"Going Nowhere"
flash fiction
“YOU CAN’T SEE ME HAPPY if I’m not happy, Evie.”
Much like their relationship, Alex and Evie’s car had stalled in the middle of nowhere. Neither could recall whose idea it was to take a “let’s-save-us” road trip from D.C. to NorCal. When it came time for blame, nary-a-finger could be pointed with conviction.
And on a starless, moonless night, the bright idea left them stranded in the dark.
“Is it unreasonable for me to want that?” Evie asked, just shy of a shout.
“Tone.”
Evie had a tendency to trust her silence would suffice as an apology. Allowing ambient noise to rescue her. That night she let the stridulation of crickets and rustling grass do this work.
Alex responded by fidgeting with the ignition.
Click. Click-click. Click.
“Had you just taken it to the shop,” Alex mumbled. Each click punctuated every other word.
“It’s your car!”
“I know it’s my car, asshole!”
The crunch of grass and then gravel drowned out all the noise.
They paused to listen.
Then it stopped.
Two scarlet eyes snapped to life above the ground in front of them.
Evie unlocked her door.
“What the hell are you doing?” Alex yanked Evie’s arm.
“I wanna see what it is.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Oh my god. Chill out.” Evie pulled the door handle. The headlights shot on, illuminating a stark-still, stark-white cow a few feet ahead. The only sign of life was the slow, steady movement of its breathing and the glare of the burning red orbs.
They sat as still as the cow. Their breathing mirrored the animal’s. All sound ceased until Evie reached over to turn the key.
Click.
“Is your foot on the break?”
“Yeah.”
The bovine was still illuminated, its coat now a shade of blush.
It let out a moo.
Click. Click.
The headlights were reddening by the moment.
ClickClick. Click.
“It’s not working!” Evie shouted.
“No shit!”
ClickClickClickClickClick.
The more Evie turned the key, the more the headlights’ color shifted to match that of the eyes. The creature looked like it was bathed in blood. All the while, they never took their eyes off of it.
Alex brought her hand to join Evie’s at the ignition.
Click.
Darkness.
“We’re going to die.” Evie whimpered.
“Jesus-fucking-Chr…”
They heard the sound of glass losing strength.
Crack. Crack-crack. Crack. CrackCrackCrackCrack.
Metal buckled under what threatened them from above.
