The crunch of rocks echo beneath my shoes as I slowly make my way down the desolate road. My arms wrap around my body tightly as the blood on my shirt begins to dry. I stare at the ground with no intention of looking up when the sound of tires catch my ear. The truck approaching me quickly comes to a stop as it parks on my left.

My chest begins to throb as I adjust the white medical bracelet rubbing uncomfortably against my skin. Before the person in the car can see, I cover my wrist and hear the soft growl of a man ask, “What happened?”

I pause.

“You in some kind of trouble?” 

I do my best not to make any eye contact with him, but I can feel his stare going right through me and I know he is not going to break it. 

I mumble a simple “yeah” before going silent again. My heart is beating like a drum in my chest. I just need this man to leave. He has to leave. 

I stare at the dirt below me, when I hear him say, “why don’t you let me help you out?”

I don’t need your help. I think to myself. Just leave me alone. 

My palms sweaty and the bracelet still tightly rubs against my dry skin. He then tells me he can call the police. 

“NO!” I quickly respond, “do not.”

  He gives me a look of suspicion and begins stomping his brown leather boots in my direction. My breath becomes heavier and heavier as he approaches. 

“Look if you need help, I...I could be that. Just get in the truck”. His inflection becomes more demanding as he continues, ”I mean.. who knows… you’ll probably even like it in there”. 

My hands begin to shake. He proceeds. 

“What kind of guy would I be if I let a pretty girl in need walk alone on this road. I mean I should be driving you”. He pauses. “I could use the company too”. 

I can feel him look for sympathy that I am not going to give him. I try to appear more confident. Standing up straight, looking him right in the eyes as I suggest, “I think its best if you just get back in the car”. 

That’s not the answer he wanted. He takes a step in my direction, trapping me between him and the truck, leaving no where for me to go. He grabs me as he says, “just get in”. 

I begin struggling in his grip. 

Get off me. Leave me alone. Do not put me in that car. Thoughts running through my heads. 

“Easy. Relax. We’re going in”

He pushes me in and I go. 

He whispers to me, “You’re okay, its okay, I’m okay.”

Is it? 

The loud, metal door slams on my right. I sit there. Silent. I hear his boots making their way around the truck. The door opens and he aggressively climbs in. 

When he starts the car, I rip the bracelet from my wrist and grab it with both hands on either side of his neck. The more I pull, the more he swerves. His head dips and I reach to my left and pull up on the emergency break. I lean over his lifeless body and open the drivers side door. Who knew pushing a 200 pound man out of a car could be so easy. His body crashes on the dirt road where my feet once were. I hop over into the drivers seat, turn the car back on and drive quietly down the road.