The Road Novels & Stories

The sky is soft, and the clouds are clear, blue and gray. The road leads through an open field and little towns that seem to exist purely out of stubborn people refusing to leave. Jackson drives, relaxed, quiet, focused, refusing to allow good music to stream out of the radio, choosing instead old country ones from a rock station that crackles every few moments.

The view outside of the van window shifted and changed, becoming more forested as we got closer to Grandma Angnes’s house. The roads worsened as our surroundings changed, going from paved interstate highways to asphalt, to gravel, and now, we were on a winding dirt path that was so narrow, should another vehicle come in our direction, there wouldn’t be any place to go. I was thankful the likelihood of two cars trying to use this road at the same time was slim to none--there simply weren’t many people out this way.

Hearing that, Edward Crayon quickly gestured for the driver to get the hell out of that place before another car got to their back and the driver immediately did as he was asked and drove the car backward before finding a way to have a u-turn and drove away from the road that was undone. The new road was lonely and free. There were not more than two cars on the road and they were moving past them. There were only trees and trees on the side of the road, beautiful trees and plants. The lonely road felt long as Edward Crayon returned his gaze to the newspaper that he was reading. “How many minutes w

They'd left the city about two hours ago, the relative safety of civilization falling behind them like a discarded blanket. The roads grew rough and bumpy—each jolt sending vibrations through the vehicle that Dale felt in his bones. The vehicle rocked and swayed as it ate its way through the dirt road, the movement making his stomach lurch. Snow, gravel, dirt, and fallen branches snapped and crunched beneath them, creating an eerie symphony in the darkness.

RAIN We drove along the rugged dirt road in Uncle Wart car, the tires crunching over the gravel as we made our way toward Auntie Lori's house. Every bump sent a jolt through the vehicle, and I clung tightly to my duffle bag, worried it might tumble off my lap. The cool night breeze slipped through the slight crack in the window, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and pine. The moon, bright and full, illuminated the uneven road ahead, casting long shadows from the towering trees that lined the path.

He put his helmet and on and off he goes. Ten pm and the road is still alive. It might be a wonder if people do sleep. Roads are loud untill dawn—city that never sleeps. From above view, city lights are breath taking. Raven roads like an eagle—fast as if he is in a racing track. Light was like only a flash of lightning, cars where like shadows as he pass by, glitching as he goes. People turn their heads to him like he was a flash.

She entered the streets and headed for her house. There were not many cars on the road at this time of night. When she checked the time, it was almost midnight. Her eyes glued to the road, she made a one-way turn. This road is frequently referred to as desolate for good reason. Due to the high number of fatalities on this road, it is not frequently used. She was unaware that it was also rumored to be cursed. She continued to drive, hoping to arrive home soon, when all of a sudden, she noticed red eyes in the darkness out in the distance, and her car veered off the road and hit a nearby rock.

The heavy blast doors of the garage ground open, letting in a swirl of blinding white snow. Ashren punched the accelerator, and we shot out into the dark. … The Ghost Road wasn't on any official map. It was an old smuggler's route that bypassed the main highways, cutting through the jagged, frozen ravines of the deep tundra. For the first six hours, the silence in the rover's cabin was absolute, save for the hum of the engine and the howling wind outside. I sat in the passenger seat, my arms wrapped tightly around myself. The rover’s heater was blasting at maximum capacity, making Valen sweat in the backseat. But my breath was still pluming in the air like white smoke.

"I'll find another way for Andy. But I can't take this job. I can't." Cassidy stormed over and grabbed my collar. The slap cracked across my face. The kindness she'd been pretending to have disappeared instantly. "We asked every rescue team. Every single one said you're the only person who can drive that road. And now you're telling me no? That's a life. A real life. If you stand there and do nothing, you're a murderer!" I laughed coldly. Then I grabbed her hair and slapped her back. Once. Twice. Again.

Be careful on the road. I looked at the message and did not reply. Just then, my phone rang. It was Tristan. I hesitated for a few seconds, then answered. His voice was quiet. "I'm nearby. Can I see you for a moment?" I looked downstairs. He stood beneath a streetlamp, wearing a black coat. The fog blurred half his outline. It reminded me of years ago, when his startup had failed, and he stood downstairs at my place, lost, yet stubborn. Back then, I had run down and hugged him. Now, I only said, "Alright."