#FridayFlash History Doesn't Repeat

History Doesn't Repeat

Emily stiffened as she felt the cold steel of the barrel pressed into her temple. Her white knuckled fingers gripped the steering wheel as if it were a life preserver while she drew a sharp breath in.

“DRIVE THE CAR!” the raspy voice barked at her as he slid into the passenger seat.

Emily managed to swallow her racing heart that had lodged itself in her throat. She slowly pressed her trembling foot down on the gas pedal and eased the car onto the dark highway. No one knew where she was. Her cell phone forgotten at home. She had decided on a spur of the moment to trek to a nearby town for some last minute shopping. It was too late for regrets now, she thought to herself.

“Where..are...we...going?” her voice barely above a whisper.

“Don't you worry your pretty head.” He chuckled as he ran his stubby fingers through her straight, dark hair. “You'll find out soon enough. And then we'll have us some fun!” The smell of alcohol almost overwhelmed her. She turned her head towards her slightly opened window and sucked some fresh air into her lungs.

As she drove up behind the solitary tractor trailer on the desolate highway, her mind flashed to an image of a young girl hidden in the backseat of a station wagon. From the front came the terrifying sounds of the girl's mother pleading for her life as her assailant continued to stab her with his knife.

Emily shook her head to clear the horrific memory from her mind. It was replaced by a happier one of her own daughter, just five years old, tucked safely in her bed. She glanced warily over at her unwelcome passenger who was taking a swig from his almost empty bottle of Jack. His other hand still gripped the gun that was resting on his grease stained jeans. How was she going to get out of this situation alive so her own daughter wouldn't have to grow up without a mother? Her mind raced to find an answer before it was too late.

Suddenly, she swerved her car towards the left lane, straddled the yellow line and punched the gas accelerator down to the floor. The old Chevy groaned at first to her request but quickly responded with a burst of speed. As bumper of the tractor trailer shattered through the passenger side windshield, she yelled “NOT THIS TIME!” before the car's solitary airbag deployed and cushioned her impact.