The Highway by C. J. Box Page B

a struggle for Danielle to crank the wheel even a quarter of the way but she was able to slightly turn the front wheels. When she pressed on the brake it barely responded, as if the life had gone out of it.
    “Oh, no,” Gracie said again as the little Ford coasted to a stop a few feet before the front bumper tapped a crooked delineator post. The headlights still shined and the GPS screen glowed, but the car was dead.
    Danielle tried several times to start the motor but it simply produced a grinding sound. She pumped the gas furiously and tried again. Nothing.
    “We’re going to be here all night, ” Gracie cried.
    “Shut up and don’t think the worst. Here, you try it,” Danielle said to her sister.
    “What can I do?”
    “I don’t know,” Danielle said, quickly getting out and walking over to Gracie’s side. She opened the door. “Scoot over and give it a try,” she said.
    *   *   *
    For the next few minutes, Gracie twisted the key in the ignition but the engine didn’t start. Instead, there was the angry grinding sound.
    “I’m just draining the battery doing this,” she said.
    “Did we run out of gas?” Danielle asked angrily.
    “No, we have half a tank. It must have something to do with that engine light. The fricking light.”
    “Are you sure you can’t get it started?”
    “Do you want to try again?” Gracie asked, a crack in her voice.
    “This is terrible.”
    “No kidding.”
    They sat in silence and darkness. The display on the GPS began to fade. Gracie could feel cold seeping into the car from the floorboards.
    “I can’t call him,” Danielle said softly, sniffing back a tear. “I’ve lost the signal again in this fucking canyon.”
    Gracie said, “We could walk back to Gardiner. It’s only a few miles back there, I think.”
    “Or we should stay with the car,” Danielle said. “And wait for somebody to stop and help us.”
    That’s when the headlights appeared on the road behind them.
    Gracie cracked her door so the dome light would come on, but didn’t open it any further. She turned in her seat.
    One set of headlights, coming fast. And a long string of amber running lights flowing behind, like the tail of a comet.
    “It’s slowing down,” Gracie said.
    “That’s friggin’ awesome.” Danielle grinned.
    “Danielle … it’s that truck.”
    *   *   *
    Bright headlights lit up the inside of Danielle’s Ford and Gracie turned to Danielle. The grille of the black truck filled the back window and she heard the hissing of air brakes. The harsh white light made her sister’s face look cartoonish. But there was no doubt Danielle was terrified.
    “Lock the doors!” Gracie yelled.
    And the lights behind them went out, leaving utter darkness. Gracie heard the thunk of the electric locks and thanked God the battery had enough power to perform the function.
    The truck was so close behind them the Ford vibrated from the heavy engine.
    Gracie craned in her seat, looking back. Her eyes couldn’t adjust to the darkness due to the blinding light a moment before. Green diamonds and orbs strobed in her eyes from the aftereffect. But she thought she heard a door slam.
    “Maybe he’ll help us,” Danielle said, barely above a whisper. “I wish I wouldn’t have…”
    There was a beat of silence and the passenger window exploded inward. Danielle screamed. Gracie tried to scream but nothing came out but a wheezy croak. She turned to see Danielle put her arms up to block the huge hands of the driver who was reaching inside.
    What happened next came in rapid flashes.
    The driver appeared to be reaching for Danielle’s throat as if to strangle her but there was something dark and squared-off in one of his hands. Gracie heard the angry crackle of electricity and Danielle’s sudden “ Ungh! ” followed by the sight of her sister stiffening like a corpse, raising herself out of her seat, her eyes rolling white back into her head, her mouth slack …
    Gracie turned away.