Deer and Headlights Ch. 00-01

Author's Notes

Well! here goes nothin'. I've been reading on lit for a couple months and decided to write a lil something cuz why not!

Please let me know what you think in the comments! Hold nothing back.

I breezed through chapter 1 a bit because i went to get going into the story. If there are future chapters, there will be a lot more dialogue.

I'm a life long writer with some downtime throughout the week so I figure why not post. ill be writing stories of all categories and genre.

rate honestly! ya wont hurt my feeling. feedback wanted.

this Prologue and chapter was written in about 30-45 mins so excuse any errors in editing.

Prologue

Erik looked to his good friend Dean with immense anticipation and awe. Dean had this intense yet calm look on his face you'd think to see on a well travelled cowboy from the era of the wild Wild West who's about to show a curious kid how to shoot a six-shooter. Erik was ready. Nervous.

"Are you ready for this life changing moment Erik? In just a few seconds- you will never be the same and there's no going back..."

Dean said, looking over to Erik. Cowboy. Sitting in the passenger seat, Erik gave Dean a subtle yet assuring nod. Collecting his emotions, Erik stared straight ahead. Dean lingered the state on his friend a moment then without hesitation, followed suit and turned the key.

Clink..

Clink..

Success.

"YEAH BABY!! LETS FUCKIN' GO!"

"WOO!"

The sound of another clink, quickly followed by the turning over of an engine and a lions roar coming from the muffler, induced victorious hollers and hysterics from the two. Erik and Dean, along with their buddies Kris and Shawn, spent the entirety of the summer restoring the 68' cherry red Chevy Camaro.

Only 4 months prior, the beauty was buried under the decades of life's inevitable aging touch of neglect and abandon. Bored, the group ventured off to a scrap yard for the fuck of it. They never thought they'd stumble upon forgotten treasure. A pirates booty. With some useless negotiations, considering no price was going to stop the boys from owning that car, they bought their future and held it in their hands.

A frame and decent interior. All that they needed.

Dean gently eased some pressure onto the gas twice in quick succession, eliciting a orgasmic response from the motor. The sounds that Camaro made when it revs could bring a T-Rex to its knees.

Dean reached to bring their pride and joy into first gear.

"Don't you dare."

Dean froze momentarily. Staring at the stick shifter with his hand inches away, the denial ate at him and it showed on his face. Wincing then turning to Erik with pleading eyes.

"Not without Kris and Shawn brother." Erik said closing his eyes and shaking his head in disappointment at his own resolve towards loyalty. At least not without Shawn Erik thought. Kris was more or less moral support throughout their journey. All they had needed was a new battery for the restoration to be complete, which they ordered online. The arrival wasn't due till the next day but it came early. Erik and Dean were hanging out talking about the classic muscle car when it arrived. No words were needed. The battery practically installed itself.

"C'mon man! We can just take it around the block and then put it back exactly right here." Dean pleaded.

For a split second Erik's loyalty broke, just a split. He gave Dean with a 'should we do it?' sort of look. Recovering quickly Erik slightly shook his head to clear his evil thoughts.

"Not a chance brother. We can't do it."

"Hmf" Dean looked back to the shifting and let both hands relax on the wheel. He understood why they couldn't do it but hell, he definitely wanted to.

"I'll call them right now and get them over here."

Erik pulled out his phone to call Kris and Shawn. As he peeped at his notifications before calling the boys, Erik swore he was seeing Dean ever so slightly move the wheel in micro exaggerated movements as if he was racing the damn thing. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Dean was always a close friend. He was fiercely loyal and always easy to be around. The stalky guy was about 5'10 and 200lbs of muscle. They'd played football together in high school. Dean was a linebacker incarnate with blond hair, blue eyes, and a single track mind. An amazing friend.

Erik was 6'0, around 190 pounds, and in more than decent shape considering he hadn't worked out since he played football at the local community college 8 months ago. He played free safety. Erik was a handsome guy with defined facial features, wavy brown hair, and light brown eyes. He was by no means a male model and he knew it but he never had an issue with the ladies. It was in his eyes. The way he could looked at a girl with such intensity as if she was the only thing that mattered in this world. And he could do so on command.

Despite his genetically successful physical presence, he was a failure in those same eyes he got his mojo from. Erik was smart from a young age, always miles ahead of his peers growing up. So much so that he had to act like he wasn't to fit in and enjoy life. Not that it was of any difficulty, his social intelligence and ability to read people like a book at a glance was off the charts and was his guide throughout life. His self proclaimed failure didn't arise due to any self doubt in the mind. It came from his actions.

Drugs, truancy, lies, and deceit. Things of that nature was, well, his nature for years throughout his teens. This left him walking a disintegrating path. It wasn't until around 18-19 years old that he looked over his shoulder at the path his emotions guided him through to see nothing but ruble and ruin in his wake. Since then things had changed. He tried his best with all his will to become a good man in recent years. Ditching the begotten path and veering off towards a path of truth and accountability.

It wasn't easy looking back on all he did. Erik hurt his father and mother the most.

Erik thought on it while staring at his phone, seeing a text from his dad.

~good job~

His father was a man of few words when it came to text. At first glance the simple affirmation was little but he knew it was everything. His father was proud of the work he'd put in on this car. The focus and dedication on a singular task. His fathers pride made him beam mentally and then sink immediately.

The trust they had in him and all he did to ensure that trust was poisoned..

The past is haunted.

Closing his eyes for a second and exhaling he put those thoughts in the back of his head. He wanted an escape from his life and the future he was trudging through nearly aimlessly, with only the idea of doing what's right. He got it this summer.

