Ask Me ..... How i know there's a God up in the heavens!

Chapter 1 - Road Yet Traveled

Road Yet Traveled

"Lord willing and... time don't come unhinged!" The morning show guys chuckled as I reached over and hit the off button. Enough talk radio for now. I decided as I stared down the freeway, while my thoughts all bled together, just like the last 3 states I'd driven through!

Vacations, yes just like any other working slob, I love them! Though on the other hand, I must admit I like going home on the back end, almost as much as the hoot of "Road Trip!" on the front end. It will be nice to get back to a familiar routine, especially after being gone so long. I said to myself, acknowledging that though I'd had a good time, I was ready for my native New York.

I'd driven out to America's cereal box; (The land of fruits, nuts, and flakes - i.e. California. Yet don't fret about your reputation left coast: New England clam chowder is white on account of the snow. Manhattan though is red... because of the murders. So, ehh... no state is perfect!)

I'd spent about a month visiting friends and was now returning home. I'd really come to like San Francisco from the time I spent there in the army (though I must admit I really didn't like the army) but anyway: Buffalo is still... snowy, or at least for now (and it's been so since... mid October)!

My bored mind rambled aimlessly as my little car puttered down I-80, headed for a night in Chicago. Endless fields of parched grasslands faded into obscurity, only to be punctuated by an occasional billboard. I wasn't paying much attention to the repetitive scenery, when I passed a sign on the interstate. It said "Santa's Village Next Exit" and my thoughts turned once again to Christmas presents. After all, it was the beginning of December and as soon as the snow flies in - so does Christmas. I was in a holiday slump though, I just couldn't think of what to get anybody and I'd been racking my tiny brain since... Thanksgiving. What do you get a family that has everything; and I mean absolutely every thing!

BOOM!

My thoughts were suddenly shattered by a thunderously loud hum. The ground began to rumble and in a shriek of terror I saw this THING whiz by. A huge explosion turned the highway in front of me into an instant Inferno. Hell was the only thing I could think of and in a moment of panic, I closed my eyes and screamed.

I awoke stunned and disorientated. Everything seemed so dark and I didn't know where I was. My eyes began to focus and I could make out vaguely familiar objects. I was still in my car.

"I'm not dead." I mumbled to myself in vague consolation that where ever I was; it wasn't hell. I took a deep breath and slowly pushed my sore body to a sitting position. My senses returned to life and I soon realized something about this "accident" was indeed notably bizarre. I quickly became alarmed, not by what I saw; but rather, by what I didn't see. The fire from the explosion was mysteriously... gone! In it's place stood a desert.

"Where am I?" I questioned in frightened disbelief as I surveyed my surroundings. I frantically searched all around for the freeway; it was gone too.

Maybe this is hell?

Just then, I noticed what looked like withered trees on the hills to my right. Were they really trees? I questioned, as I hurriedly rummaged through my camping gear. I grabbed my binoculars for a closer look. "Yes they are!" I excitedly exclaimed. "Oh Thank You!" I breathed a sigh of relief. I still hadn't the faintest idea where the flip I was, but... I knew it wasn't hell. (No trees in hell!) And besides; at least I wasn't the only life in this barren wasteland.

In my excitement I stepped on the clutch and without thinking, turned the key. The engine rolled over into an easy idle and it was then I realized something else here was really weird. If I was just in an explosion, my car shouldn't run at all! I reasoned as I sat a moment pondering this detail before I finally decided not to 'look a gift horse in the mouth'; after all it was an awful long walk to them trees.