I've been driving trucks across this country for close to 20 years and I've seen some things that would make a normal person lose sleep for weeks but this this one night still haunts me and I've never told anyone about it I don't drive that route anymore and if I can help it I never will it started as a typical Hall a late night run across Route 93 deep in Nevada if you've never driven through the Nevada desert at Night count yourself lucky it's empty desolate and lonely as hell the long straight stretches of Road make
you feel like you're driving through some endless void just you the truck and the darkness no radio signals no signs of life nothing but the wine of the engine and the occasional flash of headlights from another poor soul making the same Journey that night I was hauling a load of scrap metal from a yard in Reno headed to Phoenix the sky was clear Stars speckled across it like pin holes in Black Velvet and the moon hung low casting everything in an eerie silver glow it was around 2: a.m. and I hadn't seen another vehicle for
a good hour just open road and silence as I approached a particularly isolated stretch of road the CB radio cracked L to life normally I'd leave it on just to listen to the chatter but there had been nothing all night suddenly I Heard a Voice distant and Muffled like it was coming through a tunnel breaker breaker you out there trucker I hesitated then grabbed the mic yeah I'm here who's this no answer just static weird but I've had worse connections out in the middle of nowhere I didn't think much of it and kept driving 5
minutes later The Voice came again clearer this time pull overdriver now I've learned to trust my instincts in this line of work and every fiber of my being screamed at me to Ignore it but something call it curiosity call it stupidity made me respond who's asking for a few moments there was nothing but static and then as clear as day I heard it's too late you're already on the road my heart skipped a beat that phrase didn't make sense I was already on the road what the hell was that supposed to mean I didn't reply
this time just kept driving but my eyes were darting between the mirrors expecting to see headlights or some sign Of another trucker nothing then about a mile up I saw saw something in the distance a set of tail lights dim and flickering barely visible I squinted trying to make out what I was seeing as I got closer I realized it was an old rig one of those older Peterbilts beat up and rusted the trailer was swaying slightly like it was struggling to keep up with the cab breaker breaker you got eyes on me the voice
on the radio again this Time it sent chills down my spine it sounded too close like whoever it was was in the cab with me I glanced at the radio my hands gripping the wheel a little tighter who is this pull over driver it's too late now I didn't respond the rig ahead was slowing down the tail lights growing brighter I was catching up for some reason I felt compelled to keep going to pass it to get away from it as I pulled into the left lane and came Alongside the truck I glanced over at
the cab that's when I saw it or more accurately didn't see it the driver's seat was empty no one was in the truck I blinked thinking I must have been tired hallucinating maybe but no it was real the rig was moving its wheels turning the trailer swaying but there was no driver the CB crackled again pull over driver you're not alone out here I slammed the mic down and floored my rig roared as I sped past the Driverless truck my heart pounding in my chest I kept checking the mirrors but the old Peterbilt didn't fall
behind it was keeping Pace with me its tail lights flickering like a ghost haunting the highway suddenly the lights ahead of me went out the truck was gone no tail lights no Shadow nothing but the dark roads stretching out into the distance my hands were shaking I'd never been one to believe in ghosts or any of that Supernatural crap but this this felt Real I fumbled for my phone ready to call dispatch or anyone who could help but I had no signal out here in the middle of nowhere I was completely alone or so I
thought that's when I saw it in the distance about 100 yards ahead the Peterbilt was back its tail lights flickered on again as if it had materialized out of thin air it was parked now right in the middle of the road blocking both lanes I had no choice but to slow down I couldn't stop Completely if I did I knew something bad would happen my instincts were screaming at me but I couldn't turn around couldn't take a detour there was nowhere else to go as I got closer I noticed something even more disturbing the truck
wasn't just parked it was idling the engine was on and yet the cab was still empty I rolled to a near stop my headlights Illuminating the back of the trailer the door was slightly ajar swinging gently In the desert breeze a low Creek echoed through the night then I saw movement something someone was climbing out of the trailer my stomach dropped as a figure emerged tall thin its face obscured by Shadows it didn't look right its limbs were too long its movements too Jerky like a marionette controlled by invisible strings it stepped onto the asphalt
turning toward me my headlights caught its face it was Hollow black pits where eyes should have been its mouth Hanging open in a Silent Scream skin stretched too tight over bones as if it had been drained of life left to rot in the desert sun and yet it moved toward me I panicked slammed the truck into reverse and floored tires screeching as I backed up the thing kept coming faster now its arms outstretched fingers clawing at the air like it was trying to reach me I yanked the wheel turning the rig around praying the thing
wouldn't catch up as I sped away I glanced in the Mirror one last time the road was was empty again no truck no figure just the open desert and the dark sky I didn't stop driving until I hit the next town and even then I kept checking my mirrors half expecting to see that rig behind me again I've driven a lot of roads in my life but I'll never forget that night on Route 93 to this day I don't know what I saw but I don't drive that way anymore and I never never ever leave
my CB radio on at Night some roads are better left unexplored I've been driving trucks long enough to know that some stretches of Highway are best avoided after dark you can laugh at that if you want but I'm telling you there are places out there that don't feel right not just dangerous in the normal way like bad weather or wild animals but something deeper something that feels wrong Dead Man's pass up in Oregon is one of those places I had a midnight Hall from Seattle to Boise a long but manageable rout I'd done a dozen
times before my company had me running a rush job so I didn't have time to stop for the night it was already late around 11:00 p.m. when I reached the base of the mountain the pass was Notorious among truckers for its steep inclines sharp curves and sudden weather changes but tonight it was dead calm the full moon lit up the road and I was grateful for that at least still something about That stretch of road always made me uneasy maybe it was the sheer drop offs to one side the jagged Cliffs to the other or
the way the roads seemed to disappear into the trees or maybe it was the stories every truckers heard them Tales of rigs that vanished of drivers who went missing never to be seen again some said it was the terrain some said it was something else I never bought into that stuff but as I climbed higher I started To feel that creeping sense of dread in my chest the higher I went the more I noticed how still the world around me was no wind no animals just the low hum of my engine and the whine of
the tires on the asphalt it was like I was driving through a frozen snapshot of the world and everything was watching I was about halfway through the pass when I saw him at first I thought it was a deer or maybe a fallen tree up Ahead but as I got closer I realized it was a man standing at the side of the road his arm raised like he was trying to hitch a ride he was wearing an old flannel jacket jeans and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes his face was shadowed in the
dim light but I could see enough to know something was off he wasn't moving not a bit he didn't even turn his head as my headlights swept over him I don't pick up hitchhikers it's Just not something I do especially not on a road like that in the dead of night so I kept going but as I passed him I felt a cold unnatural shiver run down my spine like someone had just walked over my grave I glanced in the mirror and that's when things got weird the guy was gone I'm talking vanished like he
