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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 1793186" data-attributes="member: 2292">Exit 23, Part OneZac rubbed at the windshield, trying to clear his field of vision.  It didn’t help much.  All he got was the gentle swish of the wipers going back and forth, the field of white snow mounting up in front of him.  There was the road…just…but he was fairly sure it wasn’t going to be there for much longer.  The air conditioning on his rental coughed and spluttered a few times, trying to make its point, but Zac was long past paying attention.He tried to control the cars descent along the off-ramp, heading towards the dim light of the rest stop in the distance. He figured it was mostly luck that let him spot the sign a few miles back, but he let out a small sigh of relief when he realized he was going to make it.  The bright lights of the gas station were like gleaming stars after the hours of driving through the blizzard, and the steam rising from the heating vents promised more warmth than the crisp air being spat out by the car.  A quick trip to the facilities, and he’d avail himself to the dubious comforts offered by the White River Rest Stop.He crunched his way across the parking lot, past the big rigs and sports utilities that clustered along one end.  The lights over the gas pumps were dark, as was much of the interior. Zac checked the opening hours on the gift shop and restaurant, but both were gone hours ago.  The only signs of life from the cloyingly tacky foyer were bunch of people clustered in the donut shop.  Teenage employees chatted amiably with rugged truckers, while some young student quietly talked about art with a balding executive. ‘Nothing like disaster to bring people together,” Zac muttered to himself. Bathroom first, then the best coffee and donuts available.  It wasn’t quite tracking Bigfoot like he’d planned for his weekend, but it’d do in a pinch.  At least the toilets were clean.By the time he’d returned to the donut shop, the crowd had grown a little more.  Another couple of truckers, a few more kids hanging out under the heating vent.  Zac threaded his way through the crowd, towards the counter.“Howdy,” he said, giving the aging counterwoman a quick grin.“Another one,” she said.  She poured a cup of black coffee and pointed towards him, giving Zac a quick glimpse of her name badge.  Mabel.  “Worst storm we’ve had round these parts in twenty years – you’d think everyone would have found some place to stop by now.”“Didn’t know the area,” Zac said.  “Only really found my way here by luck.  Think it’ll last long?”“Jane…that’s the officer over there…came in a few minutes ago.  She says the roads are cut off north of here, and the latest reports don’t think this’ll blow over ‘til morning.  I’m afraid you’re stuck here for the night.”Zac thought about that for a second, scratching at his stubbled chin.“In that case, how ‘bout another coffee, a couple of cinnamon donuts, a couple of crullers and a strawberry iced.  Best to be prepared for the long haul.”He collected his purchases and went looking for somewhere to sit.  It wasn’t a large place – barely more than a half-dozen tables all up, so he squeezed into a corner booth held by a fit-looking woman and a clean-cut man dressed in a camoflage jacket.  There was a lot of stuff crammed into the booth with them, from sleeping bags to suitcases, but there was enough room for another body.“Mind if I sit here?”Neither of them said anything.  The woman read a book, intently focused on the text. On Zac’s right, Camouflage Jacket drank coffee in long slurps that drew a withering look from the far side.“I’m Zac,” he offered, speaking around a mouthful of donut.“Nick,” Camouflage said, offering his hand.“And you?”The woman looked up, eyes focusing on Zac.“Ammie,” she said.  “Two M’s, but spell it however you want. Everyone does.”“Ready for a long night?” Nick said.  Zac looked confused, and the blond man pointed at the pile of donuts.  Zac shrugged.“If we’re going to be here for a while, best make the best of it.  No point wasting time.”He lifted the first coffee to his mouth, drinking it in a long slurp.  Ammie glared at him, but Nick was hard pressed to suppress a grin.“Sorry,” Zac offered. “How about a donut to make it up to…”The lights died.“That’s going to suck.”Then there was the BANG of something large and heavy hitting something else very hard.Then the bloodcurdling scream, the trilogy of gunshots, the sudden silence.Dread settled over the donut shop like a smothering blanket of snow.</blockquote>

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