STORY STARTER
Write a story about a character who is being haunted by a song.
Highway
_Livin' easy_
_Lovin' free_
_Season ticket on a one way ride_
_Askin' nothin'_
_Leave me be_
_Takin' everythin' in my stride_
Josh let the music fill his head. He nodded his head to the beat, humming the iconic guitar lines. His hand moved automatically, relying mostly on muscle memory.
_Don't need reason_
_Don't need rhyme_
_Ain't nothin' that I'd rather do_
_Goin' down_
_Party time_
_My friends are gonna be there too_
He let his foot tap the ground to the beat as the chorus approached. Shifting the paper he had just finished filling out, Josh stretched, popping his back as he did so. He glanced at the clock, which read 6:23. Seven more minutes until official closing. Seven more minutes until he could leave.
_I'm on the highway to hell_
_On the highway to hell_
_Highway to hell_
_I'm on the highway to hell_
The door opened, and Josh rushed to pause the music. If his boss caught him playing AC/DC in the funeral home, the teen would probably be fired.
__
_No stop signs_
_Speed limit_
_Nobody's gonna slow me down_
_Like a wheel_
_Gonna spin it_
_Nobody's gonna mess me around_
The melody continued playing despite Josh trembling attempts to stop it. When he saw who had walked through the door, he heaved a sigh of relief and sunk back into his chair.
_Hey satan_
_Payin' my dues_
_Playin' in a rockin' band_
_Hey mumma_
_Look at me_
_I'm on the way to the promised land_
“Having fun?” Sandy peeked over the counter.
Josh winked at the pretty girl before drawling, “Sooooo much fun.”
_I'm on the highway to hell_
_Highway to hell_
_I'm on the highway to hell_
_Highway to hell_
_Don't stop me_
“Didn’t Mr. Cypress say not to play loud music? Specifically this song?” Sandy frowned.
“It’ll be fine, there’s no customers this late.” Josh answered as he pulled another form under his pencil.
_I'm on the highway to hell_
_On the highway to hell_
_Highway to hell_
_I'm on the highway to hell_
__
__
Sandy turned and shrugged, barely missing the look of shock on Josh’s face.
The paper.
It’s-
Sandy turned at the crash, eyes widening. Josh scrambled from where he had been sitting and sprinted out of the building, face pale. __
__
_(highway to hell) I'm on the highway to hell_
_(highway to hell) highway to hell_
_(highway to hell) highway to hell_
__
Sandy glanced at the form that had left Josh in a state of shock and took a short, sharp breath at what she saw.
“Josh Turner,” it read, “Age: 19, DOB: 11/17/05 (3:57 AM), DATE OF DEATH: 01/07/25 (6:38 PM)”
_(highway to hell)___
_And I'm goin' down_
_All the way_
__
Josh stood in the middle of the road, gasping, eyes wide, too exhausted to move as the semi truck bore down on him.
The last thing he saw was the driver’s eyes, shocked and terrified.
The last thing he heard was a screech from the brakes.
The last thing he remembered was the final line of the song:
_I'm on the highway to hell_