After Dark by DCG
##################### DISCLAIMER ####################
Hey there folks. Yes, I know what your thinking, am I a madman for posting yet another story on here when I already have 1 going? And the answer to the question is yes!!! Yes! Yes!
I am no way affiliated with Nsync or anyone I chose to put in here...They are their own person and they do whatever the hell they like whether that be wid a boy or a girl!! Lol (Hopefully with the former!!) haha
Also, if you can't read this because of law of bigotry then leave, NOW! Lol
From this I also want to say that I will be making references to musical acts and pieces and I want to say that their music is the property of them and their label alone...
Author's Notes: Hey there. This is my tribute story to Mr. Christopher Barrett.
And everyone,this is not a sex filled saga (as you have probably guessed with all my other stuff) this is a romance. Anyhoo,enjoy and read all Chris' stuff on here (Something Like Justin and Building Dreams) and read JC's Hitchhiker as-well cause it has just overtaken Brian & Justin as my favourite story EVER!! Well done for that. But alas, it has just ended...Boohoo...
Suggested Reads: On this note I am not going to suggest a story here on Nifty but a book I just had the pleasure of reading and it changed the way I look at writing completely. This message and suggestion goes out to Christopher Rice, the author of 'Density of Souls', which had me emoting at either end of the spectrum throughout. On one page I bawled my eyes out and the next I couldn't stop smiling... So everyone, go read it and discover what true genius is...cause he is!!(and so are a lot of authors here...)
Important Note: Nobodies reading this I'm sure, but ha-ho... I have come to realisation that music is a pivotal part of my writing. It influences me immensely and guides my storylines without effort. I listen to a fast paced piece of rock music and the pace of the story increases, and the sentences shorten, and the action becomes slicker. I listen to a piece of background music, or classical music, or soundtrack music for that matter, and it goes the opposite way...and everything slows down and I put more thought into the scene in general, and the thoughts of the characters take a more prominent role...With this in mind, I have decided to attach a piece of music to each chapter, as sort of a theme for it. It will be the piece of music that influenced me the most in my writing, and was more than likely the piece of music I was listening when I wrote it...Some pieces may surprise you, or they may not!! Oh...and if there is someone out there who has this kind of stuff in their story, and feels I'm stepping on toes by doing this, then let me know and I'll stop...
And on with the show.
After Dark by DCG
Chapter 1 - In Theory
Music: Aerials by System of a Down
"Wrap up warm tonight folks cause it looks like a cold one. The weather people have informed me that the temperature may drop below minus ten tonight, so I hope everyone listening is already wrapped up warm at home and not out on the road..."
"Typical! How did you guess?" asked Chris sarcastically as he continued to guide his car along the dark and desolate highway. He took note of his speed and released his foot off the accelerator slightly as it topped seventy. The car lurched forward slightly.
The radio continued to blurt out endless comments from it's presenter and the occasional song, but Chris concentrated on the road. The journey continued for the next couple of hours as Chris began his search for a motel or some sort of stop off point. But wherever he looked all he could see was trees, and snow. He mentally chastised himself for not stopping overnight at the last motel he found, some six hours ago. 'I was so pigheaded, and thought I could find another, fucking typical!' he shouted internally. The time had now hit 2am and he was beginning to get worried. The day had started off like any other, the weather was ok and the outlook was good. He had the intention of making it all the way to Chicago with just a few stops, and definately before nightfall. But midway through the journey, the rain and snow started, and anytime that happened, traffic was sure to respond by jamming everywhere. And it did. It took him a while, but he managed to get through the congestion, but in the process lost a lot of time, hence his current position.
The snow continued to fall, and his windscreen wipers were starting to get clogged up. All that could be heard was a constant whining as they tried their damnest to clear the driving snow. Chris occasionally looked around to check on them, but all he could see was his vision continually being impaired. He slowed his speed to compensate, but it didn't help much as he'd hoped. The sound of the radio, and the incessant dj faded into the distance as the echoing sound of the windshield wiper attempted to glide over the curved glass, but instead shrieked it's presence. Every shrill that resonated sent a shiver up Chris' spine...
