I’ve had a pretty normal life growing up. I’ve lived in a beautiful two story home in a neighborhood with an HOA and neighbors who like my parents, are financially well off. My parents always have loved me and supported me in my interests. My parents wouldn’t let me take drivers education or get my license when I turned sixteen. They just went on about how many young people speed and get in wrecks and how they didn’t mind paying the extra insurance and buying me a car once I turned eighteen, which happened the other day.
I woke up the day of my eighteenth birthday and was excited as could be. I’m finally a man, kinda, not really. My dad pulled up to the house after breakfast in a used Toyota Camry that looked to be in good shape. He told me he had something important to talk to me about something very important. He looked serious. My mother turned her head and walked back in the house. He walked me over to a bench in the yard.
“Alright son, I need to tell you the truth. The reason I didn’t want you driving at a young age.”
I felt like a dog twisting his head from curiosity.
“You see Doug, my side of the family has always had some sort of I don’t know, curse? Maybe? Some sort of entity perhaps. Something that is potentially deadly. I feel you’ll encounter it and all I can do is try to warn you now that I can’t stop you from driving. But I can do my best to protect you by telling you.”
“I…uh, I don’t know understand.”
“Step in the car son.”
I felt like he was pulling a prank on me. He handed me the key.
“Alright son, crank it. But before you do. Do not turn your head back. Don’t even look in the rear view. It’s too risky. I made sure this car had a back up camera installed. Please don’t look back, I don’t want to lose you.” I cranked the car and took a deep breath. I heard a crackling voice behind my seat.
“First time behind the wheel I see.”
I freaked out and screamed. Dad grabbed my hand.
“I hear it too when I’m behind the wheel. Your mom don’t though, it’s why I let her drive most of the time. You’ll have to drive though.”
“Turn around so I can get a good look at you.”
“It wants me to turn around, dad.”
“And you don’t. Don’t pay it no mind and you’ll be able to tune it out eventually.” It spoke up again.
“Of course I could just crawl up there.” It’s voice was like nails on chalkboard.
“It said it’s gonna come up here.”
“It can’t. Doug, my aunt looked back one night. I don’t know why she did but she was found dead in her car. If you look back, you’ll possibly die.”
I only drove when I had to. Friends wanted me to drive to concerts and I’d decline, girls wanted to meet up for a date and I’d sometimes gain courage to meet. But I always, always felt scared. Eventually I had a couple close calls, but last night was different.
I made a dumb decision to check my phone while driving. It’s a horrible decision that could have got me or someone killed. I ended up swerving and then some blue lights were glowing behind me.
I pulled over and a middle aged, yet in good shape officer approached my door and asked me if I’ve been drinking tonight. I told him I didn’t and he wanted to see my license and he’d be right back.
I handed him it over and then I heard him respond. “Sir, why the hell do you have that in the back seat!”
“Huh?” I turn around and seen red eyes and a crooked smile laughing. The voice matched the officers. “Gotcha.”
I opened my door and began sprinting . It’s claw caught my back on the way and left a good sized cut.
I heard the officer screaming. “COME BACK KID.” I didn’t know if it was the officer or that thing. I ran as fast as I could until some hooks hit me and my body began jolting from electricity. I hit the ground hard and felt the officer pressing his knee into my back.
I told the officer I ran because I was scared. I gave him permission to search my car because I didn’t have anything illegal in it. I just told him I was scared of cops and my back must have gotten scraped up in the confrontation.
I called my dad from sheriffs office and he scooped me up asap. I explained to him what happened and he had tears in his eyes.
“You know son, the scariest part was that creature was telling me all about it on the way here. It told me how you wouldn’t be so lucky next time and how my aunt begged for help as it slowly ripped her to shreds.”
I don’t live anywhere with public busses and Ubers aren’t really around here either. I have to drive.