Status: New story please comment
The Bond of Brothers
Chapter One
The sound of the wipers thumping across his streaked windshield matched the erratic beat of his heart. A set of wild frightened blue eyes gazed back at him in the rear-view mirror as he desperately searched for headlights bearing down on him. Patrick almost didn’t recognize the terror-stricken face that peered back at him.
His hands clutched the black steering wheel of his Jeep Wrangler and the blood drained from his knuckles leaving them a ghastly shade of white. They matched the ashen face that now housed his eyes. He had no idea where the blood flow was being re-directed by the wandering muscle just behind his bruised rib cage. Still, despite the painful knocking against his breast bone and the wheezing breaths he could barely suck in between his clenched teeth, Patrick was acutely aware of everything around him. The rain drops seemed to slow their relentless pounding and each made a musical tune all their own. The blades across the glass produced a steady rhythm, while his body made out the rest of the fear-inspiring band. He felt every bump in the road, every angry gust of wind that the growing storm inflicted upon the side of his Jeep and wrench it out of his control. He could feel time ticking away and an unseen evil preying down upon him. If the very Heavens opened up and a monstrous claw reached down to snatch him and tear him to shreds, he would have not been any more shocked than if a deer ran across his path. He was being irrational, but this night of all nights called for it. All he could do was press the gas pedal down harder and pray that God would find him worthy and laid a steady hand to keep him firmly on the winding road that stretched out before him masked by darkness and rain.
“Oh God.” He heard himself whisper as a set of bright lights ricochet off the mirrors producing an effulgent flash that illuminated the entire cab. “Please...please...go away.” He pleaded with his unseen pursuer.
Pushing the vehicle to go faster and ignoring the increasing treacherousness of the roads, he knew that slowing would hasten something even more dreadful. He would just have to chance losing control of his Jeep. Crashing or getting caught by a deranged lunatic? Patrick didn’t like either of these options. With his right hand, he pushed the mirror up to relieve his eyes of some of the headache-inducing lights that seemed to move towards him at an unearthly speed. Squinting he tried to make out the twisting road ahead of him. He had driven this route hundreds of times before in day light and murky night, but tonight he felt as if he had been transported to another place. Nothing seemed right and every sharp curve seemed to have just been thrown in front of him by some cruel demon who liked to play these kinds of practical jokes. He was no longer in his home town, but thrusted onto a highway that was leading him directly to Hell.
Thunder crashed and the ebon sky opened releasing a torrential downpour not seen since the time of Noah. The black asphalt turned into an inky sea before him and the four-wheel tires lost their grip on the surface. There was no time for a scream to form in his throat and burst forth from his lips. The Jeep lurched violently turning in what seemed like slow motion. His hands could no longer maintain their grip on the steering wheel and he knew that he was losing control. He gritted his teeth as he found himself launched into a nauseating spin. Lightening flashed quickly producing a strobe light picture of the chaos around him. He could no longer tell what direction he was facing as the driver’s side collapsed against what he could only imagine was a guard-rail. Metal on metal screamed rivaling the howls of the demons burning in Hades. His efforts to regain control were inane, for the vehicle continued its plunge breaking through the inadequate barrier and down the rocky incline that led to unknown peril.
Backwards, the Jeep Wrangler slid down the sodden mix of mud and grass. Something again connected with the vehicle, this time in the back. The concussion of the blow sent Patrick forward at a shattering speed slamming his upper torso against the already deflated airbags. The collision forced him to gasp as the air escaped from his crushed lungs. The breath rushed out in a single gulp while a cry of pain remained locked in his chest. But that was not the worst. The taste of bitter metal and saliva filled his mouth and drained down into his lungs replacing the air that had just escaped. Blood. He tried to turn his head to spit out the foul substance, but his body was no longer under his command. He gagged violently. A cry finally broke loose as another painful blow struck him from the side. His head jerked brutally to the left colliding with the splintered driver’s side window. Blessed darkness finally descended on Patrick as his vehicle did a final flip and came to rest against a tree. A large oak with a trunk as wide as a semi-truck brought the out of control Wrangler to a still.
The rain had not stopped, but it seemed as if sound no longer existed. The vehicle that had followed stopped at the top of the ravine and a hidden man looked from behind his tinted windows at the wreckage below. There was no way the kid could have survived that. He convinced himself of this instead of taking the risk of making his way down the dangerous slope. With a steady swift hand, he turned off the truck and stepped out into the freezing cold rain. He dared to not venture too close to the area of impact. Patrick was dead for sure. Just no way he could have survived. It seemed logical to him.
Drops of cold hard rain struck Patrick’s bruised and torn cheek. Tiny glistening specks formed on his closed lids clinging to his long lashes. The clear liquid turned a dark crimson as it mixed with the blood that flowed from the opened wounds above his eyes and left ear. The final impact had been swift and hard sending him down into an abyss of total darkness. Deep down in the recesses of his mind where there was still life adhering to the fragile strings of hope, he really longed for Death’s hand to swoop down. It would be a relief.
