Whiteout
Snow slanted across the road, so thick Kerry could see only a few yards. Her headlights lit up skeletal trees, twig-arms a tunnel to drive down. These were dangerous bends. Lots of accidents over the years.
The figure emerged from nowhere. Kerry swerved and slid, a blur of trees before the jarring impact.
Blood was warm on her face. Nearby, the shadowy figure stood unmoving, watching. Then it faded into the whiteout and was gone.
Later, icy cold, Kerry arose from the wreckage. Feet not touching the ground, she drifted into the road to take her turn in the chain.
You might like to know that a couple of previous years' Advent Ghost stories appear in Slay Ride - a collection of twelve short readings for the twelve days of Christmas, available as a free download for blog readers and newsletter subscribers from here:
Happy holidays alll!
I grew up on a road like that in rural Kentucky, Simon. I remember awaking one day to find that a drunk had plowed into our five-foot-tall brick mailbox. You can just imagine what might haunt those empty byways.
ReplyDeleteI think that picture you used (and which I, um, shared) set off the idea too...
ReplyDeleteShiver!
ReplyDeleteSuperb, Simon.
ReplyDeleteFargo meets Chris Rea driving home for Christmas.
Such an eerie story that packs SO MUCH into 100 words. Great job, dude.
ReplyDeleteThe chain of ghosts along that one stretch of highway... I always think about stuff like that! Love this, Simon. Subtle and very creepy.
ReplyDeleteChilling.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
Lovely drabble, Simon. thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteTook a chill with this one
ReplyDelete