Hollow Driver

Walking home from school one night Jacob is almost run down by a mysterious car, only to be saved by a scythe-wielding stranger. Upon smashing the windshield, the two are stunned; the car has no drive

 

 

Hollow Driver

By André SanSouci 

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 © 2017 André Sansouci

All rights reserved

Second Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

If you happen to walk around carrying a scythe, that’s your business.

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            Jacob walked to high school. It wasn’t far, but it was far enough. It crossed several roads, so when he was little every day he’d hear his mother warn him, ‘look both ways!’ He’d heard it so much she didn’t have to be around for it to echo after him when he left. Normally he’d have shrugged these things off as the paranoia of a worried mother, but there had been too many hit-and-runs the past few days to take it lightly anymore.

            It was about fifteen minutes to school, and he managed to cross the three roads without incident.

 

            Class was boring. The teachers droned on and on about things he’d never actually use. The cafeteria food smelt like rotten eggs and tasted like pork; apparently it was chicken.

            When he finally had the chance to go home, they stopped him in the hallway and told him to deliver some papers to a girl who lived close by. Her name was Mea, she was a party girl; ‘different hair colour every time you saw her’ type. It wasn’t the first time she’d cut class, but no one had seen her for a few days, not even the airheads she called ‘friends’.

            He grabbed the papers and slouched off, grumbling with every step. He wandered around the back alleys… her house was around here, wasn’t it? Of course it was over here… no, it was that way.

            The sun began to set as Jacob leaned against a wall, cursing the papers in his hand. His parents wouldn’t notice he was gone, they were never home nowadays, but there were so many better things he could be doing right now; like lying on his bed doing nothing.

            As he was complaining, a woman screamed.

 

            It is said that there’s a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and right now Jacob was step-dancing along the border.

            He wasn’t sure which side won out, but he ran towards the scream. As he emerged from an alley, he forgot to look both ways. A dark blue car sped past, almost hitting him.

            What’s HE running from? He thought to himself, before turning towards the scream.

            A light suddenly flashed behind him, and his heart stopped. A deer caught in literal headlights, he realized his mistake. The car wasn’t running, the car was chasing!

            Too far from the alley to find any safety there, Jacob ran across the road. The car whipped by, narrowly missing the poor boy.

            It swiftly turned around, and prepared for another pass.

            Jacob was going to die. He accepted that. It gave him an odd kind of comfort. But death never came. As he stood, waiting for the car to flatten him against a wall, a violent shove knocked him away. He watched in horror as a man with a large scythe was crushed in his place, the bumper of the car jamming right below his ribcage and forcing him against a wall.

            The man didn’t even seem fazed. Raising his arm he jammed the weapon through the car roof, piercing the cabin, before violently twisting it. The car backed up and rammed him again, but the man continued his assault, this time on the tinted windshield. Shattering the flimsy barrier, they both looked inside.

            It was empty!

            The driverless car sped away, fleeing from the crazy man.

            Lowering his scythe, the stranger turned to Jacob and extended a hand. The boy took it, and was pulled up by surprisingly strong arms.

            “I heard a girl screaming.” Jacob said.

            “So did I. She’s probably long gone by now.”

            “That car, it didn’t have a driver!”

            “I know. That makes things more interesting.” The man seemed unfazed. “I thought I was hunting a trickster, but now…” His voice trailed off as he wandered into thought.

            Jacob stared into his distant eyes, and almost jumped back when the man suddenly stood straight and smiled.

              “Welp, there’s always tomorrow.” He man spun on his heel and began to stroll down the street, scythe leaning on his shoulder.

            “Wait! What’s your name?” Jacob yelled after him.

            “Thane!” The man replied without turning around.

            “Is this your job or something?”

            “I’m on vacation!” He yelled back, before finally disappearing from sight.

 

            Jacob stood on the dark street, for what felt like an hour, desperately trying to understand what just happened. As he reclaimed his wits, he recognized that he was still holding something in his hand. Crumpled in his tensed fist was the paper for Mea. He almost laughed at the stupid thing; it has almost got him killed! Throwing it away, he found his way home and tried to sleep off the nightmare.