He hit call and got an answer only two rings in.

"What's up big guy, you get the battery?"Shawn's voice came through.

Every one of them got the email notification saying it arrived.

"Hey man.." Erik said, trying to sound disappointed with hints of 'utterly crushed' in his voice. "I think we're gonna have to get inside this thing again. The alternator isn't keeping the battery charged and.. the engine might've been knocking.."

"Wha- you. how-.." silence filled the line and Erik could imagine Shawn wincing slowly, head down in anguish.

'VRMMM'

Dean hit the gas and the perfectly running motor roared its roar.

"You bastard." Erik could almost hear the smile in his voice. Yeah it was mean. But they've all fucked with each other claiming various false states of disarray when it came to the Camaro.

Two weeks back Shawn FaceTimed Erik to inform him, in an Oscar worthy tone and expression, that the Camaro got stripped when 'someone broke into deans yard the previous night'. He said they were gonna call the cops and report it. He had Erik going for a minute as Shawn walked around the yard with the front camera on. Slowly but surely as the camera panned, next to his face, with the hood open and clearly in an unviolated state- their baby came into view as Shawn smiled evilly.

Shawn deserved the jolt of 'fuck me'

"I'll get Kris and head over. See you in 15 ya fucker" Erik laughed and ended the call.

Erik, Dean, Shawn, and Kris were the four man group of best buds. Just like Erik and Dean were close friends and an inseparable duo, Shawn and Kris were also. If they weren't all together. They were split in twos.

Shawn was a lankier guy. He was about the same height as Erik, arguably (between the two), shorter- weighing in at about 170. He had dirty blond hair with hazelish eyes. Shawn was a flip flops, surf shorts, dirt bikin', billabong sort of guy. A damn good friend. He knew how to navigate society and life never gave him any push back because, well, he knew how to navigate society in the proper way. He's the kind of guy who gets the most out of this world through knowing how it works. While Kris or Dean may park in an illegal spot and get a ticket or boot, Shawn knew how the world worked. The guy could travel the country with an old map and a compass Erik would bet.

Kris on the other hand was a little devil. He was only about 5'7 160lbs but his personality could dwarf a giant. He had light brown skin with brown hair and dark brown eyes. You could easily think the guy didn't have any brains but then he'd surprise you with uncharacteristic intelligence and self awareness. Enigma... if enigmas did dumb shit 90% of the time with complete and utter conviction.

They were a good looking friend group with bright futures. And many a stretches of road to be travelled.

Chapter 1

=- Erik -=

"You fuckers ready for the fruits of our labor" I asked the boys.

We all hopped in with Dean driving of course. He seemed to have formed quite the emotional attachment to this car.. borderline romantic.

The roads were endless in our minds. We spent the day driving around cranking the subs. We stopped to get food and talk to some of the local ladies.

For the first time in awhile I felt the slightest inkling of redemption. For what I do not know. I just felt at peace a bit.

We ended up stopping at a bar, having a few drinks. Well few turned to a few more and time seemed to fly. After about 12:00am we decided to Uber home. I had my phone out when Dean's dumbass starting wiggling the keys and looking at us all with a dopey mischievous smile on his face.

"What're you doing jackass? We can't drive right now." Shawn said.

What is it they say about alcohol? Inhibition killer? Liquid courage? Death in a bottle? Hell I don't know. Next thing I know we're laughing as getting in the beautiful 68'

Dean's heading up the wrong way to home.

"Where you going jackass?" I asked.

"Relax man! Let's test let this baby rip on 76."

Dean says as he turns up the radio blasting 'Are you gonna be my girl' by Jet

76...

Highway 76 is a long winding road up a mountain. One of those roads where it's nothing but asphalt & cliffs.

I look at Shawn and he just shrugs with a tilted head and eye brow raise indicating 'fuck it'.

I let loose and were jamming to the music.

We're two quarters of the way up to a really nice scenic stop where you can park and over look the city.

Dean wasn't kidding when he said he wants to let the baby rip. We are easily going 70mph on a straight with an up coming turn.

Then the unimaginable appears before my eyes.

A deer.

A motherfucking dear!

Timed almost came to an instant halt as if Cronus had touched our realm.

Impact.

We're in the air.

Then we're not. My vision went black.

-------

I'm upside down. The first thing I do is wipe my face because there's water soaking my hair and head. I pull back my hand and it's red.

Pain shoots through my body like lighting. Where am I?

The deer!

I look around to see my best friends in the world upside down too. I couldn't for the life of my figure out why there was so much blood. There shouldn't be this much.

"DEAN!... SHAWN!!!!..."

Silence.

"Kris...?" My voice is pathetic.

What's happening.

I try to look around the slightest bit but lighting strikes me again. I crane my neck just enough to see Shawn in the backseat. I couldn't believe it. I tried to adjust my eyes because what I was seeing didn't make a lick of sense. His neck... I shouldn't look like that. Oh my g-

"SHAWNNN!!!!!!!" As I scream pain shoots and through my body. I'm coughing. The taste of iron or batteries I don't know anymore coats my mouth.

I'm sobbing. I look to the drivers seat. The drivers side door is gone and so is Dean. I try to look out the windshield and the sight makes me nearly go out of body.

Kris...

Kris was in the windshield.

"Why are you-"

"Your friends are dead boy." A man with an unplaceable accent says. Romanian? Greek? I've never heard something like it. It sounds strange.

"What are yo-"

"You are soon to join them. I can smell deaths delicate fingers reaching for your soul boy. She is near."

Darkness.

Chapter 2

-= Alexi =-