Let Me In

Sam reluctantly took the exit for the rest stop. He hated these places but when nature calls you can only ignore it so many times. He had really hoped he would have reached a gas station by this point because these rest stops were always cold, dark, and creepy. He supposed he was probably lucky that the rest stop was even open, he’d seen signs that indicated some closed in the winter.

The car rolled down the road smoothly, no ice, that was a relief. He pulled into one of the many parking spots outside of the men’s restroom. He turned the key off, surveying the area. He saw another car over by the women’s restroom. He didn’t see a silhouette of a body or bodies in the car, ice looked as though it had started to form on the windows.

Sam squinted trying to see if maybe the seats were laid back and the car’s owner was possibly just getting some shut eye; it was 2 in the morning after all. He was tired himself but there was no way in hell he would EVER sleep at a rest stop… in the mountains… in the dead of winter.

He drew in a slow breath, visions of monsters, ghosts, and bears be damned, he needed to pee. Sam forced himself out of the car locking it with a click of a button before hustling himself to the bathroom. He could see his breath even inside the little brick building. The heavy metal door scrapped along the concrete floor. The noise sent a shiver up Sam’s spine, the THUMP as it shut making him jump. He rushed into the stall snapping the door closed and locking it as fast as he could.

Anything could just slide under or climb over, but it made him feel a little more secure. The only noise filling the air was his panting. Sam could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was only a bathroom, he was fine. He reluctantly turned his back to the stall door. He just needed to get his business done.

He was finished in no time, he took a deep breath before stepping out from the stall, his heart throbbing in his chest. Sam glanced at the sink, should he wash his hands or run for the car? Seeing the shattered mirror answered the question for him, run. Definitely run. He grabbed for the door handle.

“Little pig, little pig, let me in….” The voice was a whisper. Sam would have pissed his pants if he hadn’t already emptied the tank. He looked around himself frantic to see the source. He saw nothing. He saw no one. His hand was clutching onto the door handle. He could feel the sweat from his palm building, his hold on the door slipping. He tightened his grip.

Sam tried to pull the door open, but it wouldn’t move. He shook the handle violently, his mind racing, images of ripping the door off its hinges floated through his mind. He had the will, he only needed the strength. If only he had the strength.

“Little pig, little pig, let me in…” The whisper came again, it felt like it was against his ear.

Sam twisted around his back pressed against the cold door facing the open space behind him. Empty.

He was alone. Disturbingly alone.

The metal door started thumping from the other side. He felt each rapt against the metal slab like a bullet to his back. “Is someone in there? My car needs a jump… please…” The woman’s voice pleaded against the door.

Sam was silent, he didn’t want to reply to this intruder. He placed a hand on the door, he was going to stay quiet, then maybe the voice would go away.

“Uh… yea… yea. I can help.” He heard his own voice reply, why had he done that? He never meant to respond. He had a perfect plan, he was going to ignore this. He was going to wait the other out. His hand tried the door again, this time it opened, on the other side a tall woman with dark hair faced him. Dread dropped into the pit of his stomach.

He tried to compose himself, his heart still beating against his ears.

The woman looked up at him, she seemed very tired, Sam wondered how long she’d been here waiting for someone to help. She must have seen his car. The way she stared at him made him feel uneasy, like she was searching for something. He looked away from her, he couldn’t take her gaze. Her eyes were dark, darker than he’d ever seen on anyone. He wanted her to stop looking at him, a cold sensation entered his chest, it started to feel tight, he felt like he couldn’t breathe, was he breathing? Was he getting light headed?

She stepped back her voice was calmer now, “My car… its over here.” She said in a dreamy voice. Sam didn’t move. He only watched her. He could run for his car now, get the hell out of this place. Not turn back. Never drive this route again then maybe the mountain monsters wouldn’t come for him.

She paused and looked at him, “Come on.” Her voice was firm. Suddenly he stepped forward, his feet going, where were they going? Why was he going? He hadn’t consented to this, everything inside of his mind was screaming for him to stop. To run. Push the bitch out of the way and run.

She hastened her pace just as his started to increase. She made it to his car first. She looked to him, waiting for him to unlock the door. “Well?”

“Sorry… uh… I can just move it over to you if you want to get your hood up.” Sam stammered as he reached for the keys, his hands were shaking sending the keys plummeting to the ground, the clatter as they hit hung in the air.

She moved as though she was going to help pick them up, but Sam dove after them, his hand striking like a cobra. The woman paused and eased back to the door.

Sam straightened himself and stared at the keys in his hand, she wanted to take them from me. She wanted to stop me from getting them. But I beat her… yea I beat her.

“I just thought we could ride to it together.” She said after a moment, drawing Sam’s attention back to her.

Sam looked at her, he felt the hard gaze on his face, he was amazed he could ever have it right now. He wasn’t sure where it was coming from, perhaps he was braver than he thought, but somewhere inside of him he found the capacity to look much more in control than he was, “Yea… I mean we can, do you have jumper cables? I don’t.” That was a lie, on long trips like he always checked his spare tire and emergency supplies before hitting the road.

