The In-Between and After: A Ghost's Story

Hitchhiking

McGregor started forward before the station wagon got to them, hobbling forward until he was able to get a full stride going. Shelby just stood there, his back towards the oncoming station wagon. Looking over his shoulder and keeping as calm as he could. McGregor couldn't bear to look as the station wagon finally got to Shelby.

Shelby began phasing through the car, he held his breath, and then it all happened very quickly but he could feel it all. The bumper, then the grill, the radiator, the engine, then the dash and the middle console. He brought up the memory just as he cleared the front seats, he lurched forward as his back hit the back seat. He quickly grabbed on to anything he could, he was able to get a hold of one of the seatbelts in the back seats, he clutched onto it with all his life, his legs still phasing through the bottom of the car and dragging on the road under the car. Jolts of intense pain shot up from his leg, causing him to shout out in pain.He pulled his legs up into the car, his leg now worse than before. He exhaled in relief.

McGregor looked back at the approaching station wagon, he could see Shelby in the backseat. He smiled, relieved that Shelby was able to do it, and thought about what he needed to do. The car had almost caught up with him, he looked back at car looking for something he could grab onto, as he ran down the road.

The car got to him and even with him running it was going faster so he knew he didn't have a lot of time. He grabbed onto the side view mirror and held on using it as an anchor to increase his speed. Shelby, in the backseat, shuffled over to the side that McGregor was on and phased his arm through the door, giving him another place to grab. McGregor grabbed it with his hurt arm and winced in the pain.

"On three jump... I'll pull you in" Shelby called out. "One... Two... Three!" Shelby counted down. McGregor grunted as he jumped into the car, he thought about his feet on the floorboard on the station wagon. At the same time, Shelby pulled hard, which didn't feel so good but It worked, though he did spend a couple seconds phased into the driver, before getting into the back seat. Shelby went back to his side, giving McGregor more room.

"Easy as pie..." Shelby grunted. McGregor chuckled to himself as the two sat back to enjoy the much-needed ride, though the relaxation was short lived when the two people in the front seat started arguing.

"You just had to buy the cheap tires." The woman in the passenger seat muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" The man responded as he looked over at her.

"I didn't say anything" She responded harshly. The man and woman both went silent for a second.

"I told you not to cheap out on the tires!" she shouted, her contempt boiling over. The man scoffed.

"I told it was a nail, it would've happened with any tire!" he responded. She didn't respond. "Come to think about wasn't you brother the o.."

"Don't blame my brother, Dan! He hung up the lights out of the goodness of his heart. He wouldn't have had to if you did it when I asked."

"Oh yeah, my fault... Always my fault. I had to work. You kno..."

"And I don't work..." She interrupted again.

"I didn't say that, goddammit" he muttered and shook his head. The car went silent, McGregor and Shelby looked at each and smiled. The man after a bit switched on the radio, a country song came on and the man settled into his seat as they continued to slowly drive on the shoulder.

"How's your leg?" McGregor asked.

"Not good, pretty rough entrance, how about your arm?" Shelby asked

"Same..." McGregor raised it up and moving it around. "...Yeah, still pretty bad" he winced. McGregor sat back and rubbed his neck. Shelby looked out the window as the car chugged slowly down the road, he usually didn't like going so slow but now he appreciated the pace, at least until his leg was better.