The Night

The red backlights combined with the dim streetlights, cutting through the darkness of the sky, are holding me awake. Every now and then, I still start dozing off, shaking myself awake. The blackness, thick as velvet, engulfs the world, as much as it engulfs my thoughts. The beaming rare lights from a passing vehicle’s headlights still surprise me. Shortly, the red lights will disappear, leaving me wondering where the driver is headed. “Seems urgent.” I will say to myself.

Gripping tightly to the steering wheel, I start gaining speed. The sound of tires against the road and the wind fighting against my car, evokes a sense of peace. The mile markers keep passing in a seemingly endless cycle. The sense of isolation on this road, leaves me feeling overwhelmed and slightly frightened.

I relax my body. Releasing the tight grip from the steering wheel, only to wipe my clammy, sweaty hands against the soft cotton fabric of my sweatpants. Wondering what time it is, I look over at the clock built into my car: 3:27 AM. Thoughts start piling into my head, “How do I get through this without showing weakness?” and the constant “Where do I go now?”.

Something disturbs my thoughts. There’s a blinking light ahead. The light seems to be yellow and not to bright, coming off the side of the empty highway. As I near the source of the blinking, I recognize the familiar shape of a car, with the emergency lights on. Impulsively deciding to pull over, I examine the car. It seems to be a Honda Civic, in the color red. The driver is a young male, with a panicked expression.

I slow down my car to a stop and hear the gears shift when I put it in ‘park’. I set out of the vehicle and ask if I can help…