hadn't even been there no sign of him not even a shadow on the asphalt my foot hit the brake hard Almost instinctively the truck slowed but the thought of stopping out here in this place set my heart racing I flicked my lights around scanning the area nothing no sign of him not on the road not in the trees it was like the guy had been swallowed up by the darkness I'm not one to let nerves get the better of me so I muttered something about it just being my tired Mind Playing Tricks and got the
truck moving again but as soon As I rounded the next B and there he was same guy same spot standing at the side of the road thumb out like he hadn't just disappeared Into Thin Air only this time he was a little closer to the middle of the road like he was daring me to stop I slammed my foot on the gas and sped past him heart pounding now I didn't care where he came from or how he got there I wasn't stopping I checked the mirror again nothing the road behind me was empty that's
when The radio came alive the CB crackled and hissed before a voice came through faint at first but growing louder driver pull over it wasn't the voice of dispatch hell it didn't even sound like any trucker I'd ever heard it was deep grally like someone speaking through a mouthful of gravel and Ice I grabbed the mic ready to respond but before I could The Voice came again more insistent this time pull over you don't belong here I dropped the mic I've had my share of Weird conversations on the CB but this wasn't normal I told
myself it was just some Joker messing with me but deep down I knew something was wrong as I pushed on I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched my skin crawled and the air in the cab felt thick suffocating I checked the mirrors again still no sign of The Hitchhiker the next few miles were a blur of winding roads and adrenaline I wanted off that mountain and I wanted off fast But just as I thought I was in the clear just as I started to relax there he was again this time he was
standing in the middle of the road I slammed the brakes tires screeching as the truck skitted to a stop The Hitchhiker didn't move he just stood there staring at me and that's when I saw his face for the first time his eyes were completely black like two endless pits of Darkness his skin was pale too pale like it hadn't seen the sun in years and his mouth God his Mouth was twisted into a grin wide and unnatural stretching too far across his face he didn't look human he stepped toward the truck I threw the rig
into reverse my hands shaking as I tried to keep control the truck roared back and I swerved to avoid him but as I did something slammed into the side of the cab the whole rig Shook and I heard a sound like nails scraping down the metal I glanced out the window The Hitchhiker was gone but his handprints were smeared Across the glass dark oily streaks that dripped R like tar I didn't stop again until I hit the first truck stop at the base of the mountain my hands were still trembling as I climbed out of
the cab heart pounding in my chest I checked the side of the truck half expecting to see some kind of damage but there was nothing no dents no scratches just those handprints smeared across the window like a warning I went inside ordered a car coffee and tried to shake the Feeling that I wasn't alone there were a couple of other truckers sitting at the counter so I asked them if they'd ever seen anything strange up on Dead Man's pass one of the older guys a grizzled veteran with a beard like Santa Claus looked up from
his cup and met my eyes you saw The Hitchhiker didn't you I felt a chill run down my spine yeah I said quietly who is he the old man sighed shaking his head they say he was a trucker long time Ago broke down on the pass in the middle of winter no one came to help him froze to death out there now he's stuck hitchhiking forever trying to get a ride that'll never come I sat there in stunned silence the coffee growing cold in my hands you did good by not picking him up the old
man added folks who do they don't come back I left that truck stop without another word and never drove Dead Man's pass again to this day I'll take the long way around if I have To and every time I pass another hitchhiker I keep my eyes straight ahead I've been hauling Freight across the country for nearly 25 years now I've seen it all storms accidents weird encounters on empty highways but nothing I've experienced could have prepared me for that one night on the outskirts of Kansas somewhere off Route 281 it was supposed to be just
another run but it turned into something I still can't explain and I've tried to forget It started off like any other Long Haul I was driving through Kansas a state known for its flat monotonous landscape that stretches on forever most truckers dread it but I didn't mind it was late close to midnight and the road was empty just me my rig and a moonless sky I had a load of grain heading down to Oklahoma City and I was on a tight schedule no time for pit stops so I kept pushing through the fatigue that was
starting to creep in the night air was thick heavy Even the truck's radio was playing some country tune barely audible over the hum of the engine after hours of driving I spotted a small truck stop up ahead a flickering neon sign that read last chance gas I was running low on fuel so I figured I'd stop fill up grab some coffee and push on that's when things started to get strange as I pulled into the parking lot I noticed there was only one other vehicle there a beat up old rig parked Off to the side
something about it didn't sit right with me it looked abandoned like it had been sitting there for years the trailer was rusted the paint chipped away in patches and the windows of the cab were so dirty I couldn't see inside I didn't think much of it at first chocked it up to an old trucker who probably broke down and left it I parked my rig near the pumps grabbed my thermos and headed inside the gas station the Fluorescent lights flickered overhead casting long Eerie Shadows across the floor the guy behind the counter looked like he
hadn't seen a customer in hours he didn't even look up when I walked in just stared at the small TV perched above the counter some old black and white movie was playing and the static on the screen made it hard to see what was going on I filled my thermos with the stale coffee from the pot and made my way back out eager to get back on the Road that's when I noticed the door to the old rig was open I froze for a a second the door had been closed when I walked inside I
was sure of it now it hung open slightly swaying in the breeze I scanned the lot but there was no sign of anyone around the night was deathly still something inside me told me to leave to get in my truck and drive but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me I tried to convince myself it was nothing just nerves from Being out here alone I topped off my tank got in my truck and pulled back onto the highway that's when the CB radio crackled to life breaker breaker you out there the voice
was low almost a whisper and I could barely make out the words through the static I glanced at the radio it had been silent all night usually I'd hear chatter from other drivers on a run like this but it had been dead air since I hit the highway who's this I asked gripping the mic Tighter than I intended for a long moment there was no response just the faint hum of the road beneath my tires and the rhythmic thumping of my engine then the voice came again clearer this time where you headed driver something about
the tone made my skin crawl I didn't answer just stared at the radio heart thuing in my chest I kept kep driving eyes fixed on the dark stretch of highway ahead but the voice came back more insistent now don't you Know you're not alone out here I slammed the mic down and turned the radio off I wasn't in the mood for jokes the road ahead was long and straight and the sooner I got through this the better I tried to Shake it Off telling myself it was just some idiot playing around but the road was
complet completely empty no one had passed me in hours so who the hell was out there about 15 minutes later my headlights caught something in the distance a pair of tail lights Another truck far ahead moving slowly at first I thought it was just another rig but as I got closer I realized it looked all too familiar it was the same rig from the gas station the rusted trailer the filthy Windows the same beat up cab I slammed on the brakes my truck lurching as I slowed down how the hell had it gotten ahead of
me there was no way it could have passed me without me noticing I pulled into the left lane to pass it my heart hammering in my chest As I came up alongside the cab I glanced over and immediately wished I hadn't the driver's seat was empty there was no one behind the wheel the truck was moving but there was no driver I could see the cab clearly illuminated by my headlights and it was completely empty my blood ran cold I floored the gas trying to put distance between me and that rig but as I passed
