As the blue car tore down the dusty road, “Oceans” by Hillsong United blasted through the speakers. Mark, the driver, turned to his freind Jason with a wry smile. “What? You tired of this, Jay?” Mark asked.
“Thanks for saving my words,” Jason replied, as he quickly changed the music to an upbeat 80s pop song.
“Why do you listen to this stuff?” Jason scoffed.
“Says who? The boomer,” Mark mocked and snickered.
“It’s a classic, okay? An old-timer like you wouldn’t understand,” Jason retorted.
Mark rolled his eyes in response to Jason’s comment. He knew that Jason always tried to push his musical tastes on him, but he wasn’t going to let him win this time.
The sound of laughter and chatter filled the car as five high school friends reunited after a long time. The atmosphere was light and jovial, and the air was tinged with a sense of nostalgia as they caught up on old times.
As the conversation flowed, it became clear that everyone had changed significantly since high school. Mark had become more religious, and he was now sharing stories about his church and faith with his friends. Jason had developed a love for 80s pop music, and he kept changing the music to his favorite songs. Shia had become a little more confident and outspoken, and she was sharing her opinions on various topics with the group. Jeanette had developed a passion for fashion and was now working as a stylist, showing off her latest creations to her friends.
But as they talked and laughed, it became apparent that Victor had not changed much since high school. He was still the same introverted, quiet person, and seemed a little out of place among his more outgoing friends.
Shia’s heart raced as she sat in the backseat of the car with Victor. She had always admired him from afar in high school, but her shyness and social awkwardness had prevented her from ever confessing her feelings. Now, years later, she found herself still drawn to him, even though she knew it was hopeless. But she had changed since high school. She was more confident now, and she wasn’t going to let her feelings for Victor hold her back.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Shia took a deep breath and spoke up. “Hi, Victor. It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. What have you been up to?”
Victor wasn’t your average Joe, He was intelligent and smart, they called him the genius of California. However, deep down he felt a sense of emptiness. His life seemed mundane, despite working at a high-paying MNC job. The conversations around him focused on shallow topics like politics, sports, and celebrities, all perpetuated by the media people watched every morning. Victor longed for something more meaningful, but he found that most Americans couldn’t engage in the intellectual conversations he craved.
Victor looked up from his phone and smiled at her. “Not much, just working at a tech company. How about you?”
Shia’s face lit up as she told Victor about her recent success as an author. “I actually published two novels,” she said with a smile. “They’re not bestsellers or anything, but it’s a start.”
Victor was impressed. “The one you gave me in high school... The Adventures of... something like that. I remember thinking it was really good,” he said. Shia blushed and replied with a quiet ‘thanks.’
Jeanette, while chewing her burger, interrupted the conversation. “Hey vec, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your dress sense... it sucks.”
“At least I don’t work at a fast-food restaurant part-time,” Victor giggled and replied.
‘Oo! That was a nice one. Good job, Victor,’ Jason praised him.
Jeanette hit Victor softly and shouted, ‘You asshole!’”
“What’s that?” Mark’s eyes widen as he looks straight ahead.
Jeanette: “No no we’re just playin-”
“Not you Jeanette...the truck!” Jason interrupts, panic creeping into his voice.
“Hey hey slow the thing down” Jason orders mark in panic
Mark frantically tries to hit the brakes, but nothing happens. “I can’t...the fucking brakes aren’t working,” he exclaims.
“I said fucking slow it down” Jason shouts
Victor leans out the window to get a better view. “Holy shit...the truck is gonna plow right through us,” he says, his voice trembling.
Jeanette’s voice rises with fear. “No no no.....I don’t wanna die! What the hell are you guys doing?” she screams.
“Shut the fuck up everyone!” Jason snaps. “Hey, give me the goddamn steering wheel!”
In such a life and death moment, it seemed like they might just make it. Swinging here and there, Jason had managed to avoid the truck, and the car began to slow down. But then, with a sickening jolt, the car hit a patch of gravel on the side of the road. The wheels spun out of control as the car skidded across the pavement.
With a sickening crunch, the car collided with the guardrail and spun out of control. Glass shattered, metal crumpled, and the airbags deployed with a loud whoosh. For a moment, everything was still and silent.
The airport intercom crackled to life, “Passengers Victor, Jason, Mark, Jeanette, and Shia, please report to gate 24B immediately. Final boarding call for flight 423 to New York.”
The announcer repeated the message twice more, but the five friends were nowhere to be seen.
Slowly after an hour since the crash, the occupants of the car began to stir. Jeanette groaned and rubbed her head, Mark and Jason, who had taken the brunt of the impact, were slumped over in their seats, dazed and injured.
