Tunnel Vision

I swear this drive gets longer every time I do it. Especially this tunnel. Just when I think I’m near the end, it goes on and on and on…

It used to be a breeze to drive back home to my parents’ place in college, but now I really have a hard time doing it in one go. Probably ’cause I was living off of energy drinks and shit cafeteria food…

I’m really beat.

Good thing I don’t have one of those fancy new cars that makes you pull over when it detects you driving drowsy.

I know it’s not exactly the safest thing to keep driving, but I’d really like to get there today. Then again, the sooner I get there, the sooner I’m going to have to listen to Mom lecture me about how my biological clock is ticking and how desperate she is for her first grandchild.

It’s so unfair, the way she does that to me and not my brother. Like, yes, I'm 31. Yes, I am single. Yes, I too would like to screw more, but—

“Shit!”

Jesus, that car just appeared out of nowhere. Why are they parked in the middle of the tunnel?

“C’mon… you’re going to cause an accident! Let’s go.”

Uh-oh. Shit, someone’s getting out. I pissed him off and now he’s probably going to come over here and yell at me.

Actually, I think his car is just broken down. Oh, is he…? Yep, he’s coming over here.

And he’s… smiling? I don’t know, I wouldn’t be smiling if it were me.

Maybe he just needs help.

Shit. Well, I really hope he isn’t a serial killer.

“Hello.”

Mm, a little bit of scruff, short hair. He’s handsome for a serial killer.

“I hate to bother you, but… I’m kind of having car trouble.”

“Not exactly the best place to break down, is it?”

“Yeah, I’ve got no cell service in the tunnel.”

“Yeah, that’s no good. Is there… anything I can do to help?”

“Any chance you could drive me out of the tunnel? Just so I can get cell service again.”

“Um…”

“I’ve been out here for over an hour and you’re the first person to stop for me. I’d really appreciate it.”

I know this goes against all common sense, but… he has really kind eyes and I just… I feel like I can trust him. It’s pretty late and I’d hate to just leave him out here…

I could also keep driving and just call him a tow truck or something. But to leave him here all alone…

“Okay, get in.”

“Thank you. Seriously, you’re a lifesaver.”

Mm, he smells… interesting. Warm and smoky… a bit like a campfire.

He's looking straight ahead into the endless tunnel when I glance over at him. The neon lights above us illuminate his face in pale light every few moments. God, he really is good-looking. Strong jaw… prominent nose… and yet, there’s something soft about him… like… a sadness in his eyes, or something…

“So, um, where were you headed?”

“Home.”

“Where do you live? If it’s on the way, I could take you—”

“No, no, that would be too far.”

“Oh. Um, okay.”

Right. No service. No radio. Damn tunnel…

Alright, well, I can bear the awkward silence I guess. The tunnel stretches out endlessly before us and converges in a small black dot we never reach. Like the eye of a needle that we have to pass through to get out the other side.

I don’t know why, but… I look over at him again. This time, he's looking at me.

His eyes are so… blue. Icy, gray almost. I’ve caught him staring, but he’s not looking away. Shit, need to look at the road.

“Are you… okay?”

He doesn't say anything. Instead, he smiles at me… just ever so slightly… and then turns his gaze forward again.

Nothing I can do about that now. It’s fine. Remember the kind eyes?

There’s the end of the tunnel. Finally.

This is always my favorite part of the drive, shooting out of the mountain into the pitch black night. Tonight, it feels a little… different than usual.

“You can stop up ahead.”

“Here? But the gas station—”

“Here’s good.”

“Are you sure? I can take you to the—”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Looks like I’ve got service now, so hopefully you do, too.”

“I’m sure I do.”

His eyes are… unique… absolutely mesmerizing. The soft smile around his pale lips… I feel bad staring, but I just… I can’t… look away…

Looking at him just makes me feel… calm… as if a wordless voice is telling me that everything is going to be alright…

“Thank you, again. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s… fine…”

His face comes a little closer. He’s shifting in his seat, turning towards me… What…?

His skin… his lips… he’s cold. Like diving into a glacial lake. But it… it feels good.

“Hold on…”

“Yeah, good idea.”

I grab the lapels of his jacket and pull him into the spacious backseat.

His lips don’t leave mine as he climbs over the center console. I stretch out against the backseat and he positions himself above me. It’s still not much space, but… it’s much better than the front.

His hand is cold as it slides under my knit sweater, leaving a trail of goose bumps on the way to my right breast.

His fingers knead my breast and tug gently on my nipples…

“Let me just… take these… off…”

“You, too…”

“Okay…”

“You’re beautiful…”

His hands trail down my body, inching closer and closer to the space between my legs. He caresses each thigh with slow, careful movements.

“Touch me…”

“Put… put it in me…”

“Yeah?”

“Yes… oh, fuck, yes…”

“Ready?”

“Yeah…”

“Ohh, my god, yeah—right there—against my clit, yeah…”

“Go in—go in—slower. Ohh, yeah, nice and slow…”

“Like that?”

“Yeah, just like that… just like that, keep going…”

My hands grab his ass to pull him as far inside me as he can possibly get. The car windows are completely fogged up.

“I’m—I’m close—”

Oh my god… I shut my eyes and just feel the weight of him against me. His breath is somehow cold against my neck.

I cannot believe I just did that… I don’t know… how… or why… I don’t have words for what just happened…

We breathe together… and, for a moment, I feel like I'm not in this world anymore… And there’s that smell coming off of him again. Smokey and woodsy.

“Thank you…”

“Mmm…”

What? What was that?

I’m… alone. In the front seat of my car. Fully clothed.

God, it’s freezing in here.

“Ma’am, are you all right?”

“You’re not hurt, are you?”

“What? No, no, I’m fine…”

“What are you doing out here alone?”

“Well… there was… um, I was giving someone a ride. Out of the tunnel. His car was broken down… and—”

“A man?”

“Yeah, um… I must have… fallen asleep and he… left, I guess…”

“You were in the tunnel? Did you see the accident?”

“Accident?”

“Yeah, you must have just missed it. One of the worst accidents I’ve ever seen. Car was completely destroyed by a fire. No survivors, unfortunately. Are you sure you’re alright?”

The car in the tunnel… The smell of fire…

Was it… a dream? But… no. Need to clear my head… but all I see when I close my eyes… are those icy blue eyes… pulling me into infinity…