it something caught my eye movement in the passenger seat I looked over just in Time to see a figure sitting there dark shadowy its face hidden in the darkness of the cab it turned its head toward me and though I couldn't make out its features I knew it was staring right at me my hands went glammy on the wheel and I swerved back into my lane my heart racing the rig faded into the distance behind me but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was still there watching me following me a few miles down the
road the CB crackled again this time I Didn't touch it I didn't want to hear that voice but it came through clear as day you can't outrun me dve ever not on this road I pressed my foot harder on the gas the engine roaring as I pushed my rig faster than I'd ever driven it before the road was empty but I could still feel that other truck behind me like a shadow stalking me through the night my Palms were slick with sweat my heart pounding in my ears then without warning my headlights flickered the Dashboard
lights dimmed and the engine sputtered as if the truck was losing power I swore under my breath trying to keep control as the rig slowed down grinding to a halt on the side of the road the engine died completely leaving me in total darkness I sat there for a moment gripping the wheel breathing hard the only sound was the ticking of the cooling engine and the wind rustling through the dry grass I fumbled for the Key trying to restart the truck but the engine wouldn't turn over then I saw them in the rear view mirror
just barely visible in the dim Moonlight were those same tail lights the rig was parked about 50 yard behind me just sitting there its headlights off I couldn't see the cab couldn't see if anyone was inside but I knew it was there watching me I scrambled for my my phone but there was no signal no way to call for help I was alone stranded on the highway with Whatever that thing was the CB crackled one last time you're mine now driver this road doesn't end for you I didn't wait to hear more I grabbed my
flashlight threw open the door and bolted from the cab running down the highway I didn't look back I didn't dare I ran until I saw the faint glow of Lights in the distance a small Diner at the edge of the road when I stumbled inside panting and drenched in sweat the waitress looked up at me eyes wide with Surprise you okay hun she asked I didn't answer just collapsed into a booth shaking I spent the rest of the night there too terrified to go back to my truck when the Sun finally Rose I got a
to and had the truck checked out they couldn't find anything wrong with it I never saw that rig again but I've avoided route 281 ever since there's something out there on that Highway something that shouldn't be something that's still waiting for me somewhere in The dark and every now and then when I'm driving alone at night I swear I can hear it the voice on the CB calling my name I've been a long haul trucker for nearly 30 years and if there's one thing I've learned in all that time it's that the road has its
own rules I've driven through every kind of weather crossed state lines in the dead of night and seen things that most people wouldn't believe but there's one story I don't Tell often it's the kind of thing that gets under your skin the kind of thing that makes you doubt what's real but I swear every word is true it happened about 10 years ago on a hall from Denver to St Louis the load was a simple one just pallets of canned goods and I'd done this route countless times before but something was different about this trip
from the start the dispatcher had been jittery when he gave me the job like he knew something he Wasn't telling me I tried to shrug it off trucking's a tough business and people get jumpy when they've got deadlines to meet the first few hours of the drive were uneventful the sun set behind me as I cruised through the Rolling Hills of Eastern Colorado and by the time I hit Kansas the night had fully set in the interstate stretched out before me like an endless ribbon my headlights cutting through the thick darkness no other cars Were
on the road and I was miles away from the nearest truck stop it was just me and the long empty Highway that's when I saw the first sign of trouble up ahead maybe a quarter mile down the road was a truck a big rig like mine but it wasn't moving it was just sitting there on the shoulder lights off cab dark that wasn't unusual in itself I've seen plenty of drivers pull over for a quick rest what was odd though was The feeling I got as I approached it the hairs on the back of my
neck stood up it was like the truck was watching me I know that sounds crazy but that's the only way to describe it there was this pressure in the air this tension that made my skin crawl I slowed down as I passed trying to get a look at the cab maybe the driver needed help but the windows were tinted so dark I couldn't see inside I debated pulling over to check on the guy but something told me To keep going a deep gnawing Instinct in my gut warned me against stopping so I pressed on my
eyes flicking to the rearview mirror as the rig disappeared into the night behind me a few miles down the road the CB radio crackled to life now if you're not a trucker you might not know this but late night chatter on the CB is pretty common drivers share road conditions give warnings about speed traps or just shoot the breeze to keep each other awake but This was different the voice on the other end was distorted low and garbled like someone was speaking through a bad connection breaker breaker you there driver I grabbed the mic hesitating
for a second before responding yeah I'm here what's up the voice came back clearer this time but still with that odd staticky undertone where you headed friend St Louis I said trying to keep my voice steady you all right sound like you're having radio Trouble there was a pause then the voice returned lower almost like a whisper you should turn around this road it's not safe tonight I glanced at the radio my pulse quickening what what are you talking about no answer I tried calling back but the CB was dead just static I was alone
again the road stretching endlessly before me that's when the fog rolled in it came out of nowhere one minute the road was clear and the next I could Barely see 5 ft in front of me it was thick swirling in the beams of my headlights like something alive I slowed down my Knuckles White on the wheel the fog was dense almost suffocating and it felt wrong like it didn't belong there then I saw it again the truck the same one from earlier sitting on the side of the road its dark shape barely visible through the
fog it was closer this time maybe 50 yards ahead just sitting there motionless but this time I knew Something was wrong it couldn't have gotten ahead of me I hadn't passed any exits and there were no other roads nearby a cold chill ran down my spine as I drove past and for the first time in years I felt genuine fear on the road I kept my eyes forward refusing to look into the cab I didn't want to see who or what was inside the fog only got worse it clung to the truck thick and unnatural
swirling in ways that didn't make sense sense and the silence God the Silence was oppressive the only sound was the hum of my engine and the tires on the pavement it was like the world had been muted like I was the only person left alive on this stretch of highway another 10 minutes passed and then as suddenly as it had appeared the fog cleared I exhaled my muscles slowly relaxing as I pushed on but the feeling of unease didn't leave I couldn't shake the thought of that truck how had it gotten Ahead of me why
hadn't I seen it pass the CB crackled again this time the voice was clearer and it chilled me to the Bone Don't Look Back My Heart slammed against my ribs I gripped the steering wheel so hard my Knuckles turned white something told me to listen something told me that if I looked in the rearview mirror I'd see something I didn't want to I fought the urge every Instinct was screaming at me to look to see if that Truck was following me but I didn't instead I pushed the pedal to the floor the engine roaring as
I sped down the highway minutes passed but it felt like hours the road was completely empty and the moon had disappeared behind thick clouds leaving the highway bathed in a dim Eerie light then out of nowhere my headlights flickered just for a second they blinked off plunging me into complete darkness when they came back on My heart nearly stopped the truck was in front of me it was sitting in the middle of the road blocking both lanes its back end facing me I hit the brakes the tires screeching as my rig skidded to a stop
