Choose your own death... er adventure!

[Panda]

Greetings!
I was driving on a dark and stormy night a couple weeks ago and had a thought. If you were to come across a hitch hiker on such a night would you stop and pick them up? Would the poor weather sway your decision either way?
Then I thought it would be fun to take those willing to give me their decisions down a path of fright. I will give you a yes/no, do you/don't you kind of decision and will flip a coin (seems the most fair way to go about it) heads, you keep your head. Tails, your ass is grass; meaning heads you continue on in our adventure down the road in the storm, tails something horrific happens and you end up in a jar or something equally nasty.
Anyone want to come along? See if they make it to dawn?

So I put to you. It is pitch black, late at night. You are driving to/from where ever you like and it is raining hard, thunder and lightning can be heard in the distance. The road you are on is infrequently traveled at this hour. You spot something down the road and as you get closer you realize it is a hitchhiker. Do you pick up this poor soul or keep on driving?

[Demon Sprocket]

No, I would not let them defile my interior with their wet clothes and shoes! Unless it turned out to be some young, hot, girl-then, I may take my chances! So my answer, probably not!keep driving.

[bishop746]

Allright, I see Demon Sprocket spray the poor bastard with water from his passing car so I pull over and let him in.

Didn't Howard Hughs used to hitchhike up and down the highway dolling out free money?

[Panda]

Two victims, two different choices! What fun!

Demon, love the avatar btw. You drive past the hiker, feeling no remorse for leaving a fellow man out in the cold, wet night. You glance in your rearview mirror to see him give you the finger, a black hulk outlined in red from your lights. A few minutes pass and through your rainspotted windshield you see something in your headlights once more. As you get closer you realize it is another hitch hiker. It strikes you as strange. Karma giving you a second chance? Either way you are not stopping. The second hiker appearing gives you chills. Not slowing your car you pass the hiker, your eyes squinting to see if he is similar to the last. Not possible says your logic but you've seen way to many horror movies not to wonder. Impossible to tell but this hiker is equally annoyed at being passed by. He waves his fist and you think he's shouting as he fades into the night. Is it getting cold in here? You crank the heat and try to shake off the hebijebi's. Your eyes glance from the road to the trees. Shouldn't your road be coming up soon? You'll be glad to get home and out of the storm. Round the next bend you think. Instead of your road though, you spy yet another hitch hiker. His thumb stuck out seems ghost white in your headlights. What the fuck?? You hit the gas, eyes on the road. You won't even glance at him. Curiousity gets the better of you and as you come along side him you look over. "Shit!" you holler, jerking the wheel to the left. The man's face was contorted with rage and he was actually leaping towards your car. The car fishtails a bit and you are momentarily distracted trying to keep it on the road. This is insane you think. You should have reached your turn off by now but the road continues to twist and turn, familiar but somehow it feels like you are looping round and round the same stretch of road. You try to pick out certain landmarks to watch for when something is once more picked up in your headlights. "No" you whisper, almost a moan and your foot lets off on the gas as you hesitate. The hiker. Your sure now its the same one. he seems the same height and build, the ghost white thumb once more stuck out. Realizing you are slowing down you press down hard. You decide to just get down the road a ways and you'll stop. Get your bearings and get the hell home. This time your eyes remain glued to the road ahead. You really should have looked though. Just as you pass the hiker swings round and a baseball bat smashes through your windshield. Glass flies everywhere as it shatters and you lose control of the car. Your backend spins to the left, then the right and when the tires catch the gravel the car flips. You feel the car roll twice, landing on the roof in the ditch. He's coming. You try to unbuckle your seatbelt but you are disoriented and clumsy. The buckle won't budge. Hanging upsidedown you cling to conciousness for a moment, blacking out just as two mudcaked work boots appear in your driver side window.
.... you... drove right into the twilight zone my friend and there's no sparkly vampires to save you.

[Panda]

Bishop!
Very kind of you to stop for this unfortunate fellow. Settling in the passenger seat he flashes you a thankful smile and puts the seatbelt on. He's of average build and has a plain face, a bit on the chubby side. His hair is plastered to his head. It's hard to guess his age, and you figure somewhere between 20 and 40. You put it into drive and ask where he's headed to on such a bad night. "Was on my way to pick up the wife when my car broke down."
You turn the heat up for him as you comiserate with him.
"Where do you need to get to?" you ask. He answers and you say it's not far from your stop and you can take him at least to there. He thanks you once more.
The rain picks up and you fall silent, concentrating on keeping the car between the lines.
A few minutes down the road he shifts in the seat and your eyes dart over at the movement. You notice two things. One, there is no ring on his left finger and two, although soaking wet his shirt looks especially dark, like it's soaked with something else. Your eyes meet and he smiles again but this time it seems a bit nervous. Something strikes you wrong about this hiker.
You know there is a house not far down the road, probably the only one before your turn off. Do you stop there and pawn him off on them? He could call someone and get a lift, dry off and warm up. You feel a little guilty. What if this guy is a nutjob. Do you continue on down the road with your odd passenger or offer to stop at the next house and let him out?

[Demon Sprocket]

Owww! Are you using that tricky coin again?