            The next morning he had such a story to tell, the problem was that no one believed him. And he couldn’t blame them. A driverless car and a man with a scythe? Absurd! At the end of the day, his punishment was delivering another assignment to Mea, this time he planned out his path ahead of time. He carefully checked every road before stepping out, and sprinted across to the next alleyway.

            He eventually came to the house of Mea Culpa.

            It was a small place, one floor, with a plain white door. Jacob knocked on it, and waited. He decided to recite the alphabet in his head, if she didn’t come by the time he was done, he’d leave. An eye peeked out the window just as he was slurring through ‘lmnop’.

            The door opened a crack and a timid voice croaked out “Hello?”

            “Hey, it’s Jacob, from school. I have some papers for you.”

            The door opened a bit wider, and he got a good look at her. If ‘social isolation’ had a sports team, she’d be mascot. The girl was wearing a thick sweater, her long brown hair matted and tangled. Her eyes had rings under them and it seemed like she hadn’t slept since the bed was invented.

            I don’t think Mea had a sister? Jacob thought to himself.

            “Mea?” He asked tentatively.

            “Yeah.” She whispered, holding her hand out for the papers.

            What happened! He wanted to yell. Where’s the party girl who boasted she could chug a beer in seconds? The girl who laughed when the teacher asked her plans for the future? Where’s the girl who’s the sole reason dress codes were invented?

            A car drove past the house, and Mea visibly flinched before slamming the door in his face. Once it was gone she slowly peeled back the door. “Sorry, just had to be sure.”

            Jacob thought for a moment. “Out of curiosity, have you encountered a rather vindictive blue car recently?”

            Her wide eyes were all the answer he needed, and she nervously waved him inside.

 

            The house was a mess. Instant food packages littered what parts of the counter weren’t already covered in dirty dishes.

            Jacob didn’t consider himself a clean freak, but even he felt compelled to tidy up the absolute filth that was the house. Thankfully, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

            “So… you’ve seen it…” She mumbled.

            “You could say that.” He smirked.

            “I’m sorry.”

            “Why? What are you sorry for?”

            “It’s after me.” She whimpered.

            Jacob almost laughed, almost. “What makes you think that?”

            “Because I survived.” She whispered.

            “It tried to kill you before?”

            “No.” She shook her head. “Well, yes, but before it started coming around…” Her voice trailed off, and she seemed to hold herself tighter, as if willing herself to disappear.

            “What happened?”

            “A few weeks ago… I was partying with some friends. We were driving around… The idiot ran a red.” She closed her eyes, but the image was still there. “They all died. The driver, my friend, even the other driver… I’m the only one who walked away. Now that car’s come to finish the job. I can’t blame it.” She walked to the kitchen and grabbed something out of the pantry. Taking a spoon from a drawer, she began to eat straight from the container. “I mean, why should I get out of it.” She took another mouthful.

            Jacob was speechless. How do you respond to something like that? “Um… I don’t think-” He was about to speak, but then the image of the empty driver seat stopped his tongue dead. Maybe there’s more to this… “Look, last night I was almost run over, but a guy named Thane stopped the car. If you’re that worried about it, let’s just find him and see if he can help?”

            “Why should he?” She cried, eating more.

            “Oooookaaay.” He watched the depressed girl with concern for his own safety. “Well, think of it this way. All the attacks have only happened at night, so if we leave now we might be able to find him. Then he can protect us for the night. How does that sound?”

            “Why should he save me? Just leave me to my fate.”

            “You’re alive! Don’t waste that!”

            She turned away and brought out another jar.

            Jacob was done being civil. “Look! Either you get out of the house or I’m telling everyone at school where you live and what you’ve been doing the past few days.”

            Mea looked down at the bowl of chocolate she was eating with a spoon. It took a few seconds for her mind to debate the choice. She glared at Jacob like she was ready to shove the spoon through his brain.

            “Fine.”

 

            It was a low blow; Jacob knew that, he just didn’t care. It got Mea out of the house… even if she seemed to take her house with her. Despite it being a beautiful day, she still wore the sweatpants and sweater, but now they were joined by large sunglasses, big hat, and a closed-off demeanor. It was painful to see.

            They walked around the city, asking if anyone know a man named ‘Thane’. For a man carrying a scythe, no one remembered seeing him. Others thought the kids were trying to pull a prank on them, and walked away. The sun was setting as they made their way back to Mea’s house, defeated.

