Rest Stop

by Nat Cassidy

It only takes him a few moments to arrange the letters from this second note into a word. Longer than the first, but he’s almost disappointed it’s over so quickly. For those blissful seconds, his brain is occupied with something other than blank terror.

He encounters a lot of joggers on these drives. Eager early birds, getting their exercises in before another day of blissful productivity. He’s fascinated by them. Stares at them from behind the wheel of his great big van. Sometimes he’s filled with such a rage it almost takes his breath away. They have it so easy. They’re so fucking ignorant of what life can be like.