Sally and Bob Stevenson were finally on the road. For a while, it had been questionable whether they would be able to get out of the city and begin their 3-day mini vacation. They had dropped their five year old son and three year old daughter off with Sally's parents uneventfully. In fact, they were both pleasantly surprised that the kids had skipped happily into the house and they were able to get away without so much as a whimper. Then, their luck turned. First, after driving about two miles from dropping the kids, Bob felt something funny in the car's steering and pulled over to find they had a flat. What started as an annoyance turned into a hassle when they found that the spare was also flat.
Two hours later, with both tires repaired, they were on the highway out of the city trying to make up time when Bob looked up to see flashing lights in the mirror. Bob was able to keep his frustration in check knowing he was at fault and they were once again underway ten minutes later. As they picked up speed, Sally looked at the ticket and learned that it was likely to cost them $135 dollars.
"What a start!" Sally exclaimed laughing loudly hoping to return the festive mood.
"No kidding, I think the kids must have put the whammy on us." Bob said laughing as well knowing that it was important not to dwell on the annoying start.
It had been a long time since Sally and Bob had some time for themselves. They had been very close when dating and first married. In addition to being in love they were also each other's best friend. However, with jobs and kids a separation had begun to develop that bothered both of them. Fortunately, they were good communicators and the issue got put on the table. This weekend was to be the start of renewing their together time.
Sally and Bob had met right out of college through mutual friends as both were starting their careers. Both of them had planned not to get serious with anyone for several years but it was like something went off in their brains when they met. Soon, despite their resistance they were spending all their time together and it was only fourteen months after they first met when Sally found herself walking down the aisle.
Kids were not supposed to happen for a while either but somehow Sally got pregnant with Drew. After that they decided they may as well go on with completing the family and Lisa soon followed.
One thing that Sally wouldn't give up was her career as financial advisor. She liked the fast pace environment and the interaction of world events on her daily decisions. Sally found that she could do more than hold her own in the male business world and whoa be to the man that confused her beauty with her intellect. It was a mistake men often made. Thinking she lacked brains because of her attractive appearance. Sally was 5'8" tall and slender with C-cup breasts and jet black hair. She made sure she worked out at least three times a week and her body showed no signs of having children except for a faint roundness in her tummy. She also had good fashion sense and knew how to stretch a budget with clothes that were both stylish and sophisticated. When she walked down the hall in one of her signature black skirts with a white blouse and pearls all eyes were on her. New acquaintances often told her that she looked like a black haired version of Anne Hathaway.
Bob had stayed in shape as well and had fought off the belly bulge that many of his friends were getting. The one thing that he couldn't control was his hairline and its slow disappearance drove him crazy although Sally always told him it made him look intellectual.
Between Sally's job and Bob's as mid-level sales executive that were earning an income that allowed them to own a nice house and not have to pinch pennies. All in all it was a nice, comfortable life but one where some passion was needed and they were going to address that issue this weekend.
They were on their way to a city about a three hours drive away. It was just at that distance limit of whether it made more sense to fly or drive and they had elected to drive to be more mobile and flexible. An hour into the drive it got dark and thirty minutes after that a light rain began to fall. The couple were chatting and joking and Sally was sipping some Chardonnay while they listened to old CDs from their music collection.
Now, away from any city, the traffic had become light which enabled Bob and Sally to relax. As they rounded a long bend the car lights picked up a vehicle halfway on the grass. Bob automatically slowed as they approached and as they passed they could see two men and what appeared to be a woman holding a baby standing in the rain next to what they could now see was an old pickup.
"We should stop." Sally suggested looking back over her shoulder.
"Are you sure? We're already pretty late." Bob asked but had already begun slowing knowing from experience how Sally felt about those in need.
"Yes, did you see that poor woman holding the baby?" Sally continued.
"Yeah, well I guess we could use the karma." Bob said causing them both to laugh.
Bob brought the car to a stop then carefully backed down the shoulder until he was a car length in front of the pickup.
"Stay here. Let me check it out." Bob said to Sally as he opened the door.
Bob and Sally were still in their office clothes having not stopped to change. He held his hand over his eyes to shield the rain and walked behind the car and to the side of the pickup where the people were huddled. As he got closer he could see that the group looked poor and ill kept. One man was tall and thin and had long stringy hair that looked greasy even in the rain. He had not shaved in several days and was dressed only in jeans and a t-shirt which seemed inappropriate in the cool autumn weather. The second man was of medium height and build and in stark contrast to his friend he sported a shaved head. He was also in jeans but also had on a dark nylon windbreaker. They both looked to be in their mid to late thirties. The woman was younger, blonde and thin and had on a flimsy knee length cotton dress over that a blue jean jacket. Her hair was plastered down the side of her face and her eye shadow was running from the rain. What had appeared in the car as a child turned out to be a small bag that the woman held closely to her chest.
"What's the problem? I mean what can I do to help?" Bob asked to the group.
"It just up and quit." The tall man answered in a country accent.
"Do you want me to call you a tow truck?" Bob replied surmising that these people couldn't afford a cell phone.
"Nah, I think it's done and gone. Can you give us a lift up to the next town?" The tall man replied as the other two remained silent.
"Well I guess so." Bob answered not relishing the thought of this dirty wet group in their car but knowing he was committed. "Come on let's get out of this rain." He offered turning towards the car.
Bob never saw the swing the shorter man made with the crescent wrench that hit the base of his skull. He fell to the ground unconscious as the tall man moved quickly towards the car. Yanking the door open he surprised Sally grabbing her by the hair and pulling her onto the wet grass.
"Billy, load that asshole in the front here. Donna, you drive." He yelled at the other two.
Billy drug Bob to the car and forced him into the passenger side as the tall man watched over Sally. When Donna was in the driver's seat, he pulled Sally up by the hair and forced her into the back seat between him and Billy.
"Donna, goddamn it drive bitch. But go slow we don't want to get stopped." He demanded.
Donna pulled onto the highway and slowly picked up speed leaving the old pickup behind. The whole incident had taken less than two minutes to unfold and not a single car had passed.
Sally was shaking uncontrollably from fear and the cold of her now wet clothes.