            That was when they heard it, a revving engine. Grabbing her arm, Jacob almost yanked it out of the socket as he dragged her into the closest alley. He knew it was too small for a car to get through; he’d never been more grateful for those little posts in the middle of the path than today. The blue beast sped past the narrow opening and plowed into an empty parked car before speeding off.

            Once the car was well out of sight, Mea collapsed against a wall and began crying. “SEE! It’s after me! I’m going home!”

            Before Jacob could even come up with an argument, the girl was gone.

            Now, more determined than ever, Jacob risked the night. It wasn’t like anyone would notice if he didn’t go home. If the car was out, then Thane would be too.

            Sneaking around alleys, he was careful to always look both ways. Eventually he heard loud honking, followed by a crash. Chasing the sound, he spotted a tall man, a scythe strapped to his back. He was standing in the middle of the road, both hands pressed to the hood of the car. The two forces seemed to be locked in a contest of strength, but the grip on Thane’s shoes were giving out faster than the tires.

            Thane was run over as the blue beast fled. Standing up, he brushed himself off and watched his prey flee.

            “I wonder if I should get a motorcycle or something?” he wondered under his breath, before finally noticing Jacob hidden off in the corner.

            “Um… hi.” He chuckled nervously.

            “Hey.” Thane smiled. “You’re the kid from the other night. Are you just really unlucky, or have you been looking for trouble?”

            “I was looking for you. Thane, right?”

            “How many people do you know who carry giant scythes?”

            Jacob was silent.

            “Really? Wow your life must be boring. Anyway, how can I help you?” The man walked up, slightly adjusting the scythe which had become loose during his brief stint as a speedbump.

            “There’s this girl-”

            Thane laughed. “Sorry, but I’m not great with women. I know some good therapists though.”

            “No, I mean she thinks she’s the cause of the car.”

            Thane’s face went serious. “Oh, I see. Well then, perhaps we should discuss this in private. Do you have any plans tomorrow?”

            “No.”

            “Good, I’ll find you.”

            “Do you even know where I live?”

            Thane smirked and poked his shoulder lightly. “I’ll find you.” He reassured the boy, before walking away.

 

            As weird as he seemed, Thane was a man of his word. The knock on the door came right after breakfast. Jacob opened it to see a man in a leather jacket, scythe nowhere in sight. Parked in front of his house was a magnificent motorcycle, black and red with flame decals.

            “Have you eaten yet?”

            “Um, yeah.” Jacob looked over his shoulder to where the plates lay unattended in the sink.

            Thane shoved a helmet into his chest. “Good. Come on.”

            Nervously, Jacob mounted the hot-rod. “Wait, where’s your helmet.”

            Thane laughed. “Kid, you’ve seen me tank wrestling a car. You think a little head-on collision is gonna scratch me?” He knocked on the loaned helmet.

            With that, he revved the engine and tore off.

            They stopped just before the middle of nowhere. Thane got off and grabbed an antique looking bag off the side of the bike, before tossing it over his shoulder with second-nature precision.

            Jacob rushed to catch up with his long strides. They stopped next to a decrepit building before sliding down an alley that made Jacob wonder how many people had been mugged there.

            They came to a rusted door. Thane reached into the bag and pulled out a stick… a long stick. Wow, it just kept coming!

            Eventually Thane pulled his entire scythe out of the small shoulder bag.

            Jacob chuckled nervously. “Girls love a guy with deep pockets.”

            “Like you would know.” Thane joked, before sliding the blade between the doors and lifting. Jacob heard something metal drop, evidently some kind of barrier on the other side, as Thane pushed the doors open and beckoned Jacob inside.

 

            They entered what seemed like a squatter’s warehouse. Inside there was a single couch, a stool, a flimsy table with a plate of sandwiches on top, and a few latched boxes scattered haphazardly around the room. Light rained down from cracks in the ceiling and decrepit windows carved into the solid walls, only interrupted by a few scraps of window not shattered by rebellious rocks or unobservant birds.

            “We’ll be safe here.” Thane smiled.

            “Really?” Jacob laughed.

            “Yeah.” He nodded.

            “This place looks like it’s infested with monsters.”

