The Death Car ( Ziall )

The Death Car

It was a cold night in September. The rain was drumming on the car roof as Zayn and Niall Malik drove through the empty country roads toward the house of their friends, the Payne, where they were going to tatend a party to celebrate the engagement of the Payne's son, Louis. As they drove, they listened to the local radio station, which was playing classical music.

They were about five miles from their destination when the music on the radio was interrupted by a News annoucement : " The Cheschire police have issued a serious warning after a man escaped from Colford Mental Hospital earlier this evening. The man, John Downey, is a murderer who killed six people before he was captured two years ago. He is described as large, very strong and extremely dangerous. People in Cheschire area are warned to keep their doors and windows locked, and to call the police immediately if they see anyone acting strangely. "

Niall shivered.
" A crazy killer. And he's out there somewhere. That's scary."

" Don't worry about it," said his husband. " We're nearly there now. Anyway, we have more important things to worry about. This car is losing power for some reason -- it must be that old problem with the carburetor. If it gets any worse, we'll have to stay at the Payne's tonight and get it fixed before we travel back tomorrow."

As he spoke, the car began to slow down. Zayn pressed the accelerator, but the engine only coughed. Finally they rolled to a halt, as the engine died completely. Just as they stopped, Zayn pulled the car off the road, and it came to rest under a large tree.

" Blast ! " said Zayn angrily. " Now we'll have to walk in the rain. "

" But that'll take is an hour at least," said Niall. " And I have my nice clothes on. They'll be ruined !"

" Well, you'll have to wait while I run to the nearest house and call the Payne. Someone can come out and pick us up," said Zayn.

" But Zayn ! Have you forgotten what the radio said ? There's a homicidal maniac out there! You can't leave me alone here! "

" You'll have to hide in the back of the car. Lock all the doors and lie on the floor in the back, under this blanket. No-one will see you. When i come back,  I'll knock three times on the door. Then you can get up and open it. Don't open it unless you hear the three knocks. "

Zayn opened the door and slipped out in the rain, but not without a sweet kiss from his husband. He quickly disappeared into the blackness.

Niall quickly locked the doors and settled down under the blanket in the back for a long wait. He was frightened and worried, but he was a strong-minded man. He had not been waiting long, however, when he heard a strange straching noise. It seemed to be coming from the roof of the car.

Niall was terrified. He listened, holding his breath. Then he heard three slow knocks, one after the other, also on the roof of the car. Was it his husband ? Should he open the door ? Then he heard another knock, and another. This was not his husband. It was somebody -- or something -- else. He was shaking with fear, but he forced himself to lie still. The knocking continued -- bump, bump, bump, bump.

Many hours later, as the sun rose, he was still lying there. He had no slept for a moment. The knocking never stopped, all night long. He did not know what to do. Where was Zayn ? Why had he not come for him ?

Suddenly, he heard the sound of three or four vehicles, racing quickly down the road. All of them pulled around him, their tires screeching on the road. At last ! Someone had come ! Niall sat up quickly and looked out of the window.

The three vehicles were all police cars, and two still had their lights flashing. Several policement leapt out. One of them rushed towards the car as Niall opened the door. He took him by the hand.

" Get out of the car and walk with me to the police vehicle, mister. You're safe now. Look straight ahead. Keep looking at the police car. Don't look back. Just don't look back. "

Something in the way he spoke filled Niall with cold horror. He could not help himself. About ten yards from the police car, he stopped, turned and looked back at the empty vehicle.

Zayn was hanging from the tree above the car, rope tied around his neck. As the wind blew his body back and forth, his feet were bumping gently on the roof of the car -- bump, bump, bump, bump.