just inches from the trailer my heart was racing my mind scrambling to make sense of what was happening happening that's when I heard the knocking a slow deliberate tap tap tap on the window of my cab I froze the sound was faint like someone was tapping their fingernails Against the glass waiting for me to turn and look but I didn't I couldn't every fiber of my being screamed not to turn around the knocking grew louder more insistent tap tap tap it was coming from the driver's side just inches away from my head I clenched my
eyes shut my breath coming in Shallow gasps I'd heard stories stories about things on the road about things that weren't human but I'd never believed them not until now the knocking stopped for a long terrifying Moment there was only silence I didn't dare move I didn't dare breathe and then just as suddenly as it had stopped the knocking started again this time from the passenger side window my blood turned to ice the thing whatever it was was circling my truck tapping on the Windows waiting for me to acknowledge it but I didn't I couldn't I
kept my eyes forward my hands locked on the wheel then the radio crackled to Life One Last Time you're Almost there driver just a little further don't stop I swallowed hard every Instinct telling me to get the hell out of there the truck in front of me was still blocking the road but there was just enough room to maneuver around it slowly I eased off the brake and guided my rig around the back of the trailer my hands trembling as I forced myself not to look at the windows as soon as I cleared the truck
I floored it the engine roared to life and I shot Down the highway leaving that cursed rig behind for the next hour I didn't stop didn't look back the road was eerily quiet the fog long gone but the fear stayed with me clawing at the edges of my mind when I finally pulled into a truck stop on the outskirts of St Louis I parked my rig and collapsed into the driver's seat my body shaking from the adrenaline I didn't sleep that night hell I didn't sleep for days days after I never told anyone about what
happened Not the dispatcher not the other truckers at the stop they wouldn't believe me if I tried but I know what I saw I know what followed me that night and sometimes when I'm driving late at night on a long stretch of empty road I hear it again the knocking tap tap tap and I know deep down that it's still out there waiting I've been a trucker for over 20 years and I've always prided myself on handling the long lonely stretches of Highway the isolation doesn't get to me like it does to some I'm good
at tuning out the silence keeping my mind on the road and my rig steady but there's one stretch of road I won't drive anymore one that I steer clear of if I can it's just a two-lane strip in the middle of nowhere Highway 62 the night I'm about to tell you about is the reason why I'll never forget it it was late October just after midnight and I was hauling a load of Frozen goods From Tulsa down to Austin my usual route had been closed for construction so I took a detour Highway 62 it cut
through the Backwoods of Oklahoma and Texas miles of nothing but dense trees and the occasional rundown gas station no big deal I'd driven roads like this plenty of times but from the moment I turned on to 62 something felt off the road was too quiet even for a back road normally you'd pass the odd car or see the lights of a farmhouse in the distance but there Was nothing just the black ribbon of asphalt stretching out in front of me swallowed by the darkness beyond my headlights after about an hour on 62 I noticed something
strange a set of headlights in my rearview mirror they weren't there before and they were coming up fast the trucker in me figured it was just another driver trying to pass so I kept an eye on them expecting the car to overtake me at any moment but they Didn't the headlights stayed right behind me matching my speed they weren't too close but not far enough to give me Comfort either I tried to wave them on tapping the brakes lightly to signal they could pass but the lights stayed where they were a chill crept up my
spine and I felt my stomach tighten I've had Tailgators before but something about this didn't feel right I couldn't shake the sense that whoever or whatever was behind me wasn't just another late Night driver I reached for the CB radio thinking maybe another trucker was nearby someone I could talk to but all I got thought was static I flipped through the channels more static it didn't make any sense the CB had worked fine all night and I wasn't in the middle of nowhere just the edge of it after a few minutes the headlights behind me
blinked off I glanced back thinking maybe the car had turned off or slowed down but There was nothing no car no lights just empty Highway stretching into the darkness a sense of relief washed over me but it didn't last long then I heard it the unmistakable sound of an engine rumbling behind me it was low at first like a distant thunderstorm but it grew louder closer I checked my mirrors again but still there was nothing there no lights no sign of any vehicle just the sound the engine roared as if it was right on top
of me But I couldn't see a damn thing I pushed the pedal down a little harder speeding up but the sound sound followed growing louder more aggressive I felt the rig shudder slightly like something had nudged it but when I looked there was nothing my heart was racing hands slick on the wheel I tried to tell myself it was just my imagination just the isolation getting to me but that didn't explain the noise didn't explain the way my rig felt like it was being Followed I kept driving heart pounding in my chest and just when
I thought I couldn't take it anymore the engine noise stopped silence fell over the cab again thick and heavy I took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves telling myself it was just one of those things a trick of the wind or the sound bouncing off the trees but then I saw it up ahead in the middle of the road was a truck a big rig just like mine parked across both Lanes its headlights were off its cab sitting in Shadow there was no warning no sign of it as I'd approached it was just
there I slammed on the brakes my rig groaning as it slowed I stopped just short of the truck my headlights barely Illuminating the side of its trailer there were no markings no logos no identifying signs just a long white trailer that looked worn and old too old to be on the road I hit the horn long And Loud expecting someone to come out a driver to appear nothing the cab was dark the truck as still as a tomb my heart pounded in my chest and every instinct told me to back up turn around and get
the hell out of there but I couldn't couldn't take my eyes off that truck something about it felt wrong unnatural it was like it didn't belong like it had materialized out of thin air after what felt like an eternity I Decided to get out and take a look I grabbed my flashlight my hand trembling as I opened the door and climbed down from the cab the air was cold colder than it should have been for October in Oklahoma my breath fogged in front of me as I approached the other truck my boots crunching on the
gravel at the edge of the road I walked up to the cab shining my flashlight on the door it was closed the windows too dirty to see inside I Knocked the sound echoing into the night no response I knocked again harder this time but still nothing that's when I heard it a soft almost imperceptible tapping coming from inside the trailer I froze listening tap tap tap it was faint but steady like something or someone was inside trying to get out I swallowed hard stepping back my instinct screamed at me to run but I couldn't move
the tapping grew louder more urgent tap tap tap then Without warning the back doors of the trailer creaked open I stumbled backward my flashlight flickering as the doors swung wide inside was nothing but Darkness thick impenetrable darkness that swallowed the beam of my light my heart hammered in my chest and for a moment I thought I saw movement something shifting in the shadows but I couldn't be sure then the doors slammed shut with a deafening bang that was enough for me I turned and Bolted back to my truck my pulse pounding in my ears I
didn't look back didn't care what was in that trailer or who had opened those doors I just knew I had to get out of there I jumped into the cab slammed the door and gunned the engine my rig roared to life and I backed up as fast as I could tires screeching on the asphalt as I pulled away I glanced in the rearview mirror the truck was gone not just moved gone the road was empty the night Swallowing everything behind me there was no sign of the rig no tire marks nothing just the open Highway
