Pallida Mors(part 1)

Stepping from my pickup onto the parking lot asphalt was like leaving one world and entering another. I closed the door gently, but the latch clicked with a rolling echo that vibrated in far reaching waves. I looked around to see if I had attracted the attention of anybody or anything, but nothing revealed itself. In fact, nothing moved at all. There was no traffic moving on the street to remind me that I was in the middle of a city. No birds sang, no squirrels roamed over the grass searching for treasure. The trees stood motionless with not even a single leaf fluttering a gentle hello. The whole park was silent, holding its’ breath. I felt as if I had interrupted the telling of a secret and now everything had frozen into silence.

I began my walk with the uncomfortable feeling that something was unsettling the balance of life here. But, I felt that if I just kept walking, got in a few miles, then this feeling would go away. It always did. There are a few places in this park, a few trails that are seldom used that I always seek out. The paths lead through a rougher, wilder terrain. I like these paths because they remind me of the years when I was growing up and spent my days exploring the woods in contemplative solitude. Here in this park, I could find remnants of those times hidden in the harder to reach places. There is one particular spot that has at times sent chills throughout my body. In one tiny, secluded clearing, there occasionally rises the intuition that someone has died there. Not every time, but sometimes. I guess that the spirit of the deceased is reaching out. I always made myself walk through there. I guess it was a male-machismo test I forced upon myself.

As I walked further into the park my apprehension eased. I liked having the place to myself. I left the main path and trekked through the dead zone and passed without the slightest whisper from the unsettled soul. Still, I felt as though I was walking in a world with only heavy silence as my companion.

When I reached the far end of the park I decided to go back along a different route. This course took me to the edge of the woods that ran alongside an industrial park. As I moved along the back of the buildings I came upon a small car that sat parked at the end of a cul-de-sac. The trail that I was on became muddy causing me to walk on the grass that passed directly behind the vehicle. I figured that it was an abandoned car, but when I moved closer the eerie quiet was replaced by the soft murmur of the car’s engine. I was moving passed the driver’s side so I sneaked a quick glance and couldn’t see anyone. I smiled to myself as I thought that perhaps it was a couple engaged in some early morning amorous playtime. As I passed by the rear of the vehicle I again glanced at the back window, but still found nothing that I could laugh about later, over a few beers with friends.

It wasn’t until I was beyond the car and looking for a less muddy way back into the woods that an alarm sounded in my head. A warning was growing in my thoughts that something wasn’t right. I turned back to the car.

As I looked closer I noticed that the back window on the passenger’s side was broken and stuffed with old clothes. From this wad of clothing snaked a rubber hose. My eyes travelled the length of the hose to see where it ended. It was duct taped, connected to the tailpipe. Now it was my turn to freeze. I stood and stared. In these scenarios on T.V. the actors all know what to do. But, I had no script to follow. I am not trained to react in such an emergency. I thought about making a run back to my truck, which was nearly a mile away. From what I had read about car suicides I probably wouldn’t have enough time. I did the only thing that I could think of at the moment and I approached the car.

to be continued…