Page 99 of The Hitchhikers

Not long after they had left Sparwood, there was another sign. They’d crossed into Alberta. Simon seemed to calm down after that. He leaned back in the seat, his grip loosening.

They drove through Coleman and as soon as the town’s lights were in their rearview mirror, a loud grating, clunking noise came from underneath the floorboards.

“Shit!” Simon slowed until the headlights showed an area ahead on the right where the shoulder of the road widened into a dirt clearing. He wrestled with the shifter, grinding the gears, and when he turned in to the clearing, Alice saw a flash of railroad tracks in the headlights.

Just as they rolled to a stop, there was a loud bang, and it felt as though the entire back end of the truck had collapsed.

“Goddamn!” Simon punched the wheel, then turned the truck and headlights off. He yanked the keys out. “Jenny, pass me the flashlight.”

Alice heard noises, like Jenny was feeling along the dash.

“Come on,” Simon said.

“I’m trying to find it.” A relieved exhale, and movement in front of Alice. Jenny’s arm as she passed the flashlight to Simon.

He opened the door, triggering the interior light, and slammed it behind himself, pointing his finger through the open window. “Don’t move.” He flicked on the flashlight.

Alice watched through the back window as he walked around to the rear end of the truck, the flashlight beam jostling. Jenny turned as well. She was gripping the back of the seat.

The light moved lower, then dropped out of sight, but Alice could still see the glow. Simon was under the truck. She glanced ahead. The road was dead quiet.

When she heard sounds of thudding metal, she looked back again. Simon was now on his feet and kicking the side panel. The flashlight lit up his face.

“Oh no,” Jenny breathed out.

He stalked back to them. “Get out. We’re walking.”

Jenny got out of the passenger side. Alice went to follow, but Simon reached in and gripped her wrist, dragging her out the driver’s side. He kept his hand locked on her and held the flashlight between his teeth as he lifted Jenny’s backpack from the truck.

When Jenny came around the rear, he passed it to her. Then he lifted his pack and dropped it onto the ground. The pillowcases and rifles were next. When everything was out, he rummaged in his pack, still holding Alice with one hand, and pulled out the roll of twine.

“You don’t have to do that,” Alice said. “I won’t run.”

“Bullshit,” he muttered around the flashlight. He quickly tied her wrists, then left her and Jenny by the truck while he laid the rifles under the lower branches of a fir tree.

Headlights showed in the distance, coming down the highway.Simon turned off the flashlight and jogged back to them. “Get down.”

Jenny and Alice crouched by the back tire. Alice hoped the vehicle would slow to check out the truck, maybe offer assistance, but it drove past.

“Okay. Jenny, stand to the side. Alice, you’re helping me.”

Simon put the truck in neutral while Alice waited a few steps away. Then he got behind the truck, placed his hands on the tailgate, and leaned forward.

“Come on, get over here, Alice.”

“My hands are tied!”

“Use your shoulder.”

Alice reluctantly, and slowly, walked over, hoping someone would drive past again. The night stayed frustratingly quiet.

“We need to push it behind those trees.”

Alice peered ahead into the shadows, finding the stand of trees he was talking about. She turned sideways, pressed her shoulder to the tailgate, and used her legs to push off, but she didn’t exert any extra energy. Her body hurt, and why should she help him?

The truck rolled slowly, with whatever metal part that had broken scraping against the gravel. Alice was hot and out of breath by the time they’d moved the truck out of sight.

Simon and Alice walked back to Jenny, who was waiting by their gear. Alice’s eyes had adjusted to the dark now that Simon was no longer using the flashlight.