stretching into the darkness I drove for hours my hands gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles were white I didn't stop didn't even glance at the CB when I finally reached a truck stop just outside of Dallas I pulled in parked and set sat there for a long time staring at the empty road ahead I couldn't explain what had happened and To be honest I didn't want to the next day I asked around talked to a few other truckers who knew the area most of them just Shrugged it off said Highway 62 had always been
a little strange but one Oldtimer a guy with more years behind the wheel than me leaned in close when I mentioned the truck don't drive that road at night he said his voice low and serious there's things out there things that aren't from here you see a truck on 62 you keep driving don't stop Don't look and whatever you do don't follow it I've avoided Highway 62 ever since and sometimes late at night when I'm driving through the back roads of some lonely stretch of highway I think about that truck and I wonder if it's
still out there waiting I don't plan on finding out I've been driving rigs for nearly 30 years now and in all that time there's one story I never tell it's the kind of Thing that even if you believe me and I don't expect you to you'd wish you didn't he but I'll say this There Are Places out there on the road that you should avoid no matter how tough or experienced you are places where things happen that have no explanation and where truckers like me just vanish leaving nothing behind but a cold empty rig this
happened about 7 years ago on a hall from Salt Lake City down to Phoenix it was a straightforward route I'd done It a 100 times before but this time there was a detour route 13 just hearing the name still makes my blood run cold I had to take it because of a bad wreck on the interstate ahead a semi flipped over and the radio was saying it would hours before they cleared the scene my dispatcher said Route 13 was the quickest way to get around it now I'd heard stories about Route 13 old trucker Tales
everyone had but no one I knew had actually driven it they said it was a Cursed Road the trucks that took that route sometimes didn't make it to the other end but I figured it was all just nonsense truckers tell tall Tal hes all the time to pass the hours I didn't think much of it as I turned off the highway and onto the narrow cracked asphalt of Route 13 at first everything seemed fine the road was empty not a soulle in sight which wasn't surprising given the late hour and the fact that this wasn't
a Major route but as I drove deeper into the desert something started to feel wrong it wasn't anything I could put my finger on at first just a feeling like the air was heavier thicker my headlights seemed weaker barely cutting through the darkness ahead of me and the road well it seemed to stretch on forever after about an hour I started seeing the fog it came in slowly at first just patches of mist curling up From the ground but then it thickened swallowing the road ahead until I could barely see 10 ft in front of
me I slowed down my hands gripping the wheel tighter I've driven through bad fog before but this was different it was like the fog was alive creeping toward me wrapping around the truck like a shroud the CB crackled to life suddenly startling me breaker breaker anyone out there the voice was distorted low like someone was talking through a mouthful of gravel I Hadn't touched the radio in hours I hesitated then grabbed the mic yeah I'm here who's this there was a long pause static filled the air hissing like a snake in the dark then the
voice came again clearer this time but colder like a gust of wind from a frozen grave get off the road driver get off before it's too late I felt a shiver run down my spine what are you talking about who is this the radio went dead just static no response I shook my head telling myself It was some trucker trying to mess with me guys do that out here sometimes especially on Long lonely stretches of road but the fog was getting worse I couldn't see a damn thing and my GPS had stopped working the little
screen showed nothing but a gray blob and the road markers had disappeared miles ago still I kept driving what else could I do then I saw the first sign of trouble there on the side of the road Barely visible through the fog was a wrecked semi its trailer was Jack knifed across the shoulder the front cab crumpled like a tin can I slowed down craning my neck to get a better look but something about it made my stomach churn the truck looked old really old like it had been there for years rust covered the metal
and the tires were deflated half sunk into the cracked asphalt but that wasn't what made my Skin crawl there was someone standing next to the wreck a man tall and thin dressed in a faded Trucker's jacket his face obscured by the fog he was just standing there staring at me as I passed not moving not waving for help just watching I sped up heart pounding in my chest something was wrong I've seen Rex before and the first thing any driver does is try to signal for help but this guy didn't move an inch he just
stood there his eyes locked on my truck as I Drove by the fog swallowed him up and I was alone again I kept going but now my nerves were on edge every shadow every swirl of mist made me jump the fog was thickening and I was starting to think I should have listened to that voice on the radio maybe I should have turned around but it was too late now I was in the thick of it and there was no way to go but forward then about 20 minutes later I saw another Truck this one
was coming toward me headlights dim and flickering I breathed a sigh of relief another trucker maybe I could flag him down ask if he knew where the hell I was but as the truck got closer I felt that same cold dread settle over me there was something wrong with it the cab was dark no lights inside and the trailer was dented covered in mud and grime like it hadn't seen the light of day in years as it passed by I caugh a glimpse of the Driver he was slumped over the wheel face pale eyes wide
open but he wasn't looking at the road he was looking right at me for a split second our eyes locked and I swear to God I saw death in those eyes not fear not panic just death cold and empty staring back at me from the other side of that fogged up windshield I hit the gas heart racing and sped down the road my hands shaking on the wheel what the hell was going on I had to be losing it that's what I told Myself fatigue the isolation maybe even a trick of the fog but the
road kept going on and on with no end in sight no signs no exits no landmarks just that narrow strip of asphalt disappearing into the Mist then the radio crackled again this time time the voice was different softer female but it sent the same chill down my spine you're not going to make it driver no one makes it out of here I slammed my fist on the dashboard who the hell are you silence I Gritted my teeth trying to hold it together but the Panic was setting in now I checked the time it was nearly
4:00 a.m. but it felt like I'd been driving for days the road wasn't making sense anymore it was like I was stuck in some kind of loop passing the same Twisted bare trees the same empty stretches of desert and the far it was so thick now I couldn't see the edges of the road then up ahead I saw lights not headlights these were different faint Yellowish glowing from the side of the road I slowed down as I got closer squinting through the fog it was a diner one of those old 24-hour greasy spoons you see
in the middle of nowhere with a flickering neon sign that barely worked the parking lot was empty but the lights inside were on I pulled over my hands trembling as I killed the engine I didn't want to get out but something told me I had no choice I needed to find out where I was how to get off this Godforsaken road I climbed out of the cab the cold night air biting at my skin and walked up to the door it creaked as I pushed it open the sound echoing into the Stillness inside the diner
was empty no customers no waitress no cook behind the counter just a jukebox in the corner playing some old country tune I didn't recognize I called out but no one answered that's when I saw the photo it was hanging on the wall behind the counter a black and White picture of a truck truck my truck same rig same trailer parked outside the same Diner but the picture looked ancient like it had been taken decades ago my blood ran cold as I stared at the photo my mind racing how the hell was that possible How Could
