Roadside Assistance

Ally could still remember the day her friend bought that car. She remembered him driving it over for the first time - and she remembered her reaction. Seeing as how she didn't have a license, she kind of relied on him and that little car… but that didn't change the fact she thought it was the worst car she had ever seen. She told him it was a waste of his money but it didn't matter. Jake was in love with it. The 1998 Toyota Corolla. With more personality than a living thing and the decisiveness of a teenage girl. Somedays it would start up - some days it wouldn't. Other times the steering would go in and out. Once or twice the battery died. But it was all of Jake's money. And it - barely - got them both from point A to point B. So he kept it around. And Ally sucked it up.

Until today, that is. Today was the last straw so to speak. And of course, the car couldn't have broken down in a convenient place. No. It's like cars have a sixth sense for that sort of thing. Debbie, Jake's Corolla, decided she had had enough. In the middle of the 29 Palms Desert, California. No warning. No flickering lights. Nothing. Just brakes seizing and anything electric going out with a hum.

Jake looked at Ally. Ally glared back.

They slowly, somberly, made their way out of the vehicle. Parked so peacefully on the two-lane highway. Neither of them made sure to look and double-check that another car wasn't hurdling towards them - as they hadn't seen another vehicle in almost three hours.

Ally raised her phone to the sky, cursing at the empty bars. Jake just stared hands on his hips, and his dead car. After some convincing he got Ally to steer it in neutral while he pushed it off the road. Onto the desert sands. Mauling a few cacti along the way. Neither of them knew the first thing about fixing a car, which was remarkable considering they drove one of the most sketchy cars around. When they were planning this little road trip - Ally had insisted they would be safer in a golf cart. She knew Jake agreed but obviously, that was impractical.

Oh, look at them now.

They turned to begin sizing up where they were. Desert to the left. And desert to the right. Nothing but sun and sand and knobbly little bushes. Sparse cacti and the occasional vulture drifting through a blank sky. It was a bit surreal. A bit hot. They had driven from Arizona so they were no strangers to the environment they were suddenly suspended - but it still felt strange. Eerie. Completely silent aside from their footsteps on the pavement.

“Service?” Jake looked to Ally, who just rolled her eyes.

“What do you think?” she snapped back. Ally sauntered over and sat in the shade of the car, tucking her knees to her chest. “Better grab our water and money.” She ventured as Jake joined her. “It's a long walk I reckon.”

“I'm sorry, walk?!” Jake’s eyes almost popped out of his head.

“Well, what would you rather do sit here and try to tinker with it until it's dark? Get eaten by coyotes?” Ally was on her feet now. Not quite meaning to yell but that's most definitely how it came out. She saw a hint of fear and resenting agreement cross Jake's face but he still fought back.

“Do you even know when the last time we saw civilization was?” He threw his hands out wide as if to reinforce to her the grandeur of the great open desert.

As per usual the argument ended abruptly. They set out on what was probably one of the worst walks either of them had been on. Through a land so desolate, there wasn't even litter on the side of the roads. No fence. No road signs for miles. You should have seen the excitement on their faces when they saw a bottle of water caught in a sagebrush. Then the utter disgust at the yellow liquid inside.

On and on he walked. The sun had moved from one side of the sky to the other, though they could hardly tell. Blisters were accepted. Sweat was ignored. And the last of their water was sipped by mile 9 or so. Trickling down their dry throats to no avail. Ally wondered if they should have just stayed put. At least had shelter and more food. She knew though, deep down, there had to be something. There always was.

Soon, after some more mile marker math, they crossed their 12th-mile marker. It had been nearly five hours, and the sky and earth rotation had begun to betray them. The sun rested on the mountain ridges far off, casting everything in a peach-like glow. There was beauty in it sure, but the second Jake and Ally realized they only had an hour of daylight left max - now that was when the true panic set in.

Then Jake was pointing at something. He usually did that when he saw a mirage so Ally didn't think anything of it until he started mumbling. Pointing harder and slapping her arm. Annoyed now she look at him. Told him to quit or something but he just pointed again. Starring hollowly up the road.

Ally turned. She looked. And her jaw dropped to the asphalt.

About a mile or two away suddenly stood a small wooden… House? It looked like a house but not quite. Old and worn and weathered with sand, it stood resolute against the road. Upon a more detailed glance, she saw covered-up gas pumps outside. A small tree. Rusted red signs.

If she had the energy to run she would have broken out sprinting on the spot. However, instead, they just rolled up to it step by step. Panting in disbelief.

Sure enough, it wasn't an illusion. There was indeed a shack standing before their eyes. Well, mostly standing, the thing looked like it would blow over any second. They inched closer. Not another soul or car is still to be seen.

Suddenly, and so very casually, the door drifted open. Creaking hinges ring through the air. Ally could feel her heart seize up in her chest, watching the thing open.

Jake swore aloud as a voice hollered back at them. Some cheesy line Ally didn't barely comprehend. Until she looked over at Jake and the funny look on his face.

“Did you hear that?”

“No… what did she say?” Ally gave a wary side glance at the open door. Couldn't hardly see anything inside.

“I wouldn't say she. Hardly sounded human at all,” Jake said, trailing off nervously.

Jake paused until she looked back at him. And muttered the following.

“‘It said’... No soul, no service.”