Hello Stranger
(Trigger warning- graphic violence and death)
The air was thick. Even in the air conditioned car, the sun drew sweat from Calvin’s body. Salty beads pooled in the corner of his eye and he wiped a sleeve across his face, cursing the a/c. “Piece of garbage. What good are ya?,” he spoke at the vent. Grinding his teeth, he turned his attention back to the empty road. A thunderstorm had to be comin’ soon.
Anything to break this spell.
He squinted into the shady treeline ahead, relaxing his cheeks at the approaching promise. The shade struck and he let go of a breath he’d been holding. The trees stood strong against the sun, protecting travelers along the winding road within their borders.
The air conditioning seemed to be working better now. Calvin glanced at the vent and nodded his approval; it seemed to have taken his harsh criticism to heart and he felt he should acknowledge its humility. It was important to recognize good work to repair the strain he had placed on their relationship.
Taking his eyes off the road, he chanced a look at the mobile phone resting on the passenger seat. Tapping it to check the battery, the image of a small blonde girl filled the lock screen. Seven percent. He neglected to plug it in at the motel last night, but luckily there was a USB port in the center console of the car. Not that he expected anyone to call for him, but one should always be prepared for the unexpected.
SCREECH!
He veered wide to the left, just avoiding the hind of the deer. Coming to a halt, he caught his breath. Stupid! He slapped his own head. Stupid stupid! He took the phone and threw it on the back seat, removing the temptation to check it again. Sitting in the left lane, he looked ahead. No traffic was oncoming. The road was just as empty as it had been all morning.
Checking his rearview before pulling back on his side of the road, he caught a glimpse of two more deer running across behind him. A whole family. The fourth and final deer, a buck with a large set of antlers, walked out and stopped in the middle of the road staring at him. They locked stares in the reflection of the mirror. Reflexively he squinted, peering harder into the dark eyes. The head turned to the side before the animal lowered its body and sprang off into the underbrush following its herd.
Calvin let out a short hard breath and resumed his drive. He needed to cross the border before stopping for the night, and he still had a long way to go.
So much stress had built up already this morning. He needed a release, but couldn’t stop right now. It was important to keep moving forward. In the back seat, the phone beeped, he resisted the urge to look back. It was also important to learn from one’s mistakes.
A short time later, the winding road straightened and Calvin spotted an old man with his thumb out up ahead. No, not old. Young. No more than twenty-five. But thin, with a full yellow beard, and tattered clothes. Calvin had seen no other traffic all day, and the young fella was obviously in need.
He slowed to a stop and rolled down the window, “Where ya headin'?"
“Far as ya can take me.” The young man pointed in the direction Calvin had been driving.
“Alright, c’mon.” Calvin unlocked the door.
“Thank you. Name’s Daniel, friends call me Dan Dan the Man.”
Calvin smiled, “I’m Calvin. How ‘bout I just call ya Dan?”
“Well… I can’t say I like it Calvin, but if that’s the ticket price.” He opened the door and sat with his large backpack sandwiched between his chest and the dash.
“You can put that in the back y’know.”
“The trunk?”
“No. Back seat’s fine.”
Dan shook his head, “I don’t mind keeping it up here.”
“Suit yourself, but it’s gonna block the a/c.”
The young man smiled, his teeth more black than white, “Dan Dan doesn’t mind the heat.”
Calvin shrugged and pulled back onto the road.
“You from around these parts?” Dan asked, scratching at his beard.
“Nah, just passing through. Hoping to cross the border tonight.”
“Oh I don’t think you’re gonna make it.” Dan shook his head ruefully. “Been pounding these roads for a few years now. It’s a longer trip than your GPS would have ya believe.”
“Oh yeah?” Calvin glanced to his right to see Dan staring at him with a broad rotten smile.
“Yeah,” Dan nodded, not breaking eye contact, “folks always think that because it's a straight shot and there’s no traffic that it's gonna be an easy ride. But there’s always something that stops ‘em.”
“Like what?”
Dan turned his head to the road and scratched harder at his beard. “Oh, could be anything. A fallen tree, hit a deer, fall asleep at the wheel…seen it all.”
“Oh, I doubt that. You’re not old enough to have seen it all.”
Dan snapped his head back to Calvin, looking him up and down with a glare, “What’s that supposed to mean, old man?”
