The Night the Trunk Knocked

Last December, during the holiday rush, I decided to drive overnight to my

uncle’s place because flights were too expensive and trains were fully booked, it was supposed

to be a simple six-hour drive through a mountain highway that locals said to avoid at night,

but I ignored it because Google Maps showed it as the fastest route, everything felt

normal for the first few hours until the snow started falling heavier and the roadlights

disappeared, just trees on both sides and my headlights cutting through the dark,

around 1:40 a.m. I noticed the same car behind me, not close, not far,

just there, every turn I took it followed, I slowed down… it slowed down,