Highway of Shadows

I've been a truck driver since I was 20 years old. I've had many strange experiences on the road. I'm pretty sure I've come across UFOs while driving late at night. I've encountered many strange drivers. But the incident I'm about to share is the most terrifying and strange thing that has ever happened in my life. This story happened on a road in the rural countryside when I was 45 years old, in the year 1999.

The night began like any other. I was driving, immersed in music from the radio. To ward off fatigue, I sipped on coffee as I navigated the dark road. Suddenly, a dense fog shrouded the surroundings. It felt eerily familiar, yet I couldn't shake the unease. I remained on high alert, contemplating whether I should pull over until the fog lifted. Rapidly fading visibility enhanced the mysterious atmosphere.

I pondered the situation and made up my mind: I wouldn't turn back and pull over. The path ahead seemed deserted, stirring a feeling of cautious and a sense of hopefulness within me. With the idea that there was less risk involved, I proceeded onward. I maneuvered my vehicle at a snail's pace, prepared for any unexpected encounters, like a wandering animal crossing my path or some other mysterious occurrence.

As I drove on, a terrible smell filled the air, growing stronger with each passing moment. It soon engulfed the inside of my truck. I hurriedly closed the windows, but it was no use. In that moment, I racked my brain, trying to decipher what could be causing such a horrific odor.

At that moment, a dreadful sensation overwhelmed me, as if I were on the verge of vomiting. The smell and the thick fog became unbearable. I had no other option but to abruptly halt the truck and swing open the door to empty my stomach. When I finished retching on the side of the road, I hurriedly covered my face with my shirt. The horrible smell still lingered in the air. Closing the door, I was prepared to continue driving. But then, something caught my eye. About 40 feet away, a figure was crossing the road in front of me. Its shape was mysterious and intriguing.

Eventually, I manage to decipher the situation. A man is limping across the road. He wears an old-fashioned white shirt with black suspenders. Something feels off about him. I can't quite put my finger on it. I feel a sense of unease as I watch him. The man seems out of place, out of time. I hesitate, unsure of what to do. But curiosity overtakes me. I must approach him and find out more. But as I move closer, a chilling sensation runs down my spine.

I notice four people emerging from the side of the road. They are walking in the same direction as the man, limping in a strange manner. Their tattered clothes resembled those of old farmers. What unsettled me was their complete obliviousness to my presence in the towering truck. I expected them to seek assistance, but they simply continued their eerie procession into the dark abyss of the night.

I was on a rural road in the middle of nowhere. The situation became even stranger when another figure emerged from the darkness of the night and started crossing the road. But there was something different about this figure. Despite the thick fog and dark night, my truck's headlights revealed a clear view. It was much smaller than the others.

I watched as seconds ticked by, my eyes widening at the sight before me. There, in the distance, was a lone figure, a child. A sense of unease washed over me, filling me with both nervousness and fear. I made the decision to leave my truck, but instead of approaching the group of people, I chose to stand by my vehicle, keeping a watchful eye on the child as she continued to cross the road. There was something off about her, something unsettling. Her clothes were tattered and old, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Just as she was about to reach the other side, I mustered up the courage to call out, my voice echoing in the silence. "Do any of you need help?"

The child suddenly stops and locks eyes with me. In that moment, the headlights of my truck illuminate her face. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest.