SCARY FACTS AND STORIES

I should have just walked home

Out of all the boring small towns across the country, I can confidently say that mine is among the most miserable. Other than a rat-infested McDonald's and the high school parking lot, we have a grand total of zero places to spend our time. Even worse, we're over 12 hours away from the closest city. There's nothing for high school seniors to do on weekends but "party," which really means drink in some dude's disgusting basement.

Last Saturday, I was doing just that. As it started to wind down, I headed outside for a cigarette break only to realize that the car that had driven me there was nowhere to be seen. Thankfully, I spotted someone familiar in the darkness - one of my classmates, a new kid named Ben. His bright red mop of hair was impossible to miss. I hadn't seen him at the party, but it looked like he was getting into his car to leave. Perfect.

"Hey man, we're in English together, right? I'm so glad I found you. Can I get a ride home?" I asked, jogging over to him as he sat down in the driver's seat.

He stared at me blankly for what felt like minutes. I jumped when he broke the silence with a raspy intake of breath and audibly clacked his teeth together three times, his lips curling and exposing his gums.

"Are you drunk or something?" I laughed and slid in next to him. "It's fine, my house is only about a mile up the road."

He started to whisper as the car lurched forward, but I could only make out the word "finally." I figured he was stoked to get out of there. I was too.

It was only when he started to laugh that I felt uncomfortable. It wasn't a giggle. He was in full-on hysterics.

It's funny how the brain tries to rationalize these things. I kept thinking that maybe this was normal for him. I don't know him well - maybe he was a weirder dude than I thought. Maybe he was a meth head. We'd Snapped each other homework answers sometimes, but we'd never really sat down and talked or anything.

"What's so funny?" I asked as he cackled, slapping his hand on his knee and wheezing as the car picked up speed. His foot was firmly planted on the gas pedal, his entire body shaking from laughter.

"Hey, let me out," I yelled. "Let me the fuck out! You're going to get us both killed, you asshole!"

He slammed on the breaks with a growl, his tires squealing so loud I was sure he woke up the entire neighborhood. He turned towards me, his chest heaving. I was so freaked out that I jumped out of the car before he could even say anything. I was still a good ten minutes from my house, but I sprinted away and didn't look back.

I crashed the minute I walked through the door and woke up a few hours later with a searing headache and a case of dry mouth so bad my tongue felt like sandpaper. The first thing I thought of was Ben. I felt so bad for abandoning him when he was clearly so out of it. If he wasn't dead from smashing his car into a tree, he was probably pissed.

"Hey dude, I'm sorry about last night," I typed into Snapchat. "Are you okay? You were kind of scaring me."

I got a response immediately.

"What are you talking about?" It read, a geofilter showcasing the closest city's zip code. "I've been out of town all week."