            “It is; they just know better.” Thane smiled, but this grin was as wide and sharp as his scythe. Dropping on the couch, he put his feet on the far armrest and gestured for Jacob to take the stool.

            Pushing the plate of sandwiches towards him, Jacob declined. Thane shrugged and took one for himself.

            After a few bites, he wiped his mouth and turned to Jacob. “Now, tell me everything.”

            And Jacob did; recounting everything from meeting Mea to avoiding a visit from the violent vehicle.

            Thane listened silently, before finally sighing. “Drat… I’d brought you here so I could pick out a weapon.” He gestured to the featureless crates littered around. “But if what you say is true, and if my hunch is true, then they wouldn’t be any more helpful than this scythe.”

            “Speaking of which… I was just wondering-”

            “Why a scythe?”

            Jacob nodded.

            “I know!” Thane rolled his eyes. “They’re horribly inefficient weapons. I mean look at it. It’s got one pointy bit, and the blade is facing towards me! No wonder farmers used these things on still grain. I mean an actual war scythe would have more in common with a spear than an axe… but…” Thane gave Jacob a vicious grin. “I suppose that doesn’t matter as much when it can kill anything it touches.”

            A chill ran down his back. “And, how exactly does it do that?”

            “Would you believe this is Death’s scythe?”

            Jacob locked eyes with him, and sighed. “A few days ago I’d have laughed, but now… That seems as good an explanation as any.”

            Thane smiled. “Then you’re wiser than you were a few days ago. This is my most powerful weapon, even if it is a bit unwieldy-” he stopped dead, is though he just remembered something. A sly smile crawled across his face as he petted the scythe reassuringly. “Well… second most powerful weapon.”

            Jacob swallowed hard. “W-What’s your first.” Jacob almost fell off his chair as Thane lurched forward.

            “DIPLOMACY!” Thane cried, as he jumped up off the couch with a smile.

            Jacob collected himself, before laughing.

            Thane joined him. “Unfortunately, I don’t think ‘Diplomacy’ can help us here.”

            “But you can.” Jacob said with confidence.

            Thane smirked. “I like you. You’re willing to believe anything, but not everything. Buy me lunch, and I’ll help you out.”

            Jacob turned to the plate of sandwiches. “What about those?”

            Thane almost gagged. “You try eating those things every day. Now come on, I know a good place.”

 

            Stashing his scythe inside the impossibly deep bag, they jumped back on the motorcycle and rode to a small restaurant; mom-and-pop kinda place. The façade looked painfully ordinary, a single faded sign that Jacob couldn’t even make out had once displayed the name of the place, and a hand-written ‘O’ sign on the doorknob apparently meant they were ‘open’.

            The inside had wooden walls covered pictures that looked bought at a dollar store, there were holes in the not-leather seats, and it committed a cardinal sin of interior decorating; warped and yellowed checkerboard laminate flooring.

            But the food was AMAZING!

            Jacob ordered a chicken sandwich that melted in his mouth. Thane had curry. Not ‘that’s hot’ curry; he had ‘I can’t feel my tongue’, painful to even smell curry.

            “So…” Jacob started. “Any ideas on how we’re going to take this thing down?”

            Thane raised an eyebrow. “‘We’?”

            Jacob started to backpedal, but Thane stopped him.

            “No, no. I don’t mind it. I was just surprised. And yes, I have ideas. What you told me finally put the final piece into place. As I said, my scythe should be able to kill anything in one cut, but that car has survived at least three. Which raises the question-” He gestured to his new friend, taking the pause to take another spoonful of the toxic mixture on his plate.

            “How?” Jacob thought. “… The car isn’t alive; it can’t die?” He guessed.

            Thane applauded gently. “Correct. I realized it wasn’t someone driving a regular car when I tore the top off and it was empty. Then I thought the car itself was the monster; that’s why it wouldn’t need a driver.”

            “But?”

            “But, I cut the car itself too; nothing. Now it makes sense, the car is irrelevant. It’s the means to an end. We’re dealing with a parasite.”

            “A parasite… that can make cars.”

            “That can make cars.” Thane confirmed, before finishing his meal. “What sealed the deal was her wearing a sweater on a hot day. If she wanted to cover up, a light jacket would suffice. I’m sure such a fashionable girl would have plenty to choose from, but a sweater means she was cold; almost as if something was syphoning off a bit of her heat.”

