Rest Stop

The man who brought us the enigmatic Lady Dos way back in our Winter 2000 edition, now brings us a little bit of light horror. You've heard how dangerous some interstate rest stops are? Well, this rest stop is really dangerous! Just make sure you're not color-blind...

     There was the sign: Rest Area, Next Rest Area 72 miles, in the familiar blue background with white letters. The drive had been long for the Marion family. There were still 600 long miles left, but they would not be finished on this day or night. It was 8:30 p.m., dusk, on a summer evening. The Marion family's dark blue Ranger pulled into the rest area. One car was pulling off, and there was only one auto left at the entire stop. It had a shiny brown color, and it was parked about six spaces down from where the Marion's had parked.
     "Okay, everybody out, stretch time," commanded Bill Marion, a man in his early forties. The Marion family consisted of Bill, his wife Louise, and their two daughters, Lynne, eight, and Rita, six.
     The women got out and headed for the restroom. Meanwhile, Bill started for the restroom, and then made his way to the tourist center. As he entered the tourist center, he noticed that the receptionist had left for the day. He approached the soft drink machine, purchased four sodas, and then headed back to the family vehicle.
     As the three women headed back from the restroom, Rita looked back at the other car. She noticed that its color had changed to green.
     "Mommy, what color is that car?" asked Rita.
     "It's green, silly," her older sister interceded.
     The three joined Bill back at the truck.
     "Hey Louise, I could have sworn that car down there was brown," he said.
     Everybody looked at each other, then looked at the car, that seemed a couple of parking spaces closer.
     "I really wasn't paying attention, dear," said his wife, opening the door and getting back into the vehicle.
     After everyone had climbed back into the automobile, and received their sodas, Marion turned to his wife.
     "Only 50 miles to Branden, and then a nice hotel," he said.
     Before anyone could answer, the Ranger began to shake violently. There was a big thud on the roof.
     All of a sudden, the roof was peeled back as though it were a sardine can, and the Marions were the sardines. Looking up into the sky which was now night, they were horrified at what they saw. A creature with huge glowing green eyes and long brown match-like slits for pupils, peered into the van. The family stared in frozen horror.
     Before anybody could move, something that appeared to be a huge hand, with what looked like gleaming inverted swords for fingernails, reached in and ripped Bill Marion, seat and all, and held him in the air. The creature opened its huge mouth, revealing large white incisor-like teeth, and swallowed Marion whole. Next, it was Louise, screaming hysterically, lifted in her seat, and swallowed. Then it was Lynne.
     "Run, Rita, run!" screamed her older sister, as the creature lifted her chair and all, from the auto.
     Rita was so horrified, she began to hyperventilate. However, she managed to throw herself towards the door near where her sister had been sitting. As the creature dangled Lynne over its mouth, Rita opened the door and ran wildly towards the highway. She cut across the lawn in front of the parking lot, turning back to see the monster now coming after her.
     She reached the shoulder of the highway, and the next thing she knew, it was daylight. She turned to look back and all she saw was forest. Cars were speeding by on the highway. Rita began to walk along the shoulder of the interstate in a daze. There was no sign of the rest area, no sign of her family.
     About five minutes later, a state patrol car pulled up in front of her, as she was walking.
     "Hey friend, you lost?" asked the officer smiling, and getting out of the car.
     Rita stopped and just stared.
     "You going to tell me your name?" asked the trooper, now recognizing that something was very wrong.
     "Tell you what, let's go get you something to eat, and find your folks, okay?" The policeman, extending his hand to the girl.
     Rita obliged and got into the front passenger seat of the car. The officer radioed the dispatcher, then began to drive off.
     About two miles down the road, a sign appeared. It read, "Rest Area." Rita peered into the parking lot as the car rode by. There she saw the strange car. It was brown once again. She began to break down and cry.

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