“Yes. In my trunk.”

Sam nodded, she wouldn’t move from his car. Something inside him didn’t want this woman in his car. He knew nothing about her. But he couldn’t help the part of his mind gnawing at him, telling him to keep her out. It was her own doing, normally Sam would never be so reluctant to help a distressed motorist, but she was wrong, twisted, fraudulent.

“Come on, its cold I wanna get out of here, I’ve been stranded for over an hour.” She told him reaching for the door handle, pausing for him to unlock it.

“Yea, just go ahead and get the cables out and your hood open I will bring my car over to you.”

Sam saw a darkness creep over her face, the flash of anger, violence in her eyes. Her dark eyes. “It’s very cold, I would like to be near a heater even just for a moment. Please, just let me in.”

Sam didn’t move. The voice filling his head, “Little pig, little pig…. Let me in.” He jumped, it felt as if someone was pressing their lips against his ear when they said it. Sam’s eyes went wide as he searched for the source. The woman didn’t seem to notice, or maybe she did but didn’t want to let him know she noticed.

“No, my heater will take a minute anyways… faster if you just get everything ready.” Sam replied, his voice more even than he’d expected to come out. “Then we can both get out of here.”

Sam noticed the hand on the door handle stiffen. She wasn’t going to back down easily. “You’ll have me freeze…”

“Miss, you won’t freeze.” Sam replied in a growl. Sam’s body tensed then released, he was shocked. He never growled, but there was no other way to describe his tone, he was getting angry, angrier than he ever had before.

The woman’s free hand clenched into a fist before she straightened up, “Okay, please hurry.” She replied giving in, giving up. She said before walking to the car by the women’s restroom. Sam felt relief wash over him when she walked away, shuffling back towards the frosted car by the women’s restroom. He released a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He put a hand over his chest, reassuring himself he was still in one piece.

Sam took careful, precise steps towards the driver’s door. He made sure the woman was to the other car before clicking the button to unlock his doors, he rushed inside immediately locking them once he was securely in the car. He paused a moment to check the cab, his phone still sitting in the cup holder how had he forgot to grab that before going into the bathroom. He’d been so distracted by the imaginable terrors that could be waiting for him.

Of course, he probably didn’t even have a signal up here. The trees obstructed everything, once he was out of the woods he’d go into the canyon, all one big dead zone, a chilling sensation seizing his heart.

Sam forced off the images of his car hurtling over the side of a sharp turn, he was facing death already, one nightmare at a time, his eyes roamed to the backseat, nothing but old food wrappers and a jacket. Just like he left it.

He was alone. Blissfully alone.

Just as he started to relax, he heard the loud THUMP of the woman slamming her trunk. She was looking over at him as she held the jumper cables in her hand. Sam turned the key, terrified the car may not start, but it rumbled to life. Satisfied hearing the sound the woman went to the driver’s side to pop her hood.

A chill ran down Sam’s back, his fingers tingling. She was looking at him again. Waiting. She was waiting for him.

Sam reached for the gear shift, he wasn’t sure if he was moving in slow motion or if he just felt like it as he put the car into reverse. He listened to the crumpling noise of the tires moving over the asphalt gently. He never realized just how loud the car was, the tires, the hum of the heater. He turned the wheel before shifting into drive.

Sam once again struggled to take a breath, his chest felt tight.

He could feel her watching him. Her body language made it clear she was growing impatient. Sam stared at her. He could run the car right into her. Send her flying into the trees if he had enough momentum. Sam froze a moment, he didn’t know where those thoughts were coming from. He was contemplating murder. Was it murder if it was a mountain spirit? Demon?

He slammed onto the gas pedal, the car turning away from her. He couldn’t take her looking at him anymore. Not for another moment. He wouldn’t kill her, not if she just let him go, he just needed to get back to the freeway.

He floored it out of there, he wasn’t helping that woman. He didn’t know what she was, but she wasn’t human, she couldn’t have been. Whatever she had been she was just trying to trap him. She wanted in. She had to have been the voice, begging for entry. Well he wasn’t going to let her in. He was going to get away.

Sam saw the freeway ahead of him, he was back, he was safe. As he returned on his path he started to relax, started to calm. He’d survived. She hadn’t gotten him. The demon woman didn’t get him. He looked at the clock, 2:14.

Two days later, a news alert triggered on Sam’s phone. He glanced over to see the headline, ‘Woman found dead at rest stop’. Sam could feel his heart pounding. He reached over and clicked the story open. There she was, staring at him again. The longer he stared the worst the image grew. Her eyes focused on him. They bore into him, it looked like a shadow cast over her face, but it was a still image, that was impossible. Sam scrolled up quickly, he wanted away from her picture.

Thursday morning a woman’s body was found in her car. The woman was non-responsive, officials believe she’d frozen in the night after her car wouldn’t start. The woman’s name has not yet been released as they try to reach her next of kin. More as this story develops.

Sam could hear the voice against next to his ear, “Little pig, little pig, let me in…” he felt a cold vice around his heart.