The rain drops beat steadily against the car’s windshield as Dylan drives along the backroad winding through the forest. The night sky and lack of lighting makes it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of the car. The only spot in the road that is easily visible is the small portion illuminated by the car’s headlights.

Dylan hasn’t seen another car on the road in almost an hour. He’s gotten used to the solitude. His music blares through the car’s speakers as he follows the curve of road between the forest’s trees. He finishes rounding the bend and slams on the break as a hooded figure on the side of the road is illuminated by the car’s headlights.

Dylan can feel his heartbeat in his throat as he sits there staring at the man in the middle of the road. The raindrops start to fall harder. He really doesn’t want to have to talk to this guy. The man walks up to Dylan’s window and knocks on the glass.

For a brief moment Dylan thinks he could just drive away now that the man is out of his path. Thunder rolls overhead and the raindrops are larger as they land on the car. Dylan feels guilty for thinking about leaving the man in this storm.

He cracks his window open so he can hear the man over the rain and the music. Droplets hit the top of his head and make it difficult to keep his eyes open. He squints up at the man through the crack in the window. “Uhh… hey man, can I help you?”

Something about the man’s demeanor makes him uneasy, maybe it’s the fact that he can’t see the guy’s face beneath the hood he’s wearing or through the rain in his eyes. He’s starting to regret stopping to see what this guy wants. Dylan shifts in his seat and he tugs on his seatbelt as he waits for the guy to say something. His eyes dart to the road in front him before returning to the man.

He clears his throat and raises his voice to be heard over the music and heavy rainfall. “Hey listen man, if you’re all good here, I should probably get going.”

The man doesn’t say anything. Dylan clears his throat. His eyes dart to the center of the road again. His palms are growing slick against the steering wheel. He looks back to the man and feels cold hard dread drop through his throat and to his stomach.

Is it just his imagination or did something about the man… shift? The man’s face was covered by his hood but now Dylan can see two glowing red lights where the man’s eyes should be. The man doesn’t say anything as he continues to peer at Dylan.

Nervous, Dylan gulps and tightens his grip on the steering wheel. He slowly moves his hand to the switch for the window and rolls it up. He takes his foot off the brake and presses down on the accelerator, leaving the man behind him.

He glances into his rearview mirror, the man is still standing where Dylan left him. He can just barely make out is silhouette in the growing darkness around him. Dylan forces out a breath, trying to calm himself down as his eyes shift back to the road.

Dylan gasps and slams on the breaks. In the middle of the road is a woman, wearing a thin summer dress and soaked in rain. Dylan turns in his seat to see if he can spot the man behind him, but he can’t see anything through the darkness.

Dylan turns around and opens the car door and stands behind it to talk to the woman. His clothes are already drenched and they cling to his body. Sitting against the car’s leather seats in sopping wet clothes is not going to be pleasant. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

The music pours out into the night and Dylan looks behind him one more time now that his back is exposed. He still can’t see anything through the darkness that swallows the road. He turns back to the woman. “Hey! Are you okay? Do you need some help?”

She raises her head to look at him. It’s so subtle he almost misses it but she nods. Adrenaline shoots through him. He looks behind himself one last time. He can’t shake the feeling that there’s someone creeping up on him, but there’s still no one there.

He turns back to the woman. “Okay. Uhh… do you need a ride? Where are you coming from, or heading to? Is there someone I can call for you? Have you tried calling anyone?” The questions rush out before Dylan can make sense of them.

The woman only nods and doesn’t say anything. She looks at him with this blank, empty eyes. It makes Dylan uneasy. Slowly, the woman turns and walks towards the passenger side door. Dylan watches her as she goes, beginning to second guess offering to help her. What is with people tonight?

She opens the car door and gets in without a word. Dylan looks around for a moment and then gets in the car with her. The rain beats steadily against the car; Dylan reaches over and turns the music down, it suddenly feels oppressive.

The drive is silent between them as they make their way down the forest road. Dylan doesn’t know if he should say anything and the woman doesn’t seem eager for conversation. He just hopes they can make it to the nearest town before anything else happens.