tightly, even though I know there's no signal

My mind races with questions. Who are these men, and why are they diverting from the route I expected? What do they want from me? The unease settles deep in my gut, and I can't shake the feeling that I might be in more danger here than I was waiting in my frigid car.

"Hey," I say as I notice that we're veering even further from the highway, and the snow is just getting thicker, “could you just let me out here? I'm fine trying my luck at that gas station.”

But neither of them answers, and that's when I realize..

That I might actually be in grave danger, and I can't get out.