Strange Strangers by Melody Hewson (read along books .TXT) 📕

The sun was sinking quickly behind the thick wall of pines. Only then could the hunter come out, when darkness fell to cover and hide the stalking predator. And in just a few more minutes, darkness would cover the land.

“I really think we should have taken that turn back there.” Gloria Franklin chided her husband, squinting her eyes as she looked out into the darkness. Curled up in her lap snoozed a contented Yorkshire terrier.

“Nah.” Her husband replied. “I know right where we are. Now stop nagging me, woman, and let me concentrate!”

“How can you know where we are when we’ve never been here before?” Gloria retorted in a huff. “You wouldn’t admit you were lost if we were hip deep in snow and saw a sign saying Welcome to the North Pole!”

“I ain’t admitting I’m lost because I AIN’T lost!” Joe snapped irritably. “When have I ever gotten us lost?”

“Well, there was that time when we went to you’re mother’s new home. Then there was our daughter’s wedding. And let’s not forget-”

“That question was rhetorical!” Joe interrupted. “You weren’t supposed to answer! Besides, I didn’t get us lost those times, I was just-”

“Look out!” Gloria cried, pointing at a limping shape in the middle of the road while grabbing the small dog in her lap with her other arm. Her husband stomped on the brake as the figure froze in the oncoming headlights, staring at the car dumbly. The car finally halted just inches from the figure. For several long seconds, no one moved. Finally the figure standing in the headlights scurried over to the driver’s side window.

As Joe rolled down his window, the figure, who turned out to be a young man, stuck his head inside. “Hey. Hey. Hey there.” He spoke in clipped, excited tones. “Can I, can I get a ride?” There were smudges of dirt across the young man’s face and his pale blue eyes looked wild. His clothes were tattered and dirty as if he had been in the wilderness for several weeks.

“Why sure, son. Hop on in!” Joe replied amiably, tossing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the back seat. “You look like something the mutt dragged in!”

Gloria chewed her bottom lip hesitantly as she looked at her husband of 47 years. In her lap, the dog stared suspiciously at the stranger, letting out a short but shrill warning bark. “Dear, do you really think that’s wise? I mean…” She let the sentence fade as the young man climbed into the back and shut the door behind him. The dog barked again as the door closed but then went silent.

“Sure, it’ll be fine!” Joe exclaimed before setting the car back in motion again. He glanced at the rearview mirror at the disheveled youth before returning his gaze to the road. “So what happened to you? Get lost out there?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s it. Lost.” The young man replied, looking out the back window. “Lost. Lost. Don’t wanna be found.”

“Your family must be terribly worried about you, dear.” Gloria spoke softly as she looked back at the odd passenger and petting the suspicious dog. “Would you like us to drop you off at a gas station or something with a payphone so you can call someone?”

“Yeah. Sure.” The strange young man replied, still looking out the windows as if seeking something.

Gloria shot her husband a look, but he ignored her, focusing on the small slice of road that was visible in the headlights, determined not to hit anything or anyone else that might be lurking in the darkness.

“I’m Gloria Franklin, by the way.” Gloria spoke to the young man, wanting to fill the silence that had settled over the car. “And this is my husband Joe. And this cute little guy is Tootsie. We’re trying to find our way to our oldest daughter’s house in Washington. Our Grandson, Mark, is graduating in two days. I can’t believe he’s gotten so big! Unfortunately, grandpa here got us lost again and won’t admit it.”

“Damn it, woman! I already said we ain’t lost! I know exactly where we are!”

“But don’t worry, dear. We’ll reach the main road again eventually. What should I call you, by the way?”

The young man finally turned to look at the older woman. His pale blue eyes were piercing and hostile as he stared at her silently for several moments before answering, causing Gloria to shift uncomfortably. “Call me Raze.” He finally answered.

Silence once again fell over the car as Gloria decided that she’d made enough small talk and looked back out the windshield, reaching down to turn on the radio. Tootsie, the yorkie, continued to stare suspiciously at the stranger.

“-and police have set up checkpoints on all roads coming in or out of the town, but still have not had any luck in finding the escaped serial murderer, Raymond “the Razor” Alton. If you see anyone matching his description, do NOT approach, I repeat, do NOT approach, he is to be considered armed and dangerous. Contact the police immediately. His physical description again is-”

“Bah! News. I hate the news, couldn’t you find us some music?” Joe demanded, reaching down to tap the seek button without taking his eyes from the road. After several attempts, he finally found a station playing classic rock. “Ah, that’s better.”