The drive continued for another half an hour at no more than cruising speed. The snow was still built up on the windscreen, and there was nothing Chris could do that seemed to help. He occasionally veered from side to side, but he stopped once he realised that the car started to slide a little. He even tried to stop suddenly to shift it, but he could tell the engine wasn't going to stand for it, so he continued on, hoping the wipers would do their job.
"The time is now 3am and all is not well out of doors. I have just got another weather warning in from our experts and it has become apparent that we are in for more of the same during the night and into tomorrow. I would advise everyone out on the road, or outside full stop to high tail it inside..." quoted the radio dj as his show continued in the background.
"Oh you don't say!" responded Chris filing his comment with sarcasm... The comment flew out of his mouth in a vain attempt to breath life into the car. The silence in there apart from the constant drivel by the dj, and the always present shrill from the wipers were beginning to drive him to point of no return. Add onto that the fact that the darkness outside and the unknown beyond were un-nerving him no end...
"For those cooped up in the warmth wherever that may be, here is a song that'll help you through the rough night..." added the dj, and that was about as much as Chris could take...To him, the dj did nothing but rub in the fact that he had made a monumental cock up by staying out in the weather. It was as if he was directing the comments right at him.
"Just shut the fuck up will you?" shouted Chris as he looked down at his stereo...And that was it, the radio cut out slowly through interference, until there was nothing but a distant buzzing, and no more voice.
"Fucking typical." responded Chris. It seemed everything was going against him, and this was just the icing on the cake. But just as he said that, and just as he thought nothing else could go wrong he heard a tell tale sounds. It was a clunking noise coming from the engine as it continued it's workload. 'What now?' he thought as he looked around the numerous dials on his dashboard for a sign. And then it hit him as he found the dial with the answer. Fuel, that was the problem. Through all his deliberations and mental berating, he failed to see the one thing that would bring this journey to a halt. He failed to see the fuel slowly but surely drain out of his car...
Suddenly the speed of the car began to drop, and it lurched forward violently causing Chris' head to snap forward involuntarily. "Shit!" flew from his lips as the sound of skidding tires greeted his ears for a second at the change in speed.
As he raised his head, he saw that the speed had just dropped below 40 and continued to fall. As his eyes met the road ahead his tight grip of the steering wheel was broken...He looked on in horror as the wheel slipped through his fingers as the wheels of the car began to screech under the stress. He tried in vain for several seconds to regain control of the out of control car, but to no avail. The swell of panic overtook his senses immediately as he clambered with all his might to stop the steering wheel from moving of it's own free will...but he couldn't. A tree passed by, close by, a close shave, and the car lurched the other way as it now started to slide across the desolate highway, out of control. The thoughts rampaging through Chris' mind were numerous and non-sensical. He couldn't make sense of his own thoughts and urges. Too much was happening, and too quickly to make a sure enough decision. First the car veered left, towards darkness and trees, and Chris thoughts centred around aiming the car in another direction, and then it veered again, and he had to start the process over again. It was hopeless... Another tree passed, this time even closer, and the speed remained around the 40 mph mark...Even pumping the brakes didn't help as it skidded every time...
A second tree passed by his right hand window as the car hit the torn and worn edge of the road, sending shivers through the hull of the car...
Chris could feel every contour of the ground below through the seat of his pants as looked around himself for a route of escape, or a tool to help...
The wind and snow continued unabated as suddenly the car started to slow, in time with Chris' pumping of the brakes...Chris knew that the car had moved away from the ice covered centre of the road, and he was relieved beyond measure as he closed his eyes for a second and let out a withheld breath...
The speed of the car diped below 20 as the rough ride continued along the road edge. Chris opened his eyes, getting ready to stop and survey the damage...when...he saw a faint silouette approaching, fast, dead ahead, shrouded in snow and darkness. It captured Chris' attention for a moment too long, just a moment...
Short? I know...hehe
I decided that this story, to be the quick paced thing that I wanted it to be, would be a hell of a lot shorter than my other story...This is intended to be a plot based, and not sex based story, but to keep in line with the tag of 'Thriller' that I gave it, cliffhangers, and short chapters are going to be commonplace...But gaps between postings will not be!! haha
Plez,plez,plez get back to me and let me know what you think, and just to let you know, the guys will be appearing in the next chapter...so never fear, NSync will appear!!!
All feedback, no flames, to grimstone@btinternet.com or ujemeflip@hotmail.com