            Jacob’s eyes lit up as his jaw hit the floor.

            Thane smiled at the reaction. He’d missed moments like that. “I’ve encountered things like this before, but this one is stronger. Invisible to the naked eye, they feed off fear. Poor Mea was traumatized by the car crash. The monster must have been nearby, or found her shortly after, it doesn’t matter. It’s feeding off her fear.”

            “And it’s making the car to haunt her.”

            “Yes, but normally creatures like this have very limited power. They make illusions only the host can see, I’ve had to break a few people out of asylums because of these things. Sometimes they latch onto a place, and can make illusions many people can see, that’s how you get supposedly ‘haunted’ houses; it’s just a trickster feeding off fear… but this one. To make a physical object, and control it at a distance; I can’t leave it alive.”

            “So how do we get rid of it?”

            Thane smirked. “It would seem she’s done half the work already.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Think about it? Why would it go after other people if it already has a host, unless…”

            “The host wasn’t good enough.”

            “Bingo. It seems her fear is being replaced by depression and self-loathing. The creature’s pushed her too far; she’s starving it without even realizing it. Ironically, her wish to die might be keeping her alive.”

            “Then all we have to do is wait?”

            Thane shook his head. “I wish it was so easy. Her fear isn’t completely gone. It’s starving, but not enough that it’ll let go. If we wait too long, I fear it’ll keep pushing Mea to a place she can’t come back from.”

            Jacob put his head in his hands. “So can you do anything?”

            “Well, it’s attached itself to her. If I kill it she’ll probably not survive. She has to face it herself. Starve it of any fear; completely.”

            “And how does she do that?”

            Thane smiled sadly. “You’re a smart kid. You know what she has to do…”

            Jacob sighed. “She won’t like it.”

            “No one ever does.” Thane shrugged and scrapped his bowl clean of edible lava.

            “But you’ll be there to help, right?”

            “I can be nearby. I’ll take care of the monster when it lets go, but I can’t be too close, or it’ll hold her hostage.” They locked eyes, and Jacob understood what the man was trying to say.

            He’d be on his own.

            “Also… it can’t know about the plan. So you have to convince Mea to stand in the middle of the street and be hit by a car, without tipping your hand.”

            For some reason, that scared him worse than the car.

 

            “NO! No nononono; NO!” The torrent unleashed from Mea’s mouth drove Jacob back.

            “Come on Mea-” He pleaded.

            “No! I’m not leaving this house, let alone begging for that thing to catch me!”

            It already caught you, I’m trying to help you get rid of it! He wanted to scream. “Come on Mea, if you face it then maybe it’ll leave you alone.”

            “‘Maybe’? ‘MAYBE’? You want me to die!” She yelled, tears staining her already pained eyes.

            “I don’t! Look.” He grabbed her hand and held it tight with both of his. “I’ll be right there beside you. I don’t plan on dying, so neither will you.”

            She stared at the bundle of fingers; his hands felt to warm. She’d been so cold lately, so tired. “Fine.” She relented.

            YES! Jacob had a little party in his head, until he realized what he’d just volunteered for.

 

            It was a clear night when Jacob knocked on her house again, the white door turned greyish in the moonlight.

            He didn’t even have time to wonder if she’d not answer, the door swung open instantly. The look in her eyes made him smile. It was Mea, there was fear in there, but he saw a light behind the dull orbs that gave him hope. She wasn’t lost yet.

            With a single nod she said ‘let’s do this!’ and the two walked out into the street.

            Then they waited, hand in hand.

            As the seconds ticked by, doubts began to form in his head. What if it’s not the blue car that comes? I’m trusting my life to a guy I just met who walks around carrying a scythe. I don’t even see him anywhere. His head cleared as he felt a pain in his hand.

            Mea was squeezing it; hard.

            Jacob sighed and squeezed it back, before continuing his watch.

            Then it rounded a corner; a blue car with no driver. It stopped at the end of the street and waited.

            It’s trying to scare her. Jacob realized, but Mea stood strong. It revved its engines and crawled forward

            Mea tightened her grip, but didn’t flinch. Whatever force was controlling it grew a lead foot, as the blue blur careened towards them.

            Taking a deep breath, the both waited.

