Some months earlier...
Three in the morning on a rural highway, somewhere in the Midwest. Special delivery, Chicago to Hillglen. Jane had been driving that Mack truck of hers close to twenty hours solid when it happened, so she never was too clear on the details.
Not that she ever told anyone. So they never asked about the details. And that suited Jane just fine. Folks in the trucking business like to tell an exaggerated tale of the trade, but this one would have gone beyond impressive to Jane, you need help.
It was a long, straight, dull section of the highway. Fields of corn as far as the eye could see. That wasn't too far, though -- no moon was out.
Hillglen was still a few hours away, then there would be a full load of rubber ducks to bring back. But first, a single, small package to deliver. Urgent. Very important.
Jane barely dodged a deer on the road and sideswiped an ear of corn or two. That woke her up just enough to pop another pill -- no, four hours ago had been the last of the batch. Jane needed some more light to work with, or dozing her way into the middle of a cornfield was a serious possibility.
"Let there be light," she said, amused at her own sleep-deprived jocularity.
And there was light. A sudden, eerie green glow, with no obvious source.
Jane drove into the glow.
--
Would Jane live not to tell her tale?
Would the package arrive on time??
What the hell was that all about, anyway???
These questions, and one from the very first Australian edition of Trivial Pursuit, will be tackled head-on in the next hurriedly composed episode of... CLIFFHANGER.
Posted by David at November 6, 2003 05:05 AM