Victor gradually opened his eyes, his vision blurry and hazy. He took a few deep breaths and tried to clear his head. Slowly, he reached for the car door handle and pulled himself out of the wreckage, wincing as he felt the crunch of broken glass under his shoes. He knew he wasn’t wearing his glasses, and a quick search of the car seat with his hands confirmed his fear: they were nowhere to be found. He took another deep breath and rummaged through his bag, finding a spare pair of glasses that he always kept with him. With shaking hands, he put them on and finally saw the world in focus again.
Jason let out a groan as he struggled to unbuckle his seatbelt. He looked over to Mark, but his friend was unconscious with blood trickling down his forehead. Victor’s voice shook as he peeked into the front window and asked, “Is everyone okay?”
“This stupid car...” Jason muttered through gritted teeth. “I’m fine, but Mark...call 911,” he said, wincing in pain.
Desperate to rouse his friend, Jason turned to Mark and urged him, “Wake up, man. You can’t die in a shitty place like this.”
Victor’s trembling fingers reached into his pocket, fumbling for his phone. He could feel the shards of glass from the shattered screen as he struggled to retrieve it. With a sinking feeling in his gut, he realized that the crash had completely destroyed his device, rendering it useless. The acrid smell of burnt rubber and gasoline filled his nostrils.
Victor: “Not good...my phone..its done for, what about you Jay, is yours working?”
Jason: “Of course not dumbass, i was sitting in the front passangers seat”
“What about you two? Any of y’all phone working?” Jason asks Jeanette and shia who were still sitting in the car
“Don’t just fucking sit there, get out , do something” Jason shouts in anger
Jason helped the girls get out of the car while victor spotted a phone booth and signaled jason to stay there, his heart was racing as he sprinted down the street with Shia following closely behind. Jeanette’s question echoed in his mind, “Where the hell are you going?” but he couldn’t stop now. He had to find a way to help. He rushed inside the phone booth and closed the door behind him. The inside of the booth was cramped and smelled faintly of cigarettes. He picked up the phone, but when he tried to dial 911, the phone’s automated voice responded, “I’m sorry, but the network is out of coverage.” Victor’s stomach dropped. He leaned his head back against the wall, feeling helpless and frustrated. “What are we going to do now?” Shia asked, peering over his shoulder.
Victor took a deep breath and looked at the phone, as if he could will it to work. He tried dialing again, but got the same response. He stayed in the booth for a few more minutes, desperately trying to think of another solution.
Jason leans against the car, his breathing heavy as he surveys the scene. He watches as Victor struggles to make a call from the nearby phone booth. Frustration etches Victor’s face as he tries repeatedly to make the call, but the out-of-network coverage message continues to greet him.
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“What the fuck? Are they not responding?” Jason approaches Victor, concern etched on his face.
“The damn telephone’s not working,” Victor snaps, throwing the phone to the ground in frustration. “We need to get help for Mark”
“God damn it!” Jason kicks the phone booth
Victor gazes off into the distance, lost in thought for a moment. Eventually, he turns to Jason, his expression serious. “God gave us another chance,” he says, his voice low and intense.
Confused, Jason asks, “What do you mean?”
Victor gestures towards their surroundings. “Look around,” he says.
Meanwhile, back at the airport, the flight attendant closed the gate and informed the pilot that all passengers were accounted for except for the missing group of five.
“Looks like we have some no-shows,” the pilot said, checking his watch. “We’ll have to take off without them.”
The plane taxied down the runway and took off into the sky, leaving the five friends behind.
Jason follows Victor’s gaze and sees a farmhouse nearby. It’s their best bet for shelter, and maybe even help.
“Let’s go!” Shia’s voice barely carried over the sound of the pouring rain. Jeanette nodded, and they all started running towards the farmhouse. As they approached, they could see that it looked deserted, with boarded-up windows and a locked front door. Victor tried the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked,” he said, turning to the others.
“Let’s find another way in,” Jeanette suggested.
They split up and searched the perimeter of the house. After a few minutes, Shia yelled out, “I found a window we can climb through!” They all gathered around the window, and Victor helped Jeanette boost Shia up so she could crawl inside. Once she was in, she unlocked the front door and let the others in. Jason, who was carrying an unconscious Mark, carefully followed the group inside, making sure to keep his friend safe as they entered the deserted farmhouse.
The inside of the farmhouse is dark and musty. There’s not much furniture, just a few old chairs and a rickety table. They search the rooms and find some bandages and antiseptic in a dusty old medicine cabinet.
“Let’s patch up Mark,” Victor says, holding out the bandages.
They gather around Mark, who’s lying on the floor, and carefully clean and bandage his wounds. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.
