Enjoy Ride
In the twilight of a very beautiful day, I am alone with my thoughts, playing games and feeling happy about meeting my family and children at the lake, as I drive down the empty highway. Suddenly an old gray truck appears in the background, pulls out, and passes me. I immediately slow my car, expecting the driver to pull away, but he does not. As the truck is passing me, I notice his well muscled body. He seems to be in his late thirties. He slows down, stays just a short distance ahead of me, and waves to someone behind me. I am becoming more nervous. Suddenly, there is a new blue truck behind me. Inside the blue truck, there is one driver who looks fair and one passenger. I am now boxed in. “The boys are out for a ride,” I tell myself, trying to remain calm.
The day is almost gone. My husband’s advice pops up: I should wait until the next sunrise. I, however, really want to get to the lake before others because I feel uncomfortable in heavy traffic. I think about how the darkness is consuming the light. I try to pull out into the passing lane carefully, but the gray truck driver does not let me do it. He speeds up to stop me; “child’s play”, I think.
I lock all the doors and do everything I can to protect myself. My imagination plays horrific movie: powerful men try to rape and then murder me. If they do have a gun, what is going to happen? No, they cannot carry a gun in this land, but they may have a sharp knife. “What am I thinking?” I speak very loudly to myself. Then, the blue car is pulling up beside me, and the passenger turns down his window, so I can see his strong tanned arms, unlike his face. He twirls the bloodied knife in the air and tries to frighten me. I give him my full attention. My hormones are out of control. I am scared. Please let me go! I breathe. After, the blue truck moves back to its position, the driver and his passenger smile with satisfactions; they got what that they wanted, my fearful concentration....
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