A Wild Ride

Loy knows he should never pick up a hitchhiker, but it’s raining and the man walking along the side of the road looks harmless.  When the rain begins to beat down in sheets and the road turns to mud, Loy’s old reliable car begins to sputter.  Loy has no choice but to stop at the house that is home to the hitchhiker, and the man has been nice enough to invite Loy to what he refers to as “The Ritual.”

Excerpt:
KC kept his hood up on his coat and Loy couldn’t get a good look at his face.  “This road will be washed out soon,” he informed Loy.  “You can stay at the house if you like,” he offered. 

“Thanks,” Loy said, not noticing the man’s glance.  Just then the rain came down harder, much harder, as if the clouds had opened wide and were dumping all of their contents at once.  Loy felt the car begin to slide.  “What’s happening?” 

“The road turns to mud pretty quickly out here when it rains.  Turn here,” KC instructed, and Loy turned onto the road that led to KC’s house. 

Loy struggled with his old, usually reliable car, but it seemed as if the car didn’t want to turn toward the house.  He cranked the wheel hard and the car finally gave in. 

“Some are harder to break than others, but they all have their breaking point,” KC said, looking straight ahead. 

Loy’s car sputtered and slowed as they neared the old house that looked like something from a horror movie.  The house was covered with thick moss and vines and overgrown hedges and trees. 

KC then said to Loy, “Better come on in.  You’ll never get out of here tonight.  Tonight is the night of the ritual.” 

Loy hurried behind KC as they slopped through the rain and the mud to the door of the house and he followed him inside.