Harbinger

The Green Nova tore through the storm, curtains of rain hammering the windshield. The wipers fought a losing battle, barely wiping the windshield once before another wave hit it before the storm increased its tempo.

He didn’t seem to notice. HIs green eyes bulged while he continued to mutter to himself. “They’re gonna pay! They’re gonna pay!”

His words became a growl as the corners of his mouth curved into a cruel smile and leaned forward, his weight pushing into the accelerator.

The loud honk from the oncoming eighteen wheeler shook him awake. “Sh*t”, he growled as he violently swung the wheel to the right, narrowly avoiding the massive truck.

“See what a f*** up you are?”, he said through clenched teeth. “Can’t even pay attention to the road in front of you”. His laughter came out in guttural gasps as the car shuddered to a stop by the guardrail. The land sloped downwards towards a quiet subdivision below. Porchlights lit like embers from a dying fire.

“Aaaaaaah” he screamed, hammering his meaty fists against the steering wheel which vibrated under his assault.

He took a long shuddering breath and got out of the car, getting soaked in the process. He stared at the road ahead and the subdivision below him for a long moment.

“Where the hell am I?”, he said in a low voice. Leaving the car door open, he walked towards the other side of the highway where he could see a road sign. “Page. 10 miles. Where is Page?”, he asked.

“Can’t run to Momma now, can ya?”, a voice jeered. “Not that it would’a mattered anyhow. Momma always knew you were the loser!”

The driver turned around to face his tormenter, but found himself looking down at the ground instead. He didn’t have to look to know who this was. The voice was unmistakable.

Brett. Perfect Brett with his blow dried sandy blonde hair, fine cheekbones and tight pecs, that girls worshipped. He stood there laughing, still wearing that letterman jacket he sported.

Brett could do no wrong. Mother always fawned over him like a lost lover. It was sickening.

“Shut up, Brett.”, he said quietly, barely a whisper.

The figure of Brett smirked, its sandy brown hair arranged neatly around his face. He stood there in front of the driver, still wearing the uniform from the high school wrestling team.

“You’re not even here”

The figure snorted and shrugged. “Yeah, whatever, dude. You know I can make you squeal like a little pig.”

“Stop! Stop!”, the driver pleaded, gritting his teeth.

Brett let out a harsh laugh. “Look at him with those tiny little fists. “They’re so cuuute!”, he mocked. “Whatta ya gonna do? Ya gonna hit me? Ah! I’m so scaarred! Save me!”

With a sudden roar, the driver launched himself at Brett, right hand balled into a tight fist ready to land directly on Brett’s perfect face.

His meaty fist hit the air mixed with rain.

When the driver opened his eyes, Brett was nowhere to be found. He looked around and saw only the road, the green Nova he drove, the rain and the sign.

He took a deep breath and let it out as the rain pelted on his head.

A pair of headlights emerged from the other side of the hillside, blue lights flashing. It came to a stop near the Nova. The officer inside stepped out of the police cruiser into the rain and strode towards the driver.

The driver shivered as much from fear from the approaching officer as from the rain.

“Sir,” the officer said, shining a larger flashlight in his face. “I saw your car on the road. You okay?”

The driver quickly nodded and mumbled..”yes sir”

The officer stood there a bit longer, the flashlight obscuring his features. The only thing in view was the blue uniform, the black belt that held the cuffs, the mace, the side arm holster, most of it covered by a clear poncho.

He lowered the flashlight and spoke again.

“Well sir, obviously this not a good night for doing a lot of driving and it’s easy to get lost out here right now. If you keep going down the road for about two miles, you’ll get to Page. Turn left and you’ll come to a cheap motel where you can spend the night. This storm should blow over come mornin’ and you should able to drive safely then. Ahright?’

Her quivered and gave a nervous nod. “Yes sir! Thank you sir!”

The officer tipped moved back towards the cruiser, made a brief report for a few minutes, then drove off in the night.

“Okay… so two miles down the road,” the driver said, almost in a trance. “Page. Turn left and go to motel.”

He walked back to the Nova and got inside. “Two miles down the road”.

The car started and he pulled back onto the highway.

“Two miles down the road” he said again.

The rain continued hammering the windshield

The wipers still moved to slowly to make a difference.

“Two miles down the road”

“Two miles down the road”

“Two miles down the road”

***************************************

The sunlight touched the empty highway and the quiet subdivision below as the local sheriff went on patrol. One of the officers had reported stopping when they saw an abandoned car.

He stopped by the side of the road where the sign was and got out, straightening his uniform. He put finger to his brown mustache as he walked the area, mentally making a note of everything he saw then went back to the cruiser.

“Hart to base”

The radio made a crackling sound before a female voice replied.

“Go ahead, sheriff”,

“Yeah, I’m out her by the edge of town where that Benson saw that man standing in the rain. No sign of him or the car. No tire tread marks, no mud tracks. Nothin”

“That storm was fierce last night” the other said. “Rain could’a washed everything away.”

“Includin’ the car?”

Silence on the other end.

“Well, we checked that motel and no one’s checked in the motel in two weeks. No one’s seen that green Nova either.”

The sheriff removed his hat and wiped his brow. “Yeah.. okay. Headed back to base”

***********************************************

At the diner in town, the locals gathered together for their usual session of gripes, grumbles and rumors. Many of them told tales of seeing that green Nova on the road on rainy nights and of a big man that fought the air and when the police would come, he was gone.