my truck be in a picture from before I was even born then from behind me I heard the door Creak open I spun around but there was no one there just the fog thick and endless pressing Against the glass and in that moment I knew I was never getting off Route 13 not alive anyway I've been driving rigs since I was old enough to get my CDL and I've seen just about everything the road can throw at a man I've braved ice storms in the Rockies white knuckled it through tornadoes in Kansas and slept in
my cab in the middle of nowhere more times than I can count but none of that compares to what Happened one cold October night on I90 deep in the heart of Wyoming it was the kind of night that gets under your skin the kind of night that still makes me wake up in a cold sweat it started like any other Hall I was taking a load of electronics from Seattle to Chicago a Long Haul but nothing I hadn't done before the weather was clear the air crisp with the first bite of winter and the road
was wide open no traffic no distractions just Miles and miles of highway I was making good time planning to stop at a truck stop outside of Gillette for a quick bite and a nap before pushing on around 1:00 a.m. I noticed the fog rolling in it was strange the forecast had been clear all night but there it was thick and heavy settling over the road like a shroud I slowed down flicking on my high beams but the fog swallowed the light my CB crackled to life just static at first then a voice faint and broken
Breaker anyone out there on I90 I grabbed the mic the hairs on the back of my neck standing up there was something off about The Voice Low grally like the the guy on the other end was struggling to breathe yeah I'm here I said who's this silence the static hummed for a few seconds then the voice came back clearer this time get off the road the words sent a chill down my spine I looked around but there was nothing out there Just the road the fog and the faint outline of the mountains in the distance
who is this I asked a little more forceful you trying to mess with me the CB went dead nothing but static I shook my head figuring it was some prankster trying to get a rise out of me truckers have a twisted sense of humor sometimes especially on these long lonely halls but the warning stuck with me I kept driving pushing through the fog which only seemed to get Thicker my GPS had lost signal a while back and the radio was nothing but fuzz the road was narrowing the darkness pressing in closer and I couldn't shake
the feeling that I wasn't alone out there every now and then I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye a flash of movement in the midst something darting across the road but every time I looked there was nothing just shadows and fog then I saw the lights at first they Were faint just a flicker in the distance but as I got closer they grew brighter two headlights heading straight for me I slowed down squinting through the fog expecting the car to pass on the other side but the lights didn't move they
stayed dead center right in my Lane coming at me faster than they should have I slammed on the horn the sound blaring into the night nothing the lights kept coming blinding me burning through the fog my heart was pounding Now my hands slick on the wheel I swerved hard to the right my tires screeching on the pavement for a moment I thought I was going to crash but when I glanced in the rear view mirror the lights were gone just gone like they'd never been there I pulled over to the side of the road my
breath coming in ragged gasps what the hell had just happened I'd been sure I was about to hit something or someone but there was nothing The road behind me was empty no lights no cars no sign of anything out of the ordinary after a few minutes I got back on the road but the uneasy feeling in my gut wouldn't go away I kept glancing in the mirrors half expecting those lights to come back the fog was still thick but the road seemed darker now like something was waiting just beyond the reach of my headlights that's
when I saw it standing on the side of the road just outside the beam of my headlights was a Figure a man or at least it looked like a man tall thin wearing a long coat that flapped in the wind his face was hidden in the shadows but I could feel him staring at me watching my heart skipped a beat and I slowed down again staring out the windshield trying to make sense of what I was seeing he didn't move he just stood there motionless as I passed then in the mirror he was gone vanished
I sped up my pulse racing I told myself it was just a trick of the fog my mind Playing games with me after hours on the road but deep down I knew better there was something out there something that shouldn't have been the road ahead was empty again and for the next hour I drove in silence gripping the wheel so hard my Knuckles turned white but the feeling of being watched never went away I kept checking the mirrors waiting for that figure to reappear for the lights to flash in the darkness then without warning the
CB crackled Again Last Chance driver The Voice whispered get off the road my heart pounded in my chest whoever it was they weren't messing around I was miles from anywhere no exits no towns nothing but open road and fog I grabbed the mic my voice shaking as I spoke what do you want I demanded who the hell are you there was a long pause then the voice came back quieter this time almost sad they never listen they never Listen suddenly my headlights hit something up ahead I slammed on the brakes my rig screeching to a
halt there in the middle of the road was another truck an old rig rusted and battered its trailer jack knifed across both lanes the windows were shattered the cab crumpled like it had been in a wreck years ago but there was no sign of the driver my heart raced as I stepped out of the cab the cold air biting into my Skin I grabbed my flashlight and approached the wreck every Instinct screaming at me to turn back to get in my truck and keep driving but something pulled me toward it I reached the driver's side
door the metal creaking as I opened it inside was a mess of broken glass torn seats and old blood stains whoever had been in the wreck hadn't walked away I leaned closer shining my light into the cab and that's when I saw it a photo an old crumpled picture Wedged in the cracked dashboard it was a picture of me standing next to my rig smiling as if someone had taken it just days ago but the edges were worn faded like it had been sitting there for years I staggered back my heart pounding in my chest
the fog swirling around me this wasn't possible it couldn't be possible and then in the distance I heard it the sound of an engine a low rumbling growl that seemed to come from everywhere at Once I spun around my flashlight cutting through the the fog but there was nothing there just the wreck the endless Road and the sound of that engine growing closer louder I ran back to my truck jumped inside and hit the gas the engine roared to life and I tore down the highway not daring to look back the fog chased me thick
and suffocating but I didn't stop I didn't even slow down until I saw the lights of a gas station in the distance I pulled in parked and Sat there for a long time my hand hands still shaking on the wheel I never told anyone about that night never took Route 90 through Wyoming again but sometimes when I'm alone on the road late at night I think about that voice on the CB and I wonder how many drivers didn't listen and how many more will vanish into the fog I've been a truck driver for nearly 15
years and I've seen my fair share of a ities out on the open road but nothing could prepare me for what happened one Fateful night on Highway 51 it was late October the nights were getting longer and the air had that crisp bite of approaching winter I was hauling a load of farm equipment from Kansas City to a small town in Montana planning to arrive by Dawn the first part of the trip was uneventful I cruised along the rhythmic hum of the tires on asphalt buing me into a comfortable trance the landscape was flat and
open stretching out beneath the Vast star-filled sky as I approached the outskirts of a small town my headlights picked up a figure standing by the side of the road it was a man tall and gaunt wearing a worn out jacket and a battered hat he raised a hand signaling for me to stop my instincts kicked in I was taught never to pick up hitchhikers but something about this guy intrigued me maybe it was the desperation in his eyes or the way he seemed to melt into the Shadows against my better judgment I Slowed down and
rolled down my window need a lift I asked trying to sound casual yeah please I've been waiting here for hours he replied his voice hoarse and raspy I hesitated weighing my options but then something in his gaze convinced me to let him in I unlocked the door and he climbed into the passenger seat not saying a word where you headed I asked trying to make conversation just past Cedar Ridge he Muttered staring out the window into the night the silence stretched between us thick and uneasy I glanced at him out of the corner of my
