//------------------------------//
// Escape 
// Story: Escape 
// by ThePegaKris 
//------------------------------//

I have always been uneasy driving alone at night. It was worst the first few times, when I had just gotten my license, but the nagging fear has never gone away to this day. It’s disorienting to look into the mirrors and see nothing, and I mean nothing but the consuming blackness of the night. It makes me hesitant to check the mirrors should I see this dark void, or worse, someone sitting in my back seat staring at me.

I found myself driving home alone on highway 902 from A.J's Thanksgiving party. It was almost midnight, and needless to say it was pitch black. As was usual at night, I was on edge. I had the radio off, and could hear nothing but the muffled roar of tires on pavement and the dull hum of the engine. I stole a glance into the middle rear view mirror, and saw nothing but darkness through the back window.

I tried to focus on the road, but I couldn't help but think about Applejack's excellent cooking on Thanksgiving. I would've been frightened if she actually served me real meat. Either way, I feel like I'm about to become dead meat myself.

I know that I looked backward and saw nothing. I’m sure of it. Just the seemingly endless blackness of the night. I remember it so clearly because not ten seconds later a car passed me to the left. Headlights on. I had one of those sudden adrenaline rushes like when you think you see a person outside your bedroom window when it’s just a tree, or when you start awake at night with the feeling of falling. Ten seconds earlier, nothing had been behind me. Suddenly, a car. I drove all the way home shivering and knowing something was off.

To make matters worse, it's very foggy and it's pouring very hard outside, as if my windshield wipers weren't already impairing my vision. The headlights aren't helping me much either, and my mirrors had nothing to offer. 

I looked in the back seat, and...nothing was there.

Suddenly, I heard two sets of scratches near the back of my car. One was on the left rear, one was on the right. The car was pretty old. They could have been there for months, but that was the first time that I distinctly remembered them.

In hindsight, there are two possibilities for what happened that night. Possibility one. By some glitch in reality, or something paranormal, this other car had somehow appeared behind me within ten seconds of me checking my mirror. Like some weird ghost crap or something. However, the second option is what makes my blood run cold whenever I consider it.

It didn’t even occur to me until months after the fact, but it makes me dread driving alone at night even more. Possibility two. The car was normal. It had approached me from the rear and passed me to my left. However, something large, and wide, and as black as the night had been clinging to the rear of my car, obscuring my view through the window and leaving deep scratches on the sides.

Where's my baby?

"Huh?"

I couldn't get a glimpse of what was on my car for a split second. I didn't lose control, but I got massive chills running down my spine. Again, I looked back and...nothing was there. The voice that I heard was very distinct, or raspy rather. It sounded a bit low, though.

I suppose I could pull over to the side of the road where there's no police patrols and just sleep throughout the storm, but I didn't want to risk getting into legal trouble. Sweet Apple Acres was quite a drive to from my home. I could ask Princess Twilight for some help or comfort from whatever seems to be following me, but she's probably sleeping now.

I searched through my contacts immediately. "Please pick up, please pick up..."

"Hey, this is Rainbow Dash! I can't answer the phone because I'm being so awesome right now, so leave me a message and I'll get back." The voicemail ended.

"Of course..."

I keep driving and almost have to pull over because I’m somewhat consumed by this feeling. Then, I came up on this car that has crashed into a telephone pole and an arc of electricity was surging. The driver was killed in action. Soon enough, I got out of my car to see if there was anyone else with him, but no one else was in his car.

Where's my baby?

"This is not funny! Come out now!"

The voice came back and it was louder than the last time I heard it. I really needed to get out of here. I don't have any reason whatsoever to waste my magic on Mother Nature. When I got back to my car, however, blood was dripping from the door. Yet again, no one showed up.

"What in all of Equestria? Am I going insane now?"

No time was left to waste. I can sense my house nearby, so I cleaned off the blood and got back in the car. Still, I feel really bad for the guy that crashed his car. No one else but me just witnessed a live accident late at night.

"Gotta call Twilight... Hello?"

"Hello? Sunset?"

"Yeah, it's me. Listen Twilight, there's no time to explain everything so I'll cut to the chase."

"What happened?"

"I've been trying to drive home and in the middle of the road, some guy crashed his car and died. I don't know how it happened, but he was found like that when I pulled up to him."

"That's terrible!" She replied. "In that case, I hope you get home safely. I was fortunate enough to make it home as quickly as possible in this storm."

"I hope so, too. There was damn blood in my car and I didn't see anyone else with me or that driver."

"Wait Sun...set, y-you're bre...king up."

Call ended.

"Twilight? Crap!"

WHERE'S MY BABY?

This time, it definitely came from behind me. No freakin' doubt.

With a slow head tilt, I turned around one last time...