Mindy walked in circles around the large toy store, looking for just the right present for her new niece. Colorful displays stood throughout the store, attempting to entice buyers into purchasing something other than what they came for. Stopping at a strategically placed display of stuffed animals, Mindy picked up a bunny rabbit and examined it.
Holding a carrot stick?
she thought.
Are companies getting so tight fisted that they can no longer be bothered to give the poor bunnies the entire carrot?
As cute as the bunny was, the carrot stick just looked too weird, so Mindy decided to buy a teddy bear instead. After digging through piles of teddy bears with bow-ties, fat furry bears, skinny nappy bears, polar bears on skis, and many other varieties, Mindy spied a pink teddy bear holding a baby blanket.
Perfect,
she thought as she carried the baby bear to the check-out.
Mindy checked her watch and realized she was running more behind than she thought. She was driving up to see her new niece and hadn't had time to get her a present yet, so when she spotted the toy store just off the high-way, she couldn't resist stopping. The newborn baby wouldn't have a clue whether her aunt brought her something or not, but she couldn't just show up without a gift. After all, this was her sister's first baby and Mindy's first niece.
She had spent more time in the toy store than she had meant to and she was already way behind schedule. If her boss had not made her work late, she would have had plenty of time to get there. Even though she would now arrive too late to see her sister and the new baby, at least she would be able to go visit first thing in the morning. If she had waited until morning to leave, she wouldn't have gotten there until mid-afternoon.
Mindy hurried out to her car and got back on the road. She still had a long drive ahead of her and it was already fast approaching 9 pm. At this rate, it would be 2 am before she arrived in her sister's town. She'd have to find a hotel to crash in until it was a more civilized hour to go visiting.
***
After driving for three hours, Mindy's eyes felt itchy and watery from the strain of fighting off sleep and she had caught herself about to doze off more than once. She decided to pull over for the night and finish the trip in the morning, her eyes scanning the road-side, looking for a sign advertising a hotel.
Just when she thought she would have to pull over to the side of the road and sleep in her car, she spotted a sign for a motel a few miles off the next exit.
Thank goodness,
she thought, eager to crawl into a nice warm bed and sleep.
Geez, this is creepy,
Mindy thought as she turned onto the dark road that led to the motel. Tall trees lined the road on each side and Mindy felt a shiver travel up her spine.
Spooky.
The road felt like a bumpy country lane and no lights shone anywhere. She couldn't even see the lights from the motel.
"Damnit!" Mindy cursed as her car sputtered and died. Try as she might, the car would not start; turning the key only resulted in a grinding noise from deep within the motor. Slamming her hand on the steering wheel in frustration, Mindy couldn't believe her luck.
She reached into her purse for her cell phone and was dismayed to see it didn't have a signal. Realizing her only two choices were to wait in the car and hope for rescue or to get out and try to walk to the motel for help, Mindy decided she would have to walk.
She had not seen one car since pulling off the highway, and she doubted one would come along any time soon. Besides, there was no way she was going to stay alone in the car on this creepy road. She had heard too many stories of lone women disappearing from desolate highways after having trouble, leaving no trace except for their deserted cars.
She got out of the car, looking around for any kind of marker that would help her describe the location of her car. Brief flashes of lightening lit up the sky, contributing to the sense of foreboding creeping along Mindy's spine.
Oh, just great, go ahead and start pouring rain, it would be just my luck,
she thought.
This was just going from bad to worse. Mindy started off along the road, wishing she had a flashlight to keep the deep shadows at bay that the trees cast along the road. In fact, that was the only thing besides the road and her car that she could see, lots and lots of trees with gnarled branches which seemed to reach out as if to grasp her in their wooden clutches.
Wanting to get to the warmth and light of the motel as quickly as possible, Mindy walked quickly and purposefully down the road. She was starting to get really creeped out and was thankful that it would probably only take her about half an hour to walk the remaining miles to the motel. She was in good shape and worked out regularly, so this short trek was like a walk in the park. Well, like a walk in a very dark and foreboding park.
As Mindy walked, she began to feel like she was being watched, like there was a presence in the woods with her. The hair on her neck stood on end, and goose bumps rippled along her skin. Her steps quickened, increasing her speed to a jog. The further she went, the more scared she became, her heart thudding in her chest.
Get a grip,
she thought.
The darkness and the fact that you are alone and surrounded by woods are getting to you. There's nothing out there. You'll be at the motel in no time and then everything will be okay. There will be lights and people and a nice warm bed.
Despite the reassurances to herself, Mindy continued to increase her speed until she ran swiftly along the road, occasionally looking behind her shoulder as if expecting to see something pursuing her. She screamed as she stumbled over a large rock and pitched forward, landing face first on the road. Certain she heard the snap of twigs, she jumped up and fled down the road.
Suddenly, the sensation of a presence felt so strong, it enveloped her, weighing her down and slowing her steps until she barely moved. Body trembling, she struggled to breathe as a dark heaviness settled upon her, squeezing her body like a vise.
Panic attack,