eye he was thin too thin his skin had a sickly palor and I could see the Shadows under his eyes it unnerved me but I shook it off as we drove the road twisted and turned eventually leading us into the more remote parts of Highway 51 the fog rolled in thick shrouding the road and creating an eerie atmosphere I Turned on the headlights but they barely penetrated the darkness ahead do you live around here I asked hoping to break the silence he turned to me his eyes wide not exactly I've been traveling for a while
there was something about his tone that made me uneasy it was almost as if he was avoiding the question I decided to change the subject do you work in town I pressed he chuckled softly a sound that sent chills down my spine you Could say that I have a few unfinished business dealings the way he said it made my heart race I felt a sinking sensation in my stomach I wanted to drop him off and get as far away from him as possible but I was already deep into the highway with no gas stations or
towns in sight as we drove I noticed something strange the fog seemed to pulse almost like it was alive I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw two headlights behind us getting Closer but as I looked back to the front the man was staring at me his expression fixed and intense don't look back he warned his voice barely above a whisper I felt my pulse Quicken why what's behind us just drive he insisted his eyes locked onto mine whatever you do don't stop I didn't need to be told twice I pressed down on the accelerator
feeling the truck Lurch forward the headlights behind us grew brighter there beams Slicing through the fog like knives the road twisted and turned and I could feel the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife what do you mean don't stop I demanded fear creeping into my voice trust me he replied his tone chilling it's not what you think they're not here for you I risked a glance at the mirror again the headlights were right on our tail now nearly touching the the back of my trailer Panic surged through me I had
To shake them off I swerved onto a side road hoping to lose them but the truck followed without hesitation what the hell is going on I shouted my heart racing just keep going he urged his voice Rising don't look back I pressed the gas pedal harder praying I could outrun whatever was behind us but the truck stayed right there gaining on us with unnatural speed suddenly the passenger leaned closer Whispering urgently you have to know the Truth about this highway what truth I gasped fear making my voice tremble this road is cursed people who travel
it don't always make it out they become part of it I felt a shiver run down my spine what do you mean before he could answer the headlights behind us surged forward almost merging with my rear view I caught a glimpse of the driver a shadowy figure with eyes that glowed like Embers my heart dropped this Wasn't just a truck it was something else something sinister we have to lose them I yelled my mind racing I took a hard turn onto another dirt road the tires kicking up gravel and dust don't stop keep going he
shouted Panic creeping into his voice I pushed the truck to its limits but the headlight stayed right on our tail the road became rougher the truck bouncing violently as I navigated the twists and turns I could hear the engine roaring behind us Gaining ground why are they after us I screamed gripping the wheel like it was my lifeline because I'm with you he shouted back fear flashing in his eyes they want me just then I spotted a small cabin up ahead barely visible through the fog desperation clawed at me I swerved toward it slamming the
brakes as we skidded to a stop get out I shouted flinging open the door we have to hide we jumped out and ran toward the cabin But as we reached the door the headlights behind us flared brightly Illuminating the entire area I turned to look back and that's when I saw it the truck had come to a stop and the shadowy figure inside was now standing outside it was enormous towering over the truck with an aura of Darkness that made my blood run cold I yanked the cabin door open and we both rushed inside slamming
it shut behind us the cabin was dark Dusty and abandoned I fumbled for a Light switch and as I flipped it on I realized the walls were covered in Old photographs snapshots of different truckers all with the same haunted Expressions what is this place I breathed Panic Sur surging in my veins this is where they bring the lost ones he said his voice trembling they take them in and they never come back I heard a loud bang against the door the shadowy figure was trying to get in what do we do I asked my voice
shaking find Something to block the door he shouted searching the room I grabbed a heavy table and pushed it against the door just as it burst open the figure stood there eyes blazing and I could feel the malevolence radiating from it run I yelled and we dashed toward the back of the cabin searching for another way out but there was nothing just walls closing in on us the shadow moved closer its form shifting and warping and I felt an icy grip of Despair settle over me why Did you pick me up I yelled at him
the weight of realization crashing down you brought this on me I didn't mean to he shouted back fear etched on his face I thought I could escape the shadow lunged at us and in that moment everything went black when I woke up I was back in my truck driving down Highway 51 the sun was rising and everything felt eerily normal but there was a nagging feeling in my gut I looked Around and my heart dropped the passenger seat was empty the fog was gone but in the rear view mirror I swore I saw that shadowy
figure standing by the side of the road watching I drove on never looking back my hands gripping the wheel tighter than ever whatever happened that night I knew one thing Highway 51 wasn't just a road it was a graveyard for lost souls and I had barely escaped its grasp I've been driving trucks for over 10 Years and I thought I'd seen it all but nothing prepared me for that fateful night on Route 66 I was hauling a load of farm supplies from California to Texas and as the sun dipped below the Horizon I felt an
uneasy tension in the air the night was dark and the highway stretched endlessly ahead lit only by my headlights I was about an hour outside of Barstow when the radio started to Flicker at first it was just static but then a voice broke through low and Grally get off the road it's not safe I dismissed it as a prank or some radio glitch but unease crept into my mind I kept driving the truck rumbling beneath me but the feeling didn't leave the Shadows along the roadside seemed to deepen and every now and then I'd catch
a glimpse of something moving in the periphery just then I spotted a figure standing by the road illuminated by my headlights a woman drenched and shivering her hair plastered to her face Against my better judgment I slowed down and rolled down the window need a lift I asked trying to keep my voice steady she nodded her eyes wide with desperation please I need to get to the next town I hesitated but opened the door and she climbed into the cab her presence filling the space with with an eerie chill I could smell the rain on
her clothes but there was something else something musty like Decay where are you headed I asked as I merged back onto the highway just a little further down she replied her gaze fixed on the road ahead I'm trying to escape Escape From what I asked curiosity peaked she shivered and looked out the window there's something out here something that follows I felt a chill run down my spine what do you mean it's hard to explain she said her voice trembling I was hitchhiking last week And the truck that picked me up it wasn't just a
truck the driver was different a knot formed in my stomach different how his eyes they were Hollow and he said he was collecting souls for the highway I scoffed trying to lighten the mood sounds like a Campfire story she shot me a look that froze the blood in my veins it's not a joke I barely escaped suddenly the radio crackled again this time louder keep driving Don't stop for anything I glanced at her and she was staring out the window her face pale what's happening I asked feeling a swell of panic that's it she whispered
we need to go faster I pressed the accelerator my heart racing as the truck picked up speed but the fog thickened around us closing in like a predator I could barely see 10 ft ahead just keep going she urged her voice rising in fear Don't Look Back the Shadows along the road Seemed to twist and warp forming dark shapes I gripped the wheel tighter sweat p cooling on my brow the radio buzzed with static then I heard it loud and clear turn back she's with me I felt a surge of dread as I glanced at
