(c) John, Rekesh 2004-2008. No part of this work may be copied or reproduced without the author's permission
5. Car
Aliyah discovers that totally different realms could have common principles behind them.
The rain started thinning out and the winds grew calmer. The storm was dwindling fast. Aliyah stared in consternation at the dark figure outside. For a moment, she was literally blown away, but managed to recover her wits quickly. Now she looked down at the rifle and felt a rising fire of anger within.
“Scared to death of unarmed women, aren’t you?” she said sweetly, with all the sarcasm she could muster.
The rifle lowered, but still pointed toward the car. She could sense some discomfort in the stranger’s gaze.
“I don’t take kindly to hit-and-run drivers, ma’m. Not in this place.” His voice was polite but icy.
The rain thinned down to a drizzle and the light became brighter. The man appeared to be in his early thirties and had crease lines on his forehead.
“Hit and run?” She was getting angrier, but continued smiling. “You came flying too low, if I remember right. Don’t they have any traffic signs up there?”
Her jibe seemed to have no effect.
“You came right at me, ma’m,” he replied sternly, “as though you did it on purpose. Otherwise, you two must have been yapping, or drunk, or both.”
She had really wanted to help and now here was this man accusing them of attacking him and trying to get away. With effort, she bit down her anger and turned to look at her friend.
Emma finally found her voice.
“I’m sorry!” she called out. “It was all my fault. I am really not used to driving in this weather. It really scares me.”
The man said nothing and continued to look intently at them.
“My car seems to be stuck in mud. How about yours?” Emma tried again.
Aliyah glared at her friend. Playing the damsel in distress was not to her liking.
“It’s a wreck,” he replied curtly without turning his head. “There is no way it can get me to where I am headed.”
“Would it be fine if we drop you at the nearest service station?” Emma sounded very polite.
The man hesitated for a moment. Then he said briskly, “Open the trunk, ma’m. If I find what I suspect, you and your gracious friend here will be making a long trek tonight.”
“Be careful,” Aliyah told him, “our pet rattler likes it there in the trunk.”
Aliyah felt a jab on her side. The man ignored the comment and moved cautiously to the back of the car, still keeping them covered with the rifle.
“Keep your eyes front,” he called out.
Emma quickly unlatched the trunk. They could hear him rummaging around inside and they exchanged glances. He seemed to be looking for something. Soon the back door snap shut.
He was again near the window, looking down curiously at them. The rifle was now held loose, pointing to the ground.
“You girls from the university?”
“That’s right, sir. Have you ever been to one?” Aliyah flashed.
He ignored the question.
“What are you doing out here in the wilderness? You know, this is a dangerous place, not exactly where girls go looking for their next party. ”
“It’s a free country, sir. We do run into some vermin once in a while. Nothing we can’t handle,” Aliyah replied meaningly.
The man appeared to again ignore the remark. Did he really have a thick skin, she wondered? But before she could say anything else, he tapped on the car and called out to Emma,
“The way she is stuck, she’s not going anywhere till the water dries up. But I can get her out of mud, if you put her in neutral.”
“I think he means you,” Emma grinned as she shifted gears. Aliyah glared at her friend.
The man moved away again. Soon they felt the car shake and then move forward slowly.
“He’s a strong one,” Emma whispered. “Didn’t ask us to get out too. Don’t you think he’s really a nice and helpful guy?”
“He’s helping himself!” shot back Aliyah. “Can’t you see that?”
The car shook again and stopped moving.
“Gimme a minute,” came the voice from behind. “I’m getting my stuff from the jeep. Besides, I am drenched. Where do you think I could change?”
“Try that one,” Aliyah shouted back, and pointed to a cactus patch across the road.
She heard his laughter and quickly managed to parry another nudge from Emma.
“Show some restraint, will you? You could have landed us in big trouble. We’re lucky that he’s a nice guy.”
“Nice??? I’m sorry, Emma. I just don’t like people pointing guns at me and ordering me about. That wasn’t nice at all.”
“Yeah! But I wonder who he thought we were. Drug runners, do you think? They can be dangerous.”
“Possibly. But I found his behavior inexcusable.”
“You weren’t exactly Mother Teresa!” Emma replied, “So pipe down, now.”
The man was back in a short while, toting a duffel bag. He had changed into a fresh set of clothes. The gun , which she suspected to have somehow made its way into the bag, had disappeared.
“So you are not making a run for it?” he asked with an impish smile. She thought he looked attractive when he smiled.
“Why did you pull a gun on us?”
He seemed to deliberate for a moment.
“You could say I was expecting company. Guess I should have brought the artillery instead…” He continued to smile.
Aliyah blushed a little and decided not to reply.