I’ve been out here for hours…
Waiting for the right moment to strike.
When finally, a car’s headlights shine onto the country road.
There’s no one else around.
I wave for the driver to stop.
And a young woman smiles at me.
She’s the only person in the car.
And feel the outline of my gun inside my backpack.
Woman
Is everything okay?
I give an exasperated laugh.
Brian
My car broke down a few miles back.
Brian
And my phone is dead.
Brian
I’ve been stuck out here for hours!
Brian
I waited so long that I finally just decided to start walking…
Brian
Hoping I’d find a town or something.
Brian
Think you could give me a lift?
Brian
I’m Brian, by the way.
I know my straight, white teeth and chiseled jaw…
Woman
Nice to meet you, Brian.
She pushes her straight brown hair behind her ears.
Lena
I’m so sorry your car broke down!
Lena
I’d be happy to drive you to the nearest town.
Lena
That’s actually where I’m headed.
Brian
I really, really appreciate this!
And I get into the passenger seat.
She has on some nice bracelets, and a large ring.
I make a note to take those later.
We start to drive onward.
And I feel giddy already.
Lena
So, are you from around here?
Brian
I’m just passing through.
Brian
How about you, Lena?
Lena
I was born just a few towns away.
Lena
You know, you’re lucky I picked you up!
Lena
The last few months, people have been disappearing around here.
She wiggles her eyebrows jokingly.
Lena
They say it might be a wild animal or something.
I reach into my backpack.
My hand finding the cold steel of the gun.
I always love this moment.
Brian
Be quiet or I’ll shoot!
Lena nods, her face pale.
But my face is flushed with excitement.
Brian
I want you to take me to your home.
Brian
Because I’m going to rob you.
She looks so shocked that I actually laugh.
Brian
You really haven’t heard of me?
Brian
The infamous Appalachian Hitchhiker?
Lena
I don’t have anything to steal.
I look back at her bracelets.
My stomach bubbles with anger.
Lena
…please…don’t do this to me!
I push the gun closer to her head.
Brian
And if I get the feeling you aren’t taking us in the right direction…
The car pulls onto a long, gravel driveway…
Up in front of a small cabin…
In the middle of the woods.
No one is around for miles.
Her tears have just begun to dry.
She slowly gets out of the car.
I do the same, keeping my gun pointed at her.
She leads me to the entrance of her house.
Lena unlocks the front door and opens it.
And she flicks on the lights.
The inside is almost completely bare.
There’s a couch, but nothing else that I can see.
Was she telling the truth about not having anything worth stealing?
And hold out my other hand.
Brian
Give me your jewelry.
Shaking, she takes off her ring and bracelets.
And places them in my palm.
I stuff them in my pocket.
Brian
Where do you keep your jewelry box?
Anger surges through me as I point my gun at the wall…
A loud CRACK sounds as I shoot the wall.
Brian
Lie to me again and I’ll shoot YOU!
She takes a moment to steady herself.
Lena
I do have a jewelry box.
Lena
It’s in the basement.
Brian
Take me down there!
I swing the gun back so that it’s pointing right at her face.
She leads me across the living room…
The door has a deadbolt lock on it.
Lena
The basement’s down here.
Brian
Why is the door locked?
Lena
Because this is where I keep…
She takes a deep, sobbing breath.
Lena
…my valuables. My everything.
I start to feel at ease again…
And prod her with the gun.
Unlocks, and opens the door.
I peer down the dark stairway.
A foul smell wafts up to meet me.
Brian
What is that smell?
Lena
I try not to go down there much.
Brian
Turn on the lights.
Lena
The switch is at the bottom of the stairs.
I shove the gun closer to her face.
Brian
You better not be lying to me.
And nudge her with the barrel of my gun.
Then walks down the stairs.
I follow her, my gun at her back.
Our footsteps click on the concrete.
When we reach the bottom…
Lena hits the light switch.
I hear her flip the switch again and again.
Lena
The light for the stairway must have burned out!
Brian
Where’s the next light switch?
Lena
On the other side of the basement.
Brian
Go over there and turn it on!
Lena heads off into the darkness.
I follow her, struggling to see.
Suddenly, my foot connects with something on the ground.
I lean over and pick up the object from the floor.
And as soon as I touch it…
I recognize the feel of skin.
And the familiar shape of toes…
The object I’m holding is a human foot.
My hand immediately lets go.
And the foot drops to the ground.
I look around, struggling to see in the dark.
I swing my gun towards the sound.
Lena
I found the light switch.
Human remains litter the ground.
And the walls are covered in newspaper clippings.
Even from my distance, I can see the headlines:
I tightly grip my gun, looking around for Lena.
Suddenly, there’s a loud crack as something knocks me forward.
The back of my head blossoms with pain.
Lena is standing over me…
I feel the back of my head, wet and sticky.
Lena smiles at me devilishly.
The tears and the innocence are gone.
And my limbs are too weak to support me.
Dizzy, I collapse the ground.
Lena
I’ve been murdering hitchhikers for years.
Lena
Usually it isn’t so easy to get them back to my home.
Lena
But you just had to try and rob me, didn’t you, Brian?
Lena
If that’s even your real name.
I struggle to try and speak.
She raises the crowbar above her head.
Lena
You really were the perfect victim.
