“Do you think anyone is in it?”
“Don’t know. At this time of night, they were probably rescued.” In sub-zero temperatures, a person wouldn’t last long stranded in a car.
“Or not. Why would the lights be flashing.”
“Because they forgot to turn them off.” I couldn’t see anything inside the car as I went by it.
“Hero! Aren’t you going to check it out? Someone could be inside. Freezing to death.”
“Baby, we’ll call a tow truck.”
“No. You need to check it out. Someone could be dying.”
I growled, slowing down, then backed up. I was careful not to get too close to the edge, or I might get stuck in the ditch too. Then where would we be?
“Wait here,” I told her.
“Be careful. Don’t slip on your ass. You’ll be no good to me if you throw out your back.” The amusement in her voice had me shaking my head. She was as horny as me.
I rounded my truck, my boot slipping a bit. Welcome home…
Using the flashlight on my cell phone, I peered through the window. The car wasn’t running, so there was no heat. I couldn’t see through the icy glass.
Banging on the door, I shouted, “Anyone in there?” I felt like an idiot. Of course, nobody was in there. It was fucking twelve below and dropping. Someone had to have come along to help the poor schmuck out. Ya know, Minnesota Nice and all that.
I banged again for good measure. Roja was most likely watching me.
I couldn’t see anything and shrugged my shoulders as I turned toward my truck, putting my phone back in my coat pocket.
I swung my door open. “Nothing.”
“Really? I was sure someone might—”
A horn made us both jerk in surprise. It came from the ditch.
“Oh my God, Hero!”
“Oh fuck!” I slammed the door and skidded back to the cage.
The door was stuck. I worked it best I could, my heart racing as I wondered what I might find. Who I might find.
What if a kid was in it?
Or a baby.
Jesus Christ, what if they were hurt? Or worse…
“Fuck! Come on! Open!” I yelled, tugging as hard as I could. Suddenly, it creaked open. I took my phone out to use the flashlight.
It was so dark inside I could hardly make anything out. I felt around in the driver’s seat and felt something… someone.
A faint moan told me they were alive.
“Hey, can you hear me?” I nudged them. “Are you hurt?”
No response.
As I felt for the person, I could tell they were curled into a ball with the seat reclined all the way. I smelled perfume. It had to be a woman. The body was small from what I could make out.