her her eyes were wide and she shook her head violently don't listen just drive the Shadows along the road seemed to twist and warp forming dark shapes I gripped the wheel tighter sweat pooling on my brow the radio buzzed with static That then I heard it loud and clear turn back she's with me I felt a surge of dread as I glanced at her her eyes were wide and she shook her head violently don't listen just drive I glanced in the rearview mirror and froze a truck was behind us headlights blazing like Angry Eyes it
was a big rig but there was something off about it the driver's side was empty keep your foot down she screamed and I pushed the gas pedal even harder but the truck stayed right on our Tail its engine roaring like a beast hungry for its prey I swerved onto a dirt road hoping to lose it but the truck followed Relentless where are we going I shouted over the noise just away she cried we can't let it catch us the road was bumpy and the trees loomed overhead like grasping hands just then a flash of light
caught my eye I looked over and saw it a figure standing among the trees watching us my heart sank it was a man gaunt and Pale his eyes Hollow and dark Drive she screamed and I slammed my foot down the truck lurching forward the darkness enveloped us the only sound the Roar of the engine and the pounding of my heart but as I glanced in the mirror again I saw the figure was gone replaced by the headlights of the pursuing truck why won't it stop I shouted Panic Rising because it can't we have to find
a way out she replied her voice frantic just Then I spotted a small Diner up ahead its neon lights flickering there I pointed we can hide inside I pulled in sharply and we jumped out rushing toward the entrance as I burst through the door the Bell jingled but the diner was empty silent as if time had Frozen I turned to see the woman behind me but she had stopped at the threshold get inside I yelled but she hesitated staring back into the darkness don't let it in she whispered Her voice trembling suddenly the diner door
swung open with a creek and there it was the trucker his hollow eyes fixed on us a grin stretching unnaturally across his face welcome he said his voice low and Sinister you've been chosen I grabbed the woman's hand pulling her inside and slamming the door shut I locked it but the sound of the engine revving outside made my blood run cold the truck was parked right outside its headlights Illuminating the diner Like a spotlight what do we do I asked my voice barely a whisper we wait she said her eyes wide with fear until it
goes away we crouched behind the counter trying to stifle our breaths outside the engine roared and I could hear footsteps approaching the door rattled and I felt a surge of adrenaline don't let it in I whispered suddenly the lights flickered and the trucker's face appeared in the Window grinning like a wolf You Can't Hide forever he taunted you belong to the highway now the lights dimmed and for a moment everything was dark then they burst back to life and the diner was empty the trucker was gone the fog rolling back in like a blanket what
just happened I gasped feeling lightheaded it's a trap she said shaking we have to leave now I nodded feeling a surge of determination we crept to the door pushing it open Slowly the highway was quiet the fog thicker than ever where's the truck I whispered looking around but it was gone the road lay empty devoid of any sign of the Sinister her presence that had chased us I turned to her confusion written on my face what now we get out of here fast she replied her voice steadying as we climbed back into my rig the
tension began to lift I started the engine and pulled back onto the highway but Something in my gut told me we weren't out of danger yet suddenly the radio crackled to life again and that same grally voice returned you can't escape you're part of the road now I felt a cold sweat break out across my back the headlights of another truck appeared in the distance and I felt my heart race they'll never let you go she said softly her eyes filling with tears I slammed the gas pedal to the floor Racing down the highway as
the lights behind us grew closer I couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over the radio buzzed once more and I braced myself for what was coming next whatever I had picked up that night was not just a hitchhiker it was a warning and I had ignored it as I drove into the fog I realized the highway held Secrets far darker than I could ever imagine and I was about to discover just how deep those Secrets ran I've been a truck driver for over 15 years and I thought I'd seen it all but
nothing could prepare me for the night I encountered the Phantom on Route 62 it started like any other Hall picking up a load in Denver and heading toward St Louis the weather was clear and the road stretched endlessly ahead illuminated by my headlights as night fell I settled into my room routine the hum of the engine a comforting backdrop around midnight I pulled into a rest Area to stretch my legs and grab a quick bite the parking lot was eerily empty save for a few other trucks I noticed an old rig parked off to the
side its lights flickering like a dying star curiosity got the better of me I approached the truck but it felt off too quiet too still as I got closer I saw a figure sitting inside a man with a weathered face staring blank ahead hey you okay I called out he didn't respond just continued to stare Into the night I felt a chill creep down my spine something wasn't right I backed away slowly and returned to my truck dismissing the encounter as exhaustion back on the road I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched I turned
on the radio but only static filled the air just then I spotted headlights in my room re viw mirror a big rig tailing me closely I thought nothing of it at first but then it began to drift closer almost as if it was Trying to overtake me I sped up adrenaline pumping but the truck matched my Pace Panic set in I glanced in the mirror again and that's when I saw him the same man from the rest area his face Twisted in an eerie grin eyes dark as Cole get away from for me I shouted
slamming the gas pedal the truck roared forward but the Phantom followed Relentless I swerved onto a side road hoping to lose him but he stayed right on my tail the road twisted and turned Becoming more desolate with each passing second I could feel my heart racing the fear clawing at my chest why won't you leave me alone I yelled but the only response was the Roar of his engine suddenly the headlights flickered then went out completely I glanced back and to my horror the truck was gone my heart sank had I finally lost him but
the relief was shortlived I turned my attention back to the road and that's when I saw it the figure standing in the Middle of the highway blocking my path I slammed on the brakes skidding to a stop just inches away it was him the man from the rest area his face now contorted in Rage you can't escape he hissed voice echoing through the still night air I was frozen in fear but Instinct kicked in and I threw the truck into reverse I backed up heart pounding but he didn't move instead he raised his hand and
the truck's engine sputtered and died Panic surged through me I was stranded alone With this apparition I grabbed my phone to call for help but there was no signal I was trapped why are you doing this I cried out desperation creeping into my voice because you took what's mine he snarled his eyes glowing in the darkness you took my life suddenly memories flooded back my first Hall years ago I remembered passing a truck on that very stretch of road and a horrific accident that had Taken a driver's life the realization hit me like a ton
of bricks I didn't know I shouted tears stinging my eyes I'm sorry the Phantom's expression softened for just a moment you can't bring me back he whispered his voice now a haunting Echo with a surge of Courage I reached for the ignition praying the engine would start I turned turned the key and to my shock the engine roared back to Life I slammed it into gear and sped past him the sound of his voice trailing off behind me remember me I didn't look back the road ahead seemed to stretch on forever and I drove until
the sun began to rise chasing away the darkness when I finally reached St Louis I parked my rig and took a deep breath my hands trem trembling on the wheel I knew I had escaped but I could still feel his presence lingering a reminder that some ghosts never truly Leave us from that night on I never drove that stretch of rote 62 Alone Again The Phantom of the highway haunted me a shadow in the rearview mirror reminding me of the fragility of life and the road we travel