 

            Ow… ooooow! Jacob slowly opened his eyes; his breath only came out as groans. He was on his back; that much was clear. The night sky was beautiful… why can’t I move?

            He heard footsteps approach, and a familiar silhouette came into view; after all, how many people did he know who carried a giant scythe?

            “Hey.” Thane smiled.

            Jacob panicked for a moment. “mea.” He gasped through his groans.

            “- Is just fine. She’s over there sleeping off the ordeal. The parasite wasn’t gentle, and she’ll have a bruise on the back of her head for a while, but thankfully her hair should cover that. You on the other hand…” Thane shook his head.

            The cloud was lifting from Jacob’s mind, and he did a mental check-in of his limbs. His right leg wasn’t responding, he could twitch his fingers, and wiggle his left toes; he’d never been so happy to feel the asphalt under his palms or his socks rub against the inside of his sneakers before. 

            One out of four isn’t bad. He thought weakly. Then something sticky touched his palm. Oh… oh that’s blood. Jacob looked at Thane with wide eyes, and the man just nodded.

            “Yeah… the car didn’t want to hurt Mea, if she died, it died. You… well it seemed that particular one was vindictive. It kept the car around long enough to hit you, then let go of Mea while you were flying back. It knew it wouldn’t be able to feed off her anymore. Don’t worry though, I killed it, and Mea’s fine.”

            Jacob smiled. Despite the pain, he craned his neck, and found where Mea was resting.  Thane had propped her against a fence. With a sigh of relief, he leaned back.

      There was an odd comfort in knowing he was going to die. His body was numb, maybe it was protecting him from the pain, maybe it was just adrenalin; or perhaps it hurt so much his body had just given out. Either way, he just kept breathing.

            Thane sat down beside him. “Hey, don’t get too relaxed. I still have something I want to say. Now, creatures that powerful are rare, but something even rarer is finding a man willing to get hit by a car for a friend. I mean, I’d take a car for someone, but I can take it, you know?”

            Jacob wheezed a reply, and Thane assumed it was some sarcastic quip about immortality. He was right.

            “Anyway. What I’m trying to get at is, and I know you seem comfortable there on the road but hear me out, what if you don’t die?”

            His eyes lit up, but Thane was looking down the road. It would be very inconvenient if another car came speeding down the lane right now.

            “Look. I’m just going to leave this here, and if you feel like waking up tomorrow, just grab on.” Without turning his head, Thane hovered his hand right above Jacob’s chest, but the boy’s arms were at his sides.

            Jacob moved his right shoulder, and felt something shift. Apparently his arm wasn’t quite attached everywhere it was supposed to be. Left it is!

            Mustering all the strength in his left arm, he flailed at the hand.

            Thane caught it and pulled him forward, ignoring all the grinding bones and shriek of pain that accompanied the swift motion.

            Jacob felt the scythe wrap around the back of his neck as Thane leaned in and whispered. “Then welcome to the world of the immortal.”

            His vision went dark.

 

            School was just as boring as Mea remembered. A few of her old friends had come up to her, but after all she’d been through, she was determined to be a new person. And a new Mea deserved new friends, better friends than a bunch of girls who got drunk every weekend and didn’t talk about anything except themselves; it had felt like a contest, but now that she’d learned what the prize was, she was dropping out.

            Her hair was back to purple though; a new Mea was still Mea.

            “Hey.” A voice called out behind her.

            “Oh, hey Jacob.” She smiled.

            “Nice hair.” He smirked.

             “Nice scarf.” She snapped back jokingly.

            Jacob rubbed his neck. There was still a nasty scar where the scythe had ‘cut his mortality’ or whatever Thane said. It was supposed to go away eventually, but it wasn’t ‘eventually’ yet. “How’s your head?” He asked, changing the subject.

            “Still sore, but clearer now.” She smiled. How long had it been since she last smiled, really smiled. She’d never take the twitch of her cheeks for granted again.

            “Glad to hear, listen… I was wondering if you’d like to go out for a meal. I know this little place near the middle of nowhere that makes a great sandwich… if you can stand the décor.”

            Mea chuckled. “Sounds good. I’m a bit tired of instant meals, at least for now.” The two walked out of school, hand in hand.

            And they checked both ways before crossing every street.