Mike was driving south on the M6 after a busy day in Glasgow he had negotiated a good deal for his firm but it had been a hard slog, still he would be home in a couple of hours and he had the whole weekend to relax.
At the crossroads he cut out in front of the big green articulated lorry causing the driver to swear under his breath at ‘idiot drivers’
After driving for a few hours and feeling tired and stiff he decided to slow down a little and in pulling in to the nearside lane he saw a sign up ahead advertising a motorway stop a few miles up the road. Yes that would be a welcome break he thought, a cup of coffee and maybe something to eat.
He pulled up into the parking lot and switched off his engine, as he got out of the car he shivered involuntarily, gosh it was colder than he realised. Mike shrugged off the feeling and headed for the bright lights of the motorway stop.
After some unimpressive sandwiches and equally bland coffee he decided to visit the restrooms.
It was while he was washing his hands that he glanced into the mirror, he felt the blood run from his face at the sight he saw there, it was his face all right he was sure of that but the eyes appeared sunken and almost hollow. His nose was just a gaping hole and the mouth was pulled into a shape was so grotesque that he stepped back in shock shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. Hardly daring to look at his reflection again he did so gingerly, but this time the reflection was normal. He sighed with relief, he must be more tired than he first realised.
He briefly contemplated staying at the hotel for the night, but then quickly dismissed the idea, as he was desperate to return to see his family and not keen to spend any more time than necessary away from them.
Splashing his face with water he then dried himself off that was better, you are over reacting Mike, he told himself. He went through the door making to leave the restrooms to return to his car, but turned, having the feeling that he was being watched.
He got into his car and the shiver returned momentarily. What he failed to notice was the slight indentation on the seat beside him. The car was extremely cold; he started up the engine switching the heater up to full blast.
As he looked in the rear view mirror he thought he saw a shape in the back of the car. Swiftly he turned round to see only a vacant space. I must be losing it he thought, pull your self-together man, but he was spooked.
Slipping the car into reverse he edged out of the parking space, the quicker he got home the better.
He drove towards the exit and headed onto the slip road that led back onto the southbound carriageway.
As he raced towards the moving traffic, he suddenly became aware that the seatbelt was moving and while he was looking sideways at the action, terrified to look at it fully, the seatbelt clicked into place and was over a shape, a body! He shrieked in terror and because his foot was already on the accelerator he pressed down harder and the car roared onward, he had to get away.
He did not see the big green articulated lorry until it was too late he bounced off the lorry’s wing and into the path of two oncoming vehicles the resulting pile up claimed the lives of four others besides Mike.
Later that night after the traffic policeman had finished taking the statements and had helped the fire brigade clear up. He remarked to his colleague how strange it was that this was the seventh crash at or near this location in as many months. It was puzzling as the road was no different here than any other part of the motorway.
All that was left to do now was to inform some nearest and dearest about the tragedies that had now touched and changed their lives.
He spoke briefly to the lorry driver noting as he did that the driver was still quite shaken at the accident, the lorry driver had put in his statement that the driver of the car had had a look of sheer terror on his face. It was as if t he had been fleeing from something horrible, almost as if a ghost was haunting him.
The lorry driver rose into his cab and bid the officer goodnight, it was extremely cold, and he failed to notice the slight indentation on the seat beside him.
© Norma Allan 2004
posted by quine @ 10:38 pm
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