Jason: “You know what’s fucked up? That fucking sign back there. ‘Welcome to Home’, my ass. That piece of shit almost took my leg off!”
Victor: “What do you mean?”
Jason: “When the car crashed into it, a fucking piece of wood flew out and lodged itself into my fucking thigh. I had to pull that shit out myself. That’s probably why I’m fucking bleeding all over the place.”
Mark groans, suddenly regaining consciousness. “it wasn’t welcome to home..?”
Jeanette: “when did you wake up-”
Mark: “it was something else that was written there”
Jason scowls at him. “What the fuck are you talking about? Are you delirious or some shit?”
Mark struggles to sit up, wincing in pain. “No, no, I remember. It was ‘Welcome to Hope’. It was a pun or something. You know, like ‘Welcome to our humble abode, we hope you enjoy your stay.’”
Victor: “hey mark, easy man.. you got some serious injuries”
Jason rolls his eyes. “Great, just fucking great. We crash in the middle of nowhere, and we’re stuck with a fucking comedian”.
Victor interrupts, his voice tense. “Jason, can you please shut your useless mouth for a moment?”
Jason’s eyes narrow. “What did you say?”
Victor repeats himself, his frustration showing. “You heard what I said. Are you deaf or something?”
Jeanette interjects, trying to diffuse the tension. “Hey, guys, let’s focus on the situation at hand.” But before she can say anything more, Jason lunges forward and grabs Victor by the collar.
Victor struggles against Jason’s grip, trying to push him away. “Get off of me, man! What’s wrong with you?” he shouts, his face turning red with anger.
“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you, you fucking prick?” Jason yells back, his eyes wild with fury. “You think you’re so tough, always running your mouth. Well, let’s see how tough you are now!”
Jeanette steps in between the two of them, holding her hands up in a placating gesture. “Guys, guys, calm down! We’re all on edge, but we need to work together if we’re going to get out of this.”
Mark, who has been sitting quietly on the ground, suddenly speaks up. “She’s right. We can’t keep fighting like this. We need to come up with a plan.”
Jason turns to him, still seething with anger. “And what do you suggest, genius? We’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no food or water, and no idea where we are. So unless you’ve got a fucking magic wand hidden up your ass, I don’t see how you’re going to help.”
Mark bristles at the insult, but takes a deep breath and tries to remain calm. “Actually, I do have an idea. We could try following the sun next morning. If we walk towards it, we’ll eventually hit civilization.”
Jason snorts derisively. “That’s your plan? We’re going to die out here.”
Victor glares at him. “And what’s your brilliant idea, huh? Sit here and wait for someone to rescue us?”
Jason’s face darkens. “Actually, that’s exactly what I was thinking. We’ll conserve our energy and wait for help to arrive.”
Victor shakes his head in disbelief. “You’re fucking delusional, man. We could be waiting here for days, maybe even weeks. We need to take action.”
The argument continues, with each member of the group offering their own opinions and suggestions. Despite the tension and hostility, they all know that they need to work together if they’re going to survive.
Victor suddenly stops talking and looks around the room, a frown creasing his forehead. “Has anyone else noticed that something seems... off?”
Jeanette looks up from the first aid kit she’s rummaging through. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Victor says slowly. “But the environment outside looked a little different than it did before the crash.”
Jason scoffs. “You’re telling me you’re starting to see things now? We’re in the middle of nowhere, of course things look different.”
Mark speaks up hesitantly. “Actually, now that you mention it... the trees outside, they seem... thinner than they were before. And the sky, it’s a different shade of blue, like grey.”
Jeanette’s eyes widen in alarm. “Oh my god, you’re right. And the grass outside, it’s a different shade of green too.”
Shia speaks up for the first time in a while. “And the furniture in this farmhouse, it’s odd”
Jeanette: “What if we did take a wrong turn somewhere?”
Mark: “It’s not just that. The landscape looks completely different. The trees, the sky, everything.”
Jason snorts. “You guys are out of your fucking minds. There’s no way we magically ended up in some parallel universe or some shit.”
Victor chimes in. “But think about it, Jay. We were driving down a straight road and now we’re in the middle of nowhere. Something doesn’t add up.”
Jason rolls his eyes. “Oh, so now you’re a fucking detective? Why don’t you go solve the fucking mystery then?”
Victor clenches his jaw. “I’m just saying we should try to figure out what’s going on here instead of just sitting around.”
Jason stands up, towering over Victor. “You don’t fucking get it, do you? We’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no fucking help. And you want to play Nancy Drew?”
Shia speaks up timidly. “But maybe we should try to find a way out of here?”
