Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

Car of the Dead

“What makes you think I know what you’re doing here? If I goddamn well knew, I wouldn’t ask the fucking question, would I?”

“Bullshit, old man, you came out with your gun blazing, so you’re expecting something, you stupid old jerk!”

“RAINER!” she says, slapping him on the arm. Then she looks over to the old man, who is staring down the barrels of the shotgun pointed their way, and smiles. “Mister Wilson, we’re sorry, I’m sorry. Honestly, we just wanted to find somewhere private, you know, to fool around. We didn’t mean anything by it, really, we didn’t. Even if Evan is a jerk sometimes, he’s harmless.”

“Yeah, well, you kids should go find somewhere else to do your experimentation. I don’t put signs up for fun. My property is my property, and ain’t none of you kids allowed on my land unless I say so, and I say no! So get!”

“Of course, thank you, we’re so sorry,” she says as she grabs Rainer by the arm and drags him towards the gate.

“Yeah, thanks, you old freak!” Rainer says.

“What did you say, boy?”

“I said, YOU OLD FREAK!”

“RAINER!”

“Leave it alone, Sal. I ain’t letting this old freak act like he’s king shit, not when my dad owns this town, I ain’t going to….” His words are cut short by a blast from the shotgun, and he feels his bladder explode, followed quickly by the warmth of urine running down his leg. Sally jumps, letting out a squeal, while Mister Wilson holds the smoking shotgun, his face twisted with anger.

“The next one will be in your head, boy, if you keep it up. Your dad doesn’t own shit here. This here is my land, and ain’t ever gonna be anything but my land. Now get before the next shot ends up in your thick skull!” he says as he slides another two cartridges into the gun’s chambers.

Rainer sucks in a deep breath before making a mad dash towards Wilson, crashing into him as he locks the barrel into place. They crash to the ground, wrestling for control, but it only takes a few short moments for the much younger Rainer to free the shotgun from Wilson’s grip, then scramble to his feet, and thrust the gun’s barrels into Wilson’s face.

“Where is it?”

“FUCK YOU!”

Rainer smashes him across the face with a solid left punch. “If I have to ask again, old man, your face’ll be history!”

“The shed, it’s in the fucking shed!”

“The keys?” he says, holding out his hand. “Come on, old man, everyone knows you never go anywhere without the fucking keys,” he says, shaking his open hand in Wilson’s face.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, it….” Rainer drives another solid punch into his face.

“Can it, old man, just give me the KEYS!”

Slowly, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a red key, nervously holding it towards Rainer. “Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you, that car, it’ll be the death of you!”

Rainer stares at Wilson for a few seconds before grabbing the key from him. “You’re one crazy old dude!” he says as he grabs Sally by the arm and drags her towards the shed.

“Rainer, maybe you should…”

“He’s just a crazy old man, it’s just a fucking car,” he says as he pulls open the door to the shed. The sun shines brightly off the hood of the black 1971 XY GT Falcon. For a moment, Sally could’ve sworn she heard it growl, and all too late she realises it wasn’t the car; it was Wilson’s dogs.it wasn’t the car; it was Wilson’s dogs.