Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:41:35 GMT -5
Lost In The Night
“Oh great!” Ross Truman growled as he heard the sputter of his dying engine. He barely had enough time to pull the car over to the side of the road, before the engine gave out completely. Checking the gauge, Ross saw that he had run out of gas. “Well, that’ll teach me to set out on a long drive before checking how much gas I have in my tank.” Ross grumbled as he pulled out his cell phone. Soon, he was talking to his friend, Jim Garrett: “Hey, Jim, I’m gonna be late getting in.”
“Late? Why?” Jim’s voice asked.
“I ran out of gas.” Ross replied: “Wouldn’t you know it, I have container in the trunk, but no extra gas.”
“You want me to come and get you?” Jim asked.
“No, I think I’ll be okay. I’m not too far from town, I think I can find a gas station.” Ross said: “See you later.”
It shouldn’t be much farther now. Ross thought as he made his way along the road, carrying the empty gas container. Suddenly, he stopped as a peculiar sight appeared before him, mist, from out of nowhere it seemed. However, what made it peculiar was that this mist wasn’t acting like normal mist, flowing all around. Rather it appeared to be flat, like a gray wall, stretching out in all directions in front of him: Well, this is weird. Ross thought as he entered the mist. He felt a slight disorientation, before regaining his sense of direction. What the heck was that? Ross thought as he exited the wall of mist on the other side: Meh! Forget it, I’ve got gas to get! Ross continued walking and gave the strange wall of mist no further thought.
About ten minutes later, Ross came to an amazing sight, a drive-in restaurant, looking like something out of an old movie. BIG AL’S was the name of the place. In the parking lot were many cars, looking from about the same period as the restaurant. Hey, looks like I’ve stumbled on to one of those crazy theme places. Ross thought as he noticed the gas tanks nearby: Well, they’ve got gas, and that’s all that matters to me. Still, restoring all those old cars must have cost a fortune!
Boys and girls were dancing to music that came out of a juke box at the wall as Ross entered the restaurant and looked on with astonishment. Good God, I feel like I’ve stepped into an old episode of Happy Days! Ross thought as he noticed how the boys and girls were dressed: This is REALLY taking retro too far! Quickly, Ross located a young man who seemed to be running things.
“Hi, I’m Mike Hicks.” the young man said to Ross: “Can I help you?”
“Yeah, my car broke down a few miles from here.” Ross replied and held up the gas container: “I need some gas. Can I buy some off of you?”
“Sure.” Mike said and took the container from Ross: “This might take a few minutes. Have a seat.”
“Thanks.” Ross replied and moved into the main restaurant: I gotta tell Jim about this place! He’ll get a real kick out of it. Quickly, Ross went into the bathroom to make his call in private. However, when he pulled out his cell phone, he saw the words NO SIGNAL on the screen. “What the hell?” Ross asked and moved around to see if he could get the signal back, but nothing changed. “What the hell is wrong with this thing?” Ross asked as he shook the cell phone from side to side. Great, first I run out of gas and now my cell phone dies!
A little while later, Ross was seated at one of the tables when the song, La Bamba, came on the juke box. “Hey, I know that song!” Ross said.
“Yeah, it’s great.” one of the girls said.
“Too bad about what happened to Richie Valens.” Ross said, sadly shaking his head.
“What happened to him?” the girl asked.
“He died.” Ross replied: “He died in a plane crash along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, back in 1959.”
“Mister, I don’t think that’s very funny!” one of the boys said: “I know for a fact that Buddy Holly is alive. I saw him in concert a few weeks ago!”
“What!?” Ross said with astonishment.
“Yeah, he looked okay to me.” one of the girls added.
Whoa! Ross thought as now everything made sense. This place, the old cars, the people dressed like they did in the 1950's, the non-functioning cell phone. That wall of mist, that must have been it. Somehow, it was a door to another time, this time!
“Mister, are you okay?” the girl asked.
“No, I’m not.” Ross said, getting to his feet: “I shouldn’t be here, I think I got lost somewhere. I gotta try and get back.”
“Hey, here’s your gas.” Mike said as he appeared on the scene and handed Ross his container.
“Thanks.” Ross said and pulled a five dollar bill out of his wallet. “Keep the change!” he said as he handed it to Mike and quickly ran out of the restaurant.
“Hey, thanks!” Mike said and then looked at the bill in question: “Hey, this is no good! It says this bill was issued in 1994!”
Ross quickly made his way down the road and soon the wall of mist was in front of him again. Here goes nothing! Ross thought and made his way into the mist. Like before, there was a slight disorientation, before he emerged from the other side. Suddenly, his cell phone came to life. Ross found a worried Jim on the other end.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours!” Jim said.
You wouldn’t believe where I’ve been. Ross thought and told Jim: “Sorry, Jim, my battery went dead.”
“Oh. I guess that explains it then.”
“I’ll be there soon.” Ross said, before ending the call.
Soon after, Ross was driving down the road. He kept his eyes open for the wall of mist, but it appeared to have vanished. However, he was not surprised to see a Wal Mart on the site where Big Al’s used to be.
A few days later, Ross knocked at the door of the apartment. He had gotten the address from information and just had to check this out. Soon, a middle aged man answered the door. “Yes?” the man asked.
“Are you Mike Hicks?” Ross asked.
“Yes, I am.” Mike replied.
“Did you ever work at a place called Big Al’s?”
“Why, yes I did.” Mike said, smiling: “Mind you, that was fifty years ago, before places like McDonald’s and Burger King closed us down. Why do you ask?”
“Well, this may sound strange.” Ross said: “Do you remember a man visiting Big Al’s about fifty years ago? He may have given you some money that looked funny.”
“Hmmmm, yes, I do seem to recall...” Mike said and then broke off and looked at Ross: “My God, it was you!”
“Yeah, it was.” Ross said.
“How could this be?”
“I don’t know.” Ross said: “I guess I just got lost somehow.”
“Wait here.” Mike said and popped back into the apartment. Soon he was back with an old envelope. As Ross watched, Mike pulled out a familiar five dollar bill.
“Is that...”
“Yes, this is the same bill you gave me, back in the 1950's. I always had a hunch that you would come back for it someday. I guess I was right.”
“Yeah, you were.” Ross said as he took the bill: “Seems like I made the ultimate wrong turn. A wrong turn into time itself.”