“Easy there. I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. Though, I don’t think any of those things are gonna happen to me today. Already had my close call with a deer.”
“Sounds like fate was sending you a sign, Calvin.” Dan relaxed in the seat, “Probably should have heeded the warning.”
Calvin nodded, “Nah. I don’t believe in that stuff, besides you should be happy. Otherwise you wouldn’a caught the ride.”
Dan rubbed his neck and started scratching the back of his scalp. “One person’s poor decision can be another’s boon. It’s just how fate works.” Dan stopped scratching and pointed at Calvin, making tiny circles with his index finger, “That’s the truth of it, Calvin. I wish you could see that.”
Calvin had been smiling, but the wiggling finger in such close proximity changed his mood. “You’re an odd fella, y’know that Daniel?”
Dan said nothing, but nodded watching the road ahead.
They drove in silence for a while. Calvin watched his passenger in quick glances through the corner of his eye. Dan just stared straight ahead, nodding slightly to himself, interrupted periodically with a fresh round of scratching.
Calvin relaxed a bit; he was making good time. Despite Dan’s warning, he should have no problem finding a good rest tonight.
“Stop!”
Calvin hit the breaks. “What!? What is it?”
“Didn’t you see it?”
“See what?”
Without answering, Dan unbuckled his belt and exited the car, leaving the door open. The heat slammed Calvin in the face and he stretched across the seat to close it, but couldn’t reach. Cursing to himself, he released his own seatbelt and sprawled across to grab the door handle and slammed it shut, bracing his other arm against Dan’s bag.
He felt something hard and cool. Metal. Calvin’s eyes went wide, a hatchet?
“Hey!” Dan knocked on the driver’s side window and Calvin’s heart jumped into his throat. “Hey, come out here. Check this out.”
Wiping his brow with his sleeve, Calvin got out and followed. About 30 meters back, they stopped at the dried carcass of a raccoon. It had been there for a day at least.
“What the hell Daniel? What are you doin’?”
“Just because you don’t believe in fate, doesn’t mean the universe is gonna stop sending signs.”
“Oh goddamn it. That’s what…this is why you yelled stop!?”
“Hey chill bro, I didn’t yell.”
Calvin stormed back to his car. “That’s enough kid, you just lost your ride.”
Dan ran behind him, “Oh, c’mon man. I’m just trying to help. Don’t you see the warnings all around you?”
“The only thing I see is the lunatic holding me up.”
“You don’t gotta call me names just cause we disagree.”
Calvin said nothing, he just opened the passenger door and grabbed the backpack. Before he could throw it on the ground, Dan held up his hands, “Whoa, whoa. I’m sorry alright. I spend a lot of time by myself, alright. Like, a lot, a lot. Sometimes I forget how to talk to folks. I’m sorry. I won’t say nothin’ else.”
Calvin held the musty bag in the air and met Daniel’s eyes. The young man turned his head to the side and nodded south, “I just need a ride. Really, I’m sorry.”
Lowering the bag, Calvin sighed, “No one calls you Dan Dan the Man do they?”
“I told you, that’s what my friends call me.”
“That’s what I meant.”
Daniel smiled and lowered his head sheepishly.
“Fine.” Calvin opened the door and threw the bag in the back seat. “But this stays here. You get in the front.”
Daniel nodded and got in the car. Calvin adjusted the backpack so it wouldn’t fall, not realizing it unplugged the phone, the lock screen came on. He shut the door and made his way around to the driver’s side. Within moments they were back on the road.
The scratching was less vigorous and Daniel’s face was somber for the next few minutes. Calvin nodded to himself before speaking, “Look, you don’t gotta say nothin’ for the rest of the ride. Just no more about fate. And no more stops, unless you’re getting out.”
Daniel smiled, “I can do that.” He chewed his bottom lip, then too casually asked, “That your girl?”
Calvin frowned, “Who?”
“The one on the phone. It lit up when you put my bag back there.”
Calvin nodded, but didn’t reply.
“She’s pretty. Real young for ya…but hey I’m not judgin’. You do you man.”
“What makes you think she’s my girl?”
“Why else would ya have her picture on your phone?” Daniel smiled through black teeth, “Saw a text notification, seems like she’s asking where ya are. You ditch her?”