“Just let go........let go.......”
His hands clutched the black steering wheel of his Jeep Wrangler and the blood drained from his knuckles leaving them a ghastly shade of white. They matched the ashen face that now housed his eyes. He had no idea where the blood flow was being re-directed by the wandering muscle just behind his bruised rib cage. Still, despite the painful knocking against his breast bone and the wheezing breaths he could barely suck in between his clenched teeth, Patrick was acutely aware of everything around him. The rain drops seemed to slow their relentless pounding and each made a musical tune all their own. The blades across the glass produced a steady rhythm, while his body made out the rest of the fear-inspiring band. He felt every bump in the road, every angry gust of wind that the growing storm inflicted upon the side of his Jeep and wrench it out of his control. He could feel time ticking away and an unseen evil preying down upon him. If the very Heavens opened up and a monstrous claw reached down to snatch him and tear him to shreds, he would have not been any more shocked than if a deer ran across his path. He was being irrational, but this night of all nights called for it. All he could do was press the gas pedal down harder and pray that God would find him worthy and laid a steady hand to keep him firmly on the winding road that stretched out before him masked by darkness and rain.
“Oh God.” He heard himself whisper as a set of bright lights ricochet off the mirrors producing an effulgent flash that illuminated the entire cab. “Please...please...go away.” He pleaded with his unseen pursuer.
Pushing the vehicle to go faster and ignoring the increasing treacherousness of the roads, he knew that slowing would hasten something even more dreadful. He would just have to chance losing control of his Jeep. Crashing or getting caught by a deranged lunatic? Patrick didn’t like either of these options. With his right hand, he pushed the mirror up to relieve his eyes of some of the headache-inducing lights that seemed to move towards him at an unearthly speed. Squinting he tried to make out the twisting road ahead of him. He had driven this route hundreds of times before in day light and murky night, but tonight he felt as if he had been transported to another place. Nothing seemed right and every sharp curve seemed to have just been thrown in front of him by some cruel demon who liked to play these kinds of practical jokes. He was no longer in his home town, but thrusted onto a highway that was leading him directly to Hell.
Thunder crashed and the ebon sky opened releasing a torrential downpour not seen since the time of Noah. The black asphalt turned into an inky sea before him and the four-wheel tires lost their grip on the surface. There was no time for a scream to form in his throat and burst forth from his lips. The Jeep lurched violently turning in what seemed like slow motion. His hands could no longer maintain their grip on the steering wheel and he knew that he was losing control. He gritted his teeth as he found himself launched into a nauseating spin. Lightening flashed quickly producing a strobe light picture of the chaos around him. He could no longer tell what direction he was facing as the driver’s side collapsed against what he could only imagine was a guard-rail. Metal on metal screamed rivaling the howls of the demons burning in Hades. His efforts to regain control were inane, for the vehicle continued its plunge breaking through the inadequate barrier and down the rocky incline that led to unknown peril.
Backwards, the Jeep Wrangler slid down the sodden mix of mud and grass. Something again connected with the vehicle, this time in the back. The concussion of the blow sent Patrick forward at a shattering speed slamming his upper torso against the already deflated airbags. The collision forced him to gasp as the air escaped from his crushed lungs. The breath rushed out in a single gulp while a cry of pain remained locked in his chest. But that was not the worst. The taste of bitter metal and saliva filled his mouth and drained down into his lungs replacing the air that had just escaped. Blood. He tried to turn his head to spit out the foul substance, but his body was no longer under his command. He gagged violently. A cry finally broke loose as another painful blow struck him from the side. His head jerked brutally to the left colliding with the splintered driver’s side window. Blessed darkness finally descended on Patrick as his vehicle did a final flip and came to rest against a tree. A large oak with a trunk as wide as a semi-truck brought the out of control Wrangler to a still.
The rain had not stopped, but it seemed as if sound no longer existed. The vehicle that had followed stopped at the top of the ravine and a hidden man looked from behind his tinted windows at the wreckage below. There was no way the kid could have survived that. He convinced himself of this instead of taking the risk of making his way down the dangerous slope. With a steady swift hand, he turned off the truck and stepped out into the freezing cold rain. He dared to not venture too close to the area of impact. Patrick was dead for sure. Just no way he could have survived. It seemed logical to him.
Drops of cold hard rain struck Patrick’s bruised and torn cheek. Tiny glistening specks formed on his closed lids clinging to his long lashes. The clear liquid turned a dark crimson as it mixed with the blood that flowed from the opened wounds above his eyes and left ear. The final impact had been swift and hard sending him down into an abyss of total darkness. Deep down in the recesses of his mind where there was still life adhering to the fragile strings of hope, he really longed for Death’s hand to swoop down. It would be a relief.
“Just let go........let go.......”