When I was a kid country music was a big deal to my parents and it was an even bigger deal for me and my 3 friends which is why June 23rd 2018 will always stick with me as the worst day of my life.
The morning of June 20th 2018 started as any other day Brandon Alex and Tyler had to of been more excited than me at this point as today was the last day of school and the day we left for Chippewa Valley Festival Grounds in Wisconsin for one of the biggest country music festivals in country music history, Country Fest 2018.
Brandon had his dads truck packed the morning of and we were all set by 12th period to just hit the open road for the 1000 mile journey.
We hit the open road and sang to Keith Urban and Luke Combs songs as we drove past more and more farms and secluded houses wind blowing through our hair as we let the top down on the old truck. Before I even knew it Tyler was waking me we had arrived, it was now June 21st and at the hotel we were all super excited.
“Hey you almost ready to go” Tyler said to me and Alex who were getting ready in the room. “Yeah I think so Brandon has the tickets right?” I said back to him. “Yeah hurry up” Tyler said now leaving the room to return to the lobby of the hotel where Brandon was waiting.
The weekend came and gone and before we knew it we found ourselves back on that open road driving back the 1000 miles all the way home.
“Damn it, guys we got to stop for gas” Brandon yelled back to us. “Alright well i think i saw a sign about a half a mile back for a gas station that should be coming up we can stop there” said Alex.
The car started to spudder and slow down as the tank reached E on the old chevy and by some luck Tyler shouted out “hey over there” off to the right of the dark county road sat a dimly lit neon sign that read “24 hour gas and food” we pulled into the even more dimly lit parking lot of the gas station and came to a steady stop Infront of a older looking pump that has for sure seen better days.
“Hey Sam go in and get some snacks and do 40 on uh pump 2 i guess i don’t know there’s no numbers tell them its the old beat up chevy” Brandon said to me with a confused look on his face. “For sure” I said back to him looking over my shoulder at the pumps to get a better location reading.
I pushed on the front door of the little mini mart station and with a little force it opened with a creek. The bell on the door was one of those old ones that never seemed to really be loud enough to alert anyone and so when i saw the front counter empty i yelled to make my presence inside the store known to anyone who may be working in this dump.
After what felt like forever an older looking man with a pot belly and a shirt that looked 3 sizes to small appeared from the back stock room.
“How can i help you fine folks this evening” I looked up at the man for a minute who was just now sitting there smiling at me Tyler and Alex with his yellow stained teeth and crooked smile plastered across his face. “Uh gas on uh pump 2 and this” I said throwing 3 bags of chips 4 drinks and a candy bar on the counter.
He paused for a second than proceeded to ring our stuff up “yawl new around here or just passing through” he said looking up at me still scanning our items at a slow pace. “Just passing through” I said smiling back now taking the bag from the man and paying him.
“You all be careful now Menominee County is small but you can get lost mighty quick so you best not be messing around out there” He said letting out a chuckle as we left. “Yeah we’ll do that have a great night” Alex yelled back over his shoulder. “What a weirdo” I said to Tyler as we walked off the sidewalk and back onto the dimly lit parking lot.
“Beep!!!” I jumped as a horn blared from an older style jeep and there headlights now sitting inches from us as we crossed the parking lot back to the truck. Alex flipped him off and the guy shouted something back that we couldn’t understand as we continued to walk back to the tuck.
‘What the hell was that about” Brandon said looking worried as we got back to the truck placing the bags inside on the seat. “I have no idea some read neck ass hole no doubt” Tyler said smirking. “It is that part of the country after all” Alex shot back at Tyler who was now stuffing his face with Doritos.
Brandon continued down more and more dead streets with woods on either side blaring country music into the night when he suddenly turned down the music and shot us a look. “Hey guys” Brandon said nervously, is that the jeep that we saw at the gas station?
We all went to turn around in our seats to look when headlights filled the truck and the blaring of a horn now drowned out the night. “Oh god I think it is” Tyler shouted back, “yo step on it” Alex screamed at Brandon who now looked more worried than how he looked back at the gas station.
We had to of been pushing 80 at this point, but with every turn dodge and trick we made the jeep kept up, staying right on our bumper the whole time. Brandon looked back in the mirror as he was now reaching 90 mph and shouted “I got something for this ass hole”.
Brandon shot the truck sideways and then back on to the road trying to drive the jeep off the road behind us but as Brandon came back on to the road the jeep was gone. “What the” we all seemed to mutter out at the sight that now sat before us instead.
There in the middle of the dark curvy road sat a hooded figure. Brandon hopped out the truck and we followed as we now slowly moved toward the back of the truck to inspected the figure that now sat where the jeep was 2 seconds prior.