Gloria shot him a look, but once again he failed to notice. “Dear, that was an important news bulletin. We should have kept listening to it, after all, what if we met up with this Raymond character?” She resisted the urge to glance into the back seat.

“Bah! You worry too much.” Joe replied, slowing the car as he approached a blind corner. “Those guys tend to have escape plans that they make years in advance. By the time the cops know their missing, they’re half-way to Mexico.”

“You’ve been watching too many old movies.” Gloria complained, but decided further argument would be pointless. She looked out the passenger side window, but there was only darkness and her own worried reflection to greet her. “I just hope we don’t meet that fellow on such a dark night. Especially being lost like we-”

“We are not lost!” Joe interrupted angrily, almost shouting. “We’ll be back on the main road in no time!”

“And by then we’ll be late for the graduation ceremony!” Gloria retorted just as angrily. “Really, now, when are you going to just buy a GPS? Or even a decent map?”

“Don’t need em!” Joe snapped, lowering his head to look out the windshield. “I know exactly where I am! Now shut it, woman, and let me concentrate!”

Gloria gave a derisive snort, but let the subject drop. Thinking himself a far superior navigator than he truly was, Joe always got lost any time he went further than his home town. Although he never admitted it. According to him, he always knew exactly where he was. It was an old argument.

Turning away, she looked out of the passenger window again, using the reflected surface to try and peek at the passenger without notice, but as soon as she saw his face reflected against the glass, he turned his head, his piercing blue eyes staring at her, and she couldn’t help but gasp ad turn away. How had he known she was looking at him? After several long moments, she glanced over her shoulder into the back seat, meeting his gaze almost immediately. And then he smiled. His smile was thin and unpleasant, but it carried his message clearly. He now knew that she was aware of his identity.

“So, um…Raze, dear, how, uh, how did you end up lost out here anyway?” She asked, wishing her voice did not sound so weak and nervous.

The young man’s smile grow wider, showing just the hint of teeth. “I just walked too far away, I guess.” He replied. “And now they can’t find me. Won’t never find me unless I tell them where I am.”

The small dog’s soft growl drew Raze’s eyes away from the woman, and he seemed to notice the terrier for the first time. He returned the dog’s stare with a dangerous glare of his own, increasing Gloria’s own nervousness. “There there, now Tootsie.” She crooned, cradling the small dog and petting it reassuringly. Her voice was weak and shaky with a growing fear. “That’s not very nice to growl at that poor young man.” But the dog refused to be silenced and continued to growl, occasionally giving a high, yap to emphasize it’s point.

“Never did like dogs.” Raze mumbled softly, still glaring furiously at Tootsie. “Especially small, rat-sized ones.”

“Never been fond of that little mutt myself.” Joe piped up, his face almost against the steering wheel as he struggled to see the road that was swiftly fading into a dirt road. “Told her we don’t need a dog, but she said she wanted something to protect her when I’m not around, and make her feel safe at night. So what does she get? A tiny little mutt smaller than my hand. HA!”

Gloria scowled at her husband, a snappy retort ready on her tongue, when suddenly a loud bang filled the air and the car lurched to the side, nearly smashing into a tree as Joe fought the wheel for control. After skidding bumpily for several feet, the car finally came to a halt.

“What was that?!” Gloria demanded, Tootsie barking loudly while trying to wriggle free of her tight grip. In her peripheral vision she saw that Raze was looking even more angry than before, his hand buried in his pocket.

“Damn tire blew out.” Joe replied grumpily. He put the car in park and turned off the engine. “You two wait here. I’ll go take care of it.”

“I’ll come too.” Gloria said anxiously, reaching for the door while still struggling to keep the furiously barking yorkie under control. “I’ll hold the flashlight or-”

“Nah, just stay here. I’ll get it done quicker without you jumping at every damn shadow out there.” As he climbed out of the car, his door closed with a sense of finality, leaving Gloria alone with the young man, with only her small, angry dog between them.

Raze’s earlier smile had transformed into an ugly snarl, baring his own small, pointed teeth. His eyes were narrowed to furious slits as he looked