[bishop746]

I'll stick with him. Maybe he's separated from his wife, maybe he pawned the ring to buy bread.

Besides, What are the odds that this road has TWO serial killers on it?!

[Demon Sprocket]

Nov 29, 2010 18:12:50 GMT -5 bishop746 said:

I'll stick with him. Maybe he's separated from his wife, maybe he pawned the ring to buy bread.

Besides, What are the odds that this road has TWO serial killers on it?!

That too and I am keeping him busy with my entrails and skin coat

[Panda]

Well it is pretty wet out. I'm sure his new fancy skin coat will keep him a little dry. And yup, heads you stay alive! Tails.. well.. your roadkill. I had a highschool teacher that would eat roadkill, as long as it was fresh ~shudder~

I am completely braindead this evening so Bishop's fate will be decided by my penny tomorrow night.

[bishop746]

Nov 29, 2010 18:49:58 GMT -5 Demon Sprocket said:

Nov 29, 2010 18:12:50 GMT -5 bishop746 said:

I'll stick with him. Maybe he's separated from his wife, maybe he pawned the ring to buy bread.

Besides, What are the odds that this road has TWO serial killers on it?!

That too and I am keeping him busy with my entrails and skin coat

just put the fucking lotion in the basket already

[Panda]

hehe!

Had my daughter flip the coin and she lost it. This is not a good sign Bishop!

Continuing on down the road you pass the house in question and note it is dark and quiet. No one home to take in the stranger anyway.

"Your wife must be worried about you. Did you call her on your cell phone? Let her know what happened?"

Glancing over, your eyes linger on his ringless left hand. He covers his left hand with his right while he answers you.

"Nope, dropped it in a puddle when the lightning started. Scared the bejeepers outta me."

He looks shamefaced and smiles that nervous smile again. You chuckle and offer your phone. He holds up his hand and declines. His wrist is exposed when he does so and it looks a little raw.

"No idea what the number is, but thanks."

Silence reigns for a minute or two. There is no sound but the swish of the wipers and the dwindling sound of thunder. You flick on the radio to fill the void. Your favourite music plays and the hiker taps his fingers along with the beat. The news comes on, advising you that the storm will continue on through the night and that there has been an accident on the main highway not far from the road you travel on. A bus carrying convicts crashed into a tractor trailer and several prisoners escaped. Your eyes dart to the stain on his shirt, then meet his eyes. They are shrouded in the dark and seem eerie from the light of the dash.

"Wow, some crazy shit going on out tonight!" he says chuckling.

You nod in agreement, your mind whirling. There's another road not far down the road, it's not yours but it does eventually link up. You could drop him there, be on the safeside. On the other hand if there are convicts running amok (yes I said amok, live with it ) you could be putting an innocent man in danger.

Do you lie or keep on driving?

[bishop746]

I'm 99% sure this man is a ghost who is going to disappear after helping me change a flat tire, or give me some religious literature.

I'll keep him in the car.

[Panda]

I'm ALIVE!! Sorry to keep you on the road so long, had a move, no internet, xmas craziness tackled me. It's been an interesting two weeks. And, on an interesting note I picked up a hitchhiker! Shocking i know, bad for a girl to do, yes I'm aware. It was very cold and he was very sketchy looking. Very nice guy! heading into town to buy a pump for his truck. I am safe, sound and didn't lose a kidney or anything!

Back to Bishop and his passenger.

You are not far from your road and home. The storm has worsened and your passenger falls silent while you peer through the windshield. The wipers are not quite keeping up with the rain. Lightning skates across the sky, illuminating the interior of the car. You note the dark stain on his shirt is drying, but doesn't seem any lighter. Definitely not water, thats for sure. Mud maybe? Oil from his car? Blood??

No ring, raw wrist and blood? But if he was a con he'd be wearing an jumper or something wouldn't he? He was dressed in jeans and a jacket. The lightning fades and you turn your attention back to the road.

"My turn isn't far now" you say "Where should I drop you?"

He peers out the windshield. "End of your road will do."

You nod. You feel bad for him going out in the storm again, but relieved as well. There just seems to be more to him then meets the eye. Soon enough the headlights reflect on your road sign and you turn and come to a stop. The hiker gives you that nervous smile again and unlolds himself out into the night. He leans down and gives you a nod.
"Thanks again for the lift."

"No pro..." blem you start to say but don't finish your sentence. Your not sure if its the lightning or the interior lights or stranger but his eyes seem nothing but sockets, black and empty, his cheekbones gaunt and hollow and his smile seems more teeth then mouth. His laughter is muffled when he slams the door shut. With a shutter you tear away, not feeling a smidge of guilt for possibly soaking him from the spray of your tires.

Congratulations Bishop. You survived a Horror Etc hitchhiker!

Thanks for playing with me!

[bishop746]

HA! My keen instincts and gritty street smarts got me through once again and I didn't have to break out my D20

Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I had to get a ride into town to get a new water pump and this strange lady scared me so bad that I haven't been right since.

Thanks for the game.

[Demon Sprocket]

You could have stopped at my rolled car and stole the pumps. Poked and prodded at my dead body maybe too.