“Can we help you” Brandon said motioning me to grab the shotgun his dad kept in the tailgate of the truck for emergencies. The figure never spoke just seemed to be frozen in time at that very spot as he watched us get closer.
Alex reached out a hand to the figure and with one swift move the figure cut his hand clean off. We all screamed as i cocked the gun and pulled the trigger shooting the 2 double barrels at the figure before jumping back in the truck with a now screaming and terrified group of friends.
We hauled it out of there putting the truck in drive while Tyler and me held pressure where Alex’s hand use to be. “What the fuck was that who was that” I screamed as we hit 90 all the way down the dark road.
” I don’t know but we need to get help we have no idea where we are” Brandon replied. We all sat there for a second thinking about our options, “Let’s go back” “What!!! back where back toward that thing that cut Alex’s hand off like it was a piece of turkey coming straight off the bone for dinner” Brandon yelled back “Lets go back to the gas station they could have a phone” I said back.
Brandon looked back in the mirror at me for a second before replying “you do realize that is almost 3 miles back right?” I looked up meeting his gaze in the mirror, “I know but i think it would be our only option right now”
Brandon seemed to contemplate for a second before throwing the truck in reverse and doing a U-turn back toward the thing and the gas station.
A few more minutes of holding pressure on Alex’s hand with my shirt and listening to his screaming we saw the familiar dim light of the neon 24 hour and food sign. Without a moments thought we flew into the dimly lit parking lot Tyler jumping out before Brandon properly even parked.
However, when Tyler came back out his face was as white as freshly powdered snow. “What is it” i yelled, “he’s he’s de.. dead” me and Brandon both looked at each other for a second and simultaneously said “who who’s dead Tyler?” He looked up at us eyes filled with fear and face still white as snow “The the gas sta.. gas station worker is dead.”
Me and Brandon were out of the truck at this point and Tyler was back in the truck holding pressure on Alex’s wound. I reloaded the shotgun and entered the store prepared for anything, that door let off the same creaking sound as before as i entered the little mini mart.
“Hello anyone” I stopped dead in the middle of my sentence as what sat before me was blood covered walls and floor. I covered my mouth from the sight and turned to leave when i was struck in the head. “SAM!!!” I heard Brandon call out, with blurry eyes i could see him running to me before he to was struck in the head sending him tumbling to the floor.
I woke up days later on the 27th of June 2018 at what I could only guess was the local hospital. However, things were not normal, I was handcuffed to the bed rail as was Tyler and Brandon . While Alex well he was across from me wearing a cast also handcuffed.
I tried to move but with every move I made I found it getting harder and harder to move. My vision still blurry from being hit cleared enough to see a badge in my face and a lady looking down at me. “Hello you must be Sam” she said looking down at her notepad. “I am Detective Mathews with the Menominee County sheriffs office can you tell me what happened.”
I looked up at her for a second trying to make out more of her face and replied “I hope you could tell me why am i hand cuffed is my friend ok” “Your friends are fine but i need you to fill in some of the blanks” I looked at her puzzled for a second, “What do you mean you found us at the gas station what do you think happened”.
She looked over at another detective who was now in the room, “Sam we found you with your friends in a ditch up by mile marker 7 your truck was destroyed you hit the tree pretty hard and your lucky to be alive”
“What are you talking about we didn’t hit anything” I yelled back “We were attacked” Tyler could be heard saying from the other side of the room. “Attacked? by what?” Asked the other detective.
“By some weird guy in a robe at a gas station outside of this town” Tyler yelled The detectives paused for a second then spoke “You mean Rob’s? Yeah we know about that why do you think you all are under arrest”
I looked up at her now trying to sit up but everything hurt “What are you talking about” I said visibly now in pain from sitting up. “A local found Rob’s body at 4 am this morning behind the counter his throat had been slashed and 2 rounds were put in his chest any of you know anything about that?”
“No” of course not I yelled back, she paused before taking out her tablet and placing it on my chest for me to watch. “This can’t be real” I said outload there on the screen was my friends jumping the counter stealing things while i shot the cashier twice with a shotgun and Alex slit his throat cutting his own hand in the process.
“Oh its real Sam” The detective said and your under arrest all of you.
To this day 6 years later I still have no idea what happened that night or why we all remember it happening the way we explained it to the police and to all of you here today, as for that guy in the jeep well it just gets weirder he confirmed our story that we left and he chased us in a road rage incident and that the guy running the gas station was still alive even though the camera time stamps show us killing the cashier before said incident.
We all pleaded not guilty due to mental illness and are free men today.
I no longer take trips and i barely talk to those friends anymore but when i do i can’t help but remember that night and how it changed all of our lives for the worst.