Calvin grunted his reply.
They drove for another few minutes before Daniel spoke again, “Why’d you put my bag in the back? I liked having it.”
“You still have it. It’s just behind you.”
Daniel nodded, “That’s deep bro. You smoke?”
“What, like right now?”
“I mean…if you want to. I got some.”
“I’m driving.”
Daniel shook his head, “Where you heading in such a hurry? Don’t you see, you’re already here right now.”
“It’s important I keep moving.”
“Why? Someone chasing you?,” Daniel laughed.
“I hope not.”
He stopped scratching his head, hand frozen in place, “Wait, what?”
Calvin smiled, “I mean, if someone were chasing me, I wouldn’t know it. Not until it was too late, right?”
“Riiiiight.” Daniel glanced over his shoulder.
Calvin shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road, “I guess I’m not used to talking to folks either. Sometimes my answers can come out weird.”
“That’s cool, bro. I hear you.”
Daniel tapped a drum beat on his lap, trying to appear relaxed. He watched the trees go by. Soon they’d be out of the forest and back to the harsh open fields. He noticed Calvin watching him through his peripheral, the sweat forming on his brow.
“Hey, y’know what man? I think you can just let me out here.”
Calvin raised his eyebrows, “Here? It’s the middle’a nowhere.”
“To you maybe. I know a guy has a cabin just over the way there.”
Calvin kept driving.
“Hey man, I said let me out.”
“Yeah, but ya lied. You don’t have any friends, remember?”
“So what, dude? Stop the car!”
Calvin smiled and kept driving.
“Stop the car! I’m getting out!”
“Feel free.” Calvin unlocked the passenger door and increased his speed.
“What the hell!?”
“You ever think, Dan, that all those portents were not for me? Perhaps the universe was warning you.”
Daniel released his belt and lunged between the seats, reaching for his bag.
“Looking for this?” A sharp pain as the car swerved.
Daniel screamed and Calvin screamed too, even louder.
Up ahead the forest was clearing. Calvin eased the car to the side of the road and let out a deep breath, “Oh whew, I needed this. Thank you for the reprieve.” Daniel was still sprawled between the front and back seats, sobbing. He couldn’t feel his legs, just his hatchet embedded in his upper spine. Calvin patted him on the rump and let out another long relaxing breath.
Pressing his face against his backpack, he breathed in the familiar musty smell. A small comfort. The driver’s door shut and he jammed his eyes harder. By the time the back door opened, he was bawling.
Calvin gripped under his arms and hauled him from the vehicle, stomach down on the ground. He wiggled the weapon before ripping it from the spine, letting the blood spill on the side of the road. Daniel didn’t scream. He laid there sobbing, pressing his face into his forearm, wishing it was over.
“I bet you wish this was over, huh?” Calvin stood over him and looked around. Still no traffic in sight. “Well, you’re in luck. I do need to be across the border tonight. If anyone is chasing me, I don’t intend to be caught just yet.” Calvin squatted next to Daniel and whispered near his ear, “So as much as I need this, we’re just gonna have to make this one quick.”
He lifted Daniel’s head by the hair and met his eyes. “It’s been a pleasure.” He slammed the hatchet into the side of his head, cracking through the skull. Eyes rolled back, his upper body convulsed, and he made a strange grunting sound. Two more chops and it was done. Life drained from Daniel as his body went limp.
“Whew. That’ll hold me over.” He patted the body. “Yep. That’ll do.”
Calvin popped the trunk, “Can you make room, Cassie?” He pushed the young girl’s bloodstained legs up and into the corner. “Sure you can. You’re just a little sprig.” He lifted Daniel’s body and plopped it into the empty space, folding the arms and legs around Cassie so they both fit.
“No room for the bag though. I guess that stays with me in the car.”
Back in the driver’s seat, Calvin took another deep breath and relaxed. He turned back to check the phone and saw it was unplugged. “Oh, better fix that. Can’t be too careful.” He plugged it in and the picture of Cassie lit up the lock screen, with the text asking where she was.
“Alrighty, back to it.” As he started the engine, thunder rumbled in the distance. Up ahead, storm clouds blocked out the sun.
“Looks like it’s my lucky day.”
Calvin put the car in gear and drove forward into the cool embrace of the storm.
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