Chapter One
The Accident
Everybody tells me, “It was nobody’s fault, Mort—it was just an accident.” But I know better. They say, “It’s just one of those terrible things, Mort.”
They insist no other vehicle was involved—Dad’s truck had just veered off the deserted Montana road and crashed into the trees. Maybe they swerved to avoid a deer. Maybe Dad drifted off to sleep for just a second, and lost control of the steering wheel. Maybe, maybe, maybe. But I know they’re all wrong.
I know it was my fault.
I should never have gone over to Andy’s ranch after school. Then my parents wouldn’t have had to drive down that road to pick me up. I should have taken my own bus home so we could all drive to Uncle Karl’s together. But it was the last day of school, and I wanted to hang out with Andy for one last lazy afternoon. Summer “vacation” would put Andy to work on his folks’ ranch, and send me and my parents off to visit my uncle and cousin.
After the inquest officially labels it a painful, unfortunate accident, I get Andy’s mom to drive me to the spot on the road. The last investigators are taking down the yellow tape and packing up.
One of them recognizes me. “I know it’s hard to accept,” the man says, probably trying to sound kind. “But sometimes these things just happen.”
“You’re sure some other car wasn’t responsible?” I know it won’t really make it any less my fault if another car had forced my parents off the road, but it might make me feel a little better to share the blame. And I’ve got to stay focused on blaming someone for Mom and Dad’s death or I’ll break down crying like a little kid.
The investigator shakes his head. “I’m sorry.” He sounds like he means it. “But there aren’t any other skid marks on the road, or any tread marks on the shoulder. Nothing except your parents’ tire tracks, and some footprints coming up from those trees.”
The footprints mark a shortcut from town. Could some idiot have been crossing the road and Dad veered so he wouldn’t hit him? But surely anyone would have tried to do something, tried to pull them out of the cab of the truck, something! I stare at the blackened trees where the truck had burned, my stomach churning.
“Come on, Mort,” Andy’s mother tells me gently.
“I’m sorry,” the man repeats.
I make myself nod and follow Andy’s mother back to her car. It was pointless coming out to see the place. I have no idea what I thought I could prove to myself.
It’s just that Dad has always been a super-careful driver. He’s never had an accident in his life. I can’t believe he got surprised by some deer and lost control of his truck so completely that he crashed and burned it. There has to be more to it than that.
The thought hits me without warning. Maybe something scared Dad, something so terrible that he couldn’t think what to do, and he just swerved to get away from it.
That makes me shudder, and Andy’s mom looks concerned and turns off the car’s air conditioning, like she thinks I’m cold. I try to smile at her, but I can tell from the worry on her face that it came out all wrong. Andy’s family is being really great to me, but I know I can’t stay with them forever. Authorities will have to get involved, and they’ll dump me into children’s services or something. What’s going happen to me then?
I can’t think anymore. I lean back in the car and shut my eyes, but my dreams are full of shadowy monsters that rise out of the forest and lumber onto the road. When each creature gets there, it reaches down and sweeps a dark green Ford pickup truck off the pavement, ignoring the occupants’ screams.
– End Chapter One –
