After three of their friends disappear without a trace, Cooper, Bonnie, Kevin and Madilyn hit the road, determined to find out what happened to them.
*****
After graduating, three...
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All four windows were down, and the wind was flapping into the car. Their favorite song was on the radio, and the three of them were singing together at the top of their lungs. Hunter reached down and turned the music up. He reached his hand out of the passenger window and moved it with the wind. The empty fields and sunset sky rolled in the horizon. The sun was hot, but going down. The humidity in the Tennessee backroads was calming down, and the temperature felt perfect. No AC needed. No heat needed—definitely no heat needed.
Athena's gold graduation tassel was hanging on her rearview window. She tapped the steering wheel with her pink-painted nails. Her bronze hair flapped in the wind from the open driver-side window. Usually, she wouldn't like her hair flapping around like this, but she didn't care. It was summer. It felt good. She had her boyfriend Hunter in the passenger seat and Hunter's brother sitting in the backseat.
"Hey, Y'all," Charlie leaned up between Hunter and Athena. "Do you think we can convince the others to come, too, when they can?" He had to almost shout because of the loud music mixed with the pelting wind.
"Huh?" Hunter, his brother, leaned around.
Athena turned the volume down.
"I was just saying that we should try to get the others to come, too!" Hunter sat back down in the backseat.
"Yeah, but they didn't. Screw 'em!" He leaned up and turned the volume up. He reached over and grabbed Athena's free hand. He brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. His plump lips snuck out from his blond beard.
Charlie pulled out his phone and looked at his lock screen. Madilyn. He missed her and wished she could have come on the trip, too. Maybe he wouldn't feel so much like a third wheel. But, truthfully, it was okay. Athena and Hunter weren't awful at third-wheeling. They've been together for a year and a half, so they're used to each other's company. But still, it'd be nice if his girlfriend could have been here, too.
The empty fields were long, and the sunset was turning purple.
"Wow... just look at that..." Athena said.
"It's gorgeous," Hunter looked at Athena. "I would know what gorgeous looks like, right?" he laughed.
"Boy, if you don't shut up," Athena smiled.
Charlie leaned over to the other window in the backseat. He looked behind them on the road.
"Hey, look..." he moved back to the middle of the backseat. "Finally, there's someone else out here."
Athena looked up into the rearview mirror. The MACK truck's headlights weren't on, but it was obvious that it was getting close. The truck was getting bigger and bigger in the rearview mirror as it approached. The red paint had gray scratches all across the front, and the truck was hitting close to 80mph.
"Jesus! Slow it down!" Hunter yelled, knowing only the three of them would hear it.
"Are your seatbelts on?" Athena tightened her grip on the steering wheel. "I'm scared that he's asleep at the wheel or something," her voice started to shake.
Click. Charlie moved behind her seat and locked himself in.
"Oh, here he comes... Oh. Slow it down, man!" Hunter grabbed the handle above the window. "SLOW IT DOWN!" he yelled again.
Athena hit the gas. The car's RPS were ticking higher and higher, making the engine scream. Then, the red truck leaned over into the other lane. She took her foot off the gas as the truck started to pass her car. Then, the truck matched her speed.
She turned. The truck's passenger window started to roll down. The man sitting in the passenger seat turned. His hair was dyed an ugly reddish-black color, and he smiled with his nasty teeth. He tilted his head and slowly blew her a kiss.
"Go on somewhere, freak!" Hunter yelled with his middle finger up.
The truck swerved to the right and slammed into Athena's car. The front right tire slipped off the road and slammed into a concrete block in the ditch. The car nose-dived into the ground and flipped over the ditch and rolled side-over-side into the field landing upside down. The broken glass and loose napkins and drinks were slung across the field. The mess from inside the car left a trail to the now totaled car. The driver of the truck swerved and slammed on his breaks.
Charlie held onto his seat belt as he dangled upside down in the car. "God, please tell me y'all are okay. Are yall okay!?" he yelled.
"Yes," Hunter growled.
Athena grabbed her hair that was hanging in front of her face and moved it away.
Slam. The two men in the truck got out and moved closer. The sound of their laughter was getting closer, too.
The man from the passenger seat squatted in front of the car and pointed at the three of them. He smiled his ugly smile and waved.
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