Crash Course

 

            “Back in black I hit the sack I been too long. I'm glad to be back Yes, I'm dead loose from the noose that's kept…”

AC/DC’s lyrics pounded through the cab of a beat up old pickup truck. It might not have been new but Josh was proud of it. It might have been a piece a crap, but it was his piece of crap. It might have been full of rust, but. . .

He sang along as he headed towards Onarga with the sun setting to his right. His cell phone brought him from his rock n roll euphoria back to earth. It was HQ.

“Hello,” josh said holding the phone to his ears.

“Hey this is Kevin, where are you?”

“About halfway to Onarga, what’s up?”

“We got another report from the fairgrounds bridge. I want to go see if we can draw the thing out this time.”

“Alright, sounds good,”

LIGHT, BLINDING LIGHT filled the cab.

“What the Fuck?!”  Josh squinted as he looked in his rearview mirror. For a moment, his eyes adjusted and he could make out the outline of what was behind.

            He was filled terror; it was the thing he most feared.  It was, was…  Brown.

            He pounded the accelerator

 

***

            As the sun finally set, the no ghost logo illuminated above Kevin and Ryan as they waited for Josh.

            “I don’t know Kevin, I mean this will be the fourth time we have gone after this thing,” Ryan stated.

            “I know, but we have at least gotten some strong… What the hell.”

            Josh’s POS truck flew by the station followed closely by a ghostly UPS truck. The truck was gaining.

            For a moment, Kevin and Ryan just stared out each other, and then they rushed to the Ecto.  Kevin dialed Josh as he started the engine.

            “What the hell do you want?” Josh yelled through the phone.

            “Just telling you we are on our way.”

            “Bout damned time.”

 

***

            The quiet streets of Onarga became the scene of high-speed ghost chase. Josh using all his racing skills tried hopelessly to out maneuver the phantom delivery truck.

            “What the hell are you guys doing back there?” He yelled into his cell phone as he made a sharp right turn.

            “We are trying to power up the proton cannon, just relax,” Kevin replied

            “Oh yeah just relax!”

***

            It was only a matter of moments until the proton cannon was charged. Ryan powered up the system and soon the targeting computer and targeting joystick activated from the dashboard.

 

            “Alright Ryan just be careful, we are in a congested area.”

            “Oh come on you know me,” Ryan replied. Kevin just stared at him, “and yes I know that’s what you are afraid of.”

            “Just shoot the thing,” Kevin commanded.

            “Alright”

            With the constant maneuvering on Josh’s part, which altered the course of the ghost truck, Ryan had trouble finding a clear shot. Finally, on a straightaway the target was in his sights.

            “Gotcha” Ryan Fired. Before striking its target the ghost disappeared and the blast hit beside Josh’s truck launching it off the ground.

            “Why are you shooting at me, damnit?” Josh yelled.

            “Ok that’s not going to work. Ryan, go and grab a trap from the back.”

            Ryan unbuckled and crawled across the seat as the cars pashed near the old high school mile track. Josh’s voice came through the phone. “Its race time”

            “What?” Ryan asked as Josh took a sharp turn off the road and onto the track with the ups truck close behind. Kevin followed suit, throwing Ryan over the seat.

            “Damn,” Ryan said getting up.

            The cars began a circuit around the track.

            “Josh, where the hell you plan on going, this is a circle track?”  Kevin asked.

            “Don’t ask me.”

            “This isn’t NASCAR!”

            “But it could be NASCAR Thunder!  Know what I mean?”  Josh asked.

            “All too well,” Kevin replied hanging up.

            “I don’t!”  Ryan exclaimed as Kevin pulled a 180 on the dirt track “WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU DOING! ME DRIVING LIKE THIS IS ONE THING, BUT YOU?!”

            “We’re going to play a game of chicken.”

            “Great,” Ryan said with a lack of enthusiasm.

            “Now get the trap on the hood!”

            “What!”

            “There’s not much time, climb out the window and hold out a trap.”

            “This isn’t going to work!”

            “I find your lack of faith disturbing”

            “I find your lack of concern for my life worse.”

            Ryan opened the window and grabbed a trap.  He pulled himself so he was sitting on the window ledge.  Using the roof rack, he pulled himself out and onto the windshield.  Up ahead the chasing vehicles were getting closer.  Holding on to the windshield wiper arm, he let himself onto the hood.  If Josh didn’t pull off in time . . . well he didn’t want to think about it.

            Face to face.  The two cars barreled closer with the ghoul delivery van not far behind.  Josh and Kevin could now read the looks on each other’s faces.  Ryan was holding on for dear life.  The moment of truth had come.

            “I hate this!”  Ryan said forcing his eyes closed as he opened the trap.

            The white flash burned Josh’s eyes as he pulled a hard right, missing the Ecto-O1 by mere millimeters.  The phantom UPS truck wasn’t so lucky.  Before it could vanish, the protonic energy of the trap enclosed around it pulling it in to the temporary holding device in Ryan’s trembling hand.

            Kevin slowed to a stop, and got out to check on Ryan.  Josh pulled up alongside.

            “Am I alive?”  Ryan trembled.

            “Unfortunately,” Josh said. 

            “Well Josh,” Kevin said, “at least you didn’t damage the POS”

            “Nope,” Josh replied, “Still shitty as ever.”  He lightly banged the hood with his palm, which promptly caused the bumper, the left side mirror, and the back left tire to fall off.

 

THE END