Jason rounds on Shia. “You shut the fuck up. You’re not helping.”
Mark interjects. “Guys, calm down. We need to work together to figure this out.”
Jeanette nods. “Mark’s right. Let’s try to piece together what happened before the crash.”
The truck driver, Mr. Johnson, shuffled into the police station, his dusty boots clacking against the linoleum floor. He leaned against the counter, his wrinkled face creased with worry. “I gotta tell ya somethin’, officer. I saw somethin’ strange on the road this evening”
The police officer on duty, a young man with a crew cut, raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? And what did you see, Mr. Johnson?”
“I was drivin’ down Route 66 when I saw this car up ahead of me. But when I got closer, it just vanished, like poof!” Mr. Johnson waved his hands in the air, as if to illustrate the car’s disappearance.
The officer smirked. “Vanished, huh? You sure you didn’t just imagine it, old-timer?”
“I’m telling ya, officer, it was real!” Mr. Johnson protested. “I ain’t never seen nothin’ like it before. It was like somethin’ out of a science fiction movie.”
The officer chuckled. “Yeah, well, maybe you should lay off the sci-fi flicks, Mr. Johnson. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for that disappearing car.”
Mr. Johnson scowled. “You young folks never believe us old-timers. But mark my words, somethin’ strange is goin’ on out there.” With that, he turned and limped out of the police station, his boots clacking once more against the linoleum.
Victor’s attention is drawn to a door in the corner of the room when he hears the sound of water. “Hey, guys, come over here. I think I found something,” he announces.
Jason glances over dismissively. “What? A door? Who cares.”
Undeterred, Victor insists, “It could be significant. We should investigate.”
Shia hesitates, “I don’t know... this place is unsettling.”
Mocking Shia, Jason retorts, “What, are you afraid?”
Finally agreeing, Jason grumbles, “Fine, let’s go. But if we run into zombies or shit, it’s your fault, Victor.”
Mark attempts to interject, “Wait, I’m coming-“
Jeanette interrupts firmly, “No, you’re staying here. We can’t risk you injuring yourself further.”
Jason adds, “Yeah, just stay put dumbass. We don’t need anyone else getting hurt. Jeanette, you stay with him and keep an eye on him.”
As the group approaches the door, they notice that it’s locked. Victor steps forward and attempts to pick the lock, but after a few minutes of unsuccessful fiddling, he shakes his head in frustration.
“Dammit,” Jason mutters, eyeing the door with a scowl. “We need to get in there.”
Before anyone can protest, Jason steps back and charges at the door, slamming his shoulder into it with all his might. The door splinters and creaks open, and Jason staggers back, rubbing his shoulder in pain
“Good job, Jason,” Victor says with a hint of sarcasm.
Victor cautiously steps forward to peer inside the room. He squints, trying to make out the details in the dimly lit space. “It’s a small room, with stone walls and a low ceiling,” he observes. “In the center, there’s a basin filled with water. It looks dirty, but it could be our lucky break.”
Jason, a skeptic by nature, rolls his eyes at Victor’s optimistic tone. “Yeah, let’s all get excited about finding some dirty water,” he mutters sarcastically.
Ignoring Jason’s negativity, shia and victor eagerly approach the basin to fill their water bottles. As they collect the murky liquid, they can’t help but feel a glimmer of hope that they might be able to survive this ordeal after all. With each sip of the water, they feel a sense of renewal and a renewed determination to push on and find a way out of this dangerous situation.
Shia’s eyes wandered around the small room they were in. The walls were close, and the air felt stagnant, making her feel claustrophobic and uneasy. She tried to distract herself by examining their surroundings but found nothing of interest. Suddenly, her gaze fell on the window, and she approached it, peering outside.
The window was small, but it offered a view of a town in the distance. The sky was dark and cloudy, and the town was eerily quiet. Shia’s eyes scanned the streets, but she couldn’t see any movement. The town seemed deserted, and a sense of unease washed over her.
Shia’s curiosity got the best of her, and she tried to make sense of it. “How could there be a town in the middle of nowhere?” she thought to herself. “Why is it so quiet?” Her mind raced with questions, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
As she continued to stare at the town, she noticed something strange. It was almost as if the town was moving. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it was as if the buildings were shifting, changing their positions. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was imagining things, but as she looked back, she could see the buildings moving again. Shia felt her heart rate increase as she realized that something was not right with this town.
Shia’s heart raced with fear, and she quickly backed away from the window. She didn’t know what was happening, but she knew it couldn’t be good.
She turned around to find Jason and Victor staring at her, concerned looks on their faces.
“What’s wrong?” Victor asked.
Shia hesitated for a moment before replying, “We need to leave. Now.”