Beaconfield by Bri R. Leclerc

Author:Bri R. Leclerc [Leclerc, Bri R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mast Pine Press
Published: 2019-10-22T05:00:00+00:00

Even with the headlights on high beam, the light was still weak. A heavy fog covered the roads, and I was squinting just to see a few feet in front of me. Ridge sat next to me, bouncing his knee and looking around.

I was driving slower than necessary and found myself extra jumpy. I was just waiting for someone to jump out of the woods and run right into the car.

As we drove through downtown, the streetlights were on but they were weak as well. The fog was worse at the bottom of the hill where it rolled off the water. I kept my eyes peeled for anything of note. I could feel my throat closing up with panic.

Then I saw the first person.

They stood outside the pharmacy on Main Street. Another person stood next to them, and another. They were standing in a line along both sides of the street. As we drove by, they turned toward our car, their eyes following us until we were out of their sight.

The line ran the length of the strip. Each person was someone I recognized from my childhood. They all stood there, unmoving, mouths hanging open, blank stares on their faces.

“What the fuck?” Ridge asked from his seat next to me.

“You could say that again.” I felt myself both wanting to speed up and slow down at the same time. I wanted to study the townspeople, but I also wanted to get away with my life and the last shred of sanity I had left.

I shivered in the driver’s seat and continuously checked my surroundings as we drove past the old coffee shop and out of town.

I gripped the steering wheel, so tight that each bump the car went over rattled my whole body.

The “Now Leaving Beaconfield” sign was just ahead of us. As we approached, Ridge reached over and put his hand on my knee. Taking this as a note to slow down, I eased up on the gas and brought the car to a stop about a hundred yards from the sign.

“When I tried to walk over the line yesterday, I couldn’t do it. There was a voice in my head that was telling me not to go back and I continued ahead even though I knew that something was wrong.” I took a deep breath. “I have a really bad feeling about this, but I want to get the hell out of here, so . . .” I paused, and Ridge smirked at me.

“Let’s do it.”

I gripped the steering wheel harder and took a deep breath. Ridge squeezed my leg, and I slowly pressed the gas pedal to start the car moving, and then I pressed harder. I gritted my teeth as the car sped toward the town line.

A cool breeze blew over us like the air conditioner was on, causing me to shiver. We were almost there, almost out of town, when a brown figure flashed across the headlights.

I screamed and jerked the wheel.

I tried to steer it back and correct myself, but the damage had already been done.

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