"The Hitchhiker" by Gurkirat K

                 

As the crisp cold weather was beginning to settle in late december, every breath was visible. Children went to bed with more anticipation for the morning than any other night of the year. Most people had already retreated to their homes, filled with the spirit of the holiday season. However, some were rushing to the stores to find the perfect gift and some to get a gift for an unexpected relative.

The roads were lonely and dark near the countryside and the corn fields engulfed the land as far as the eye could see, with only a few unsound huts protruding out of the flatness. A car arrived, piercing the silence, drove down the highway with two figures inside of it. The two of them were brothers, determined to reach their aunt Cybil’s house in Vermont before Christmas morning. It was tradition for the family to get together during the holidays, but Hunter and Landon were running late. They both lived in an apartment in New York and were attending New York University. With Landon on the wheel and Hunter on the aux, they drove for a couple hours, listening to Rae Sremmurd, by the endless fields while the sky became darker and the night colder. Suddenly after a few hours of driving, the songs stopped playing and Landon turned his head towards Hunter, only to find out that he was staring right back at him with no emotion on his face. With a jerk, Ariana Grande’s music blasted from the speakers and Hunter started to dance frantically in his seat. Landon looked away with disappointment and Hunter ran his index finger down Landon’s face while singing along with the song. Shoving his hand away, Landon yelled, “What the heck bruh!? Why you always be doing this kinduv stuff, you know I don’t like that junk.” Hunter started to laugh uncontrollably and Landon, with a scowl on his face, focused on the road.

“Dude stop laughing,” said Landon.                                                                                                                         “Why? Are you annoyed of me already bro, we still have a couple hours to go,” replied Hunter, still recovering from the laughter.                                                                                                                                          “There is a man on the side of the road,” explained Landon.                                                                         

   “What is he doing in the middle of nowhere all alone?” Hunter now pointing to the man’s luggage, “Looks like he is trying to get somewhere. Let’s give him a ride. I mean it is Christmas and all. Tis the season of giving dude.”                                                                                                                                                                

 “I don’t know man, what if he is a psycho murderer or something...these hitchhikers always end up killing somebody in the end...,” responded Landon with a hesitation in his voice.                          Rolling his eyes, Hunter replied, “That only happens in the movies and you my friend have been watching way too many movies lately. Just pull up and let’s do a good thing.”                                                         

 Landon pulls up the dusty side road, still unsure of the decision. Hunter rolls down the window and begins to talk to the stranger. “Ayy yo dude! You need a ride?” The man was dressed in a long trench coat with a panama hat on his head. The collars of his trench coat were covering most of his face, which worried Landon and the cold snowy December air rushing through Hunter’s window sent chills down his spine. Hunter with a sparkling and welcoming smile on his face waited for the stranger to respond. As the man started to walk to the window...Hunter yells, “Ahhhh bruh! I see you rocking them fresh Timbs.” Landon shakes his head and face palms himself. The man stops momentarily and looks down at his shoes and then resumes back to walking towards Hunter.   

                                                                                    

“Will you two young lads be kind enough to drop me fifty miles down the road,” asked the man. His face was still not visible due the darkness of the eerie night and the lack of streetlights on the countryside.                            

 “Of course, dude,” replied Hunter almost immediately. The man sat down behind Hunter and placed his luggage on the floor.

One hour later, both brothers shared a terrified look and sweat ran down their foreheads. Landon yanked the steering wheel to the side and the car came to a screeching halt. Both ran out of the car and into the fields.                                                                                                                                                                            

 “Hunter I’m freaking out, I told you that he was going to kill us!,” Landon exclaimed while trying to catch his breath.

“Dude, I thought that only happened in the movies, but this guy is legit turned out to be a murderer,” said Hunter.

“He kept looking inside his coat and laughed to himself like a million times dude. On top of that, I saw a shining blade in his coat,” Landon said trying to fathom the the situation.

“When we went over that speed bump, his suitcase opened and I saw a freaking gun handle dude. When I asked him to let me see his Timbs I saw a swiss army knife attached to the inside of his shoe.” Hunter peered over the crops trying to have a glance at the man in the car. “If that is not a sign that he is planning to kill us, then I don't know what is!”

“I know! We have to do something about it! I mean school makes me want to kill myself and all, but I am still trying to catch that family dinner tho!,” explained Landon.

“You right! I got a bat in the back of the car. I will get the bat while you distract that weirdo and then I smack him on the top of the head and then we can run him over and throw him in the corn field,” Hunter replied. 

Hunter and Landon started to slowly walk towards the car when the man noticed them and shifted towards them. Landon frantically ran towards the trunk and they executed the plan as planned. However, as they were dropping the body into the ditch, a post card fell out of his coat, which had a drawing of a little girl holding her dad’s hand and the skribbles spelled “Hope you make it for christmas on time from the army daddy.”