Free Red Snow by Christine Sutton Page B

building, he stopped in front of the ladies room. Kayla couldn't quite tell, but it sounded as though he was sniffing the air, like a wild dog in search of prey. The driver took one long, deep breath and sighed in what seemed like extreme pleasure, and then he made his way to the men's room.
    Kayla didn't want to leave until after this creepster had vacated the rest stop. She pulled a cigarette from the worn pack in her pocket and lit up. She had been trying not to smoke on this trip, and had been mostly successful. Now, she thoroughly savored the sweet, harsh heat that coursed down her throat and filled her lungs.
    The driver apparently finished up his business and exited the lavatory. She held her breath as his boots clicked the sidewalk on his way back to the car. She didn't exhale until she heard the engine rumble again and the car drove away. Looking around, she stepped out of the bathroom and walked back to her car, tossing her cigarette on the ground, Snickers bar completely forgotten.
    Flopping into the front seat, she noticed the little slip of paper under the windshield wiper. She opened the door and reached around to grab it.
    As she unfolded the small yellow slip of paper, she felt the blood literally drain from her face. There were just a few words scrawled across the note, but they sent a chill up her spine. All the message read was:
     
     
    Peek-a-Boo.
    I See You!
     
    She crumpled the note and threw it out onto the ground as she started her car and drove away, watching out for the freak in the Impala at every shadow and turn. Even with AC/DC on the radio, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than a prank. Continuing down the deserted highway, she said another prayer that this was her last encounter with the driver and his demon Impala.
     

Chapter Two

    After sleeping off her overactive imagination at the Sleep Tight Inn, Kingman, Kayla ate lunch at the local Denny's. She finished up her bacon cheeseburger and paid the check at the register. Tanisha took her credit card with a smile.
    "Was everything alright?"
    "Great! I'm stuffed." Kayla answered, patting her very full stomach.
    "Good! We aim to please." She smiled and handed her card back.
    "Well, bacon never disappoints."
    "Have a great day."
    "You, too."
    She walked outside and lit up a cigarette to settle her breakfast before continuing on her way. As she deposited the butt in the ashtray, she heard it. The now familiar rumble of the Impala's engine. She froze in her spot, unable to move as the shiny black beast pulled around and passed her. This time, the driver's side window was rolled down enough for her to catch a glimpse of the person behind the wheel. The man was surprisingly young, maybe in his late twenties. He had facial hair that was not thick enough to be called a beard, but not thin enough to be called fuzz. He turned to look at her and she saw that his eyes were like dark little pebbles surrounded by bushy eyebrows. His thick lips parted in a frightening smile, revealing teeth that were long and bright white. Kayla knew it was a trick of the sun, but it looked like a few of his teeth were actually pointed like little white spikes. The Impala pulled out of the parking lot and turned left onto the street. Kayla unfroze and got into her car. She left the parking lot and turned right onto the street. She didn't care if it was the wrong way, as long as it was the opposite way.
    There was more traffic through this stretch than there had been through the desert of California. Kayla felt better knowing that there may be a car every twenty or thirty minutes, instead of every twenty or thirty hours. She drove on, checking her cell phone occasionally for any message from David. He had not texted her once since she left Barstow. She had sent him several
    messages when she arrived in Arizona, but he had still not answered her. She was starting to get a little worried that something might be wrong. Blackberry in one hand, steering wheel in