I was driving home from a late-night shift at the hospital, feeling exhausted and sleepy. The road was dark and deserted, except for the occasional headlights of other cars passing by. I turned on the radio to keep myself awake, but the only station that came in was a creepy podcast about paranormal encounters. The host had a deep, raspy voice that sent shivers down my spine. He was telling a story about a hitchhiker who turned out to be a ghost.
As I listened to the podcast, I noticed a figure standing by the side of the road, holding a sign that said “Need a ride”. It was a young woman, wearing a white dress and a backpack. She looked harmless and innocent, so I decided to stop and offer her a lift. She thanked me and got in the car, placing her backpack on the floor. I asked her where she was going, and she said she was heading to the next town, where her family lived. She said she had been backpacking across the country, but ran out of money and had to hitchhike. She seemed friendly and talkative, so I tried to make conversation with her. I asked her what her name was, and she said it was Anna.
As we drove along, I noticed that the podcast was still playing. The host was getting to the climax of his story, and I felt a chill run through me as I heard his words. He said that the hitchhiker was actually a ghost, who had died in a car accident on that same road, years ago. He said that her name was Anna, and that she always wore a white dress and a backpack. He said that she would appear to unsuspecting drivers, and ask them for a ride. He said that if they agreed, she would get in the car, and then disappear, leaving behind only her backpack. He said that the backpack contained a severed head, which was the only part of her body that was never found after the crash. He said that this was her way of seeking revenge, and that anyone who saw her was doomed.
As I heard this, I felt a surge of panic and disbelief. I looked at the woman sitting next to me, and saw that she was staring at me with a twisted smile. She said, “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear on the radio. Some stories are just made up to scare you. But some stories are true. And you just picked up the wrong hitchhiker.” She reached for her backpack, and unzipped it. I saw a flash of something bloody and gruesome inside. I screamed and swerved the car, trying to get away from her. But it was too late. She grabbed me by the neck, and pulled me closer to her. She said, “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. I just want to show you something. Something that belongs to me.”
The last thing I saw was her face, inches from mine. Her eyes were cold and dead, and her mouth was wide open, revealing sharp teeth. She bit into my ear, and I felt a searing pain. Then everything went black. I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up, I was lying on the side of the road, covered in blood. The car was wrecked, and the woman was gone. So was her backpack. The only thing that was left was the radio, still playing the podcast. The host was saying, “And that, my friends, is the end of tonight’s episode. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you learned something. Remember, the next time you see a hitchhiker, think twice before you stop. You never know who they might be, or what they might want. Until next time, stay safe, and stay scared. This is your host, signing off.”