[ WP ] Hitchhiker

**I swear I started writing mine before I saw pndmoneum2's and that the Oregon/California thing is a coincidence haha** 
 
 Night was settling over the California section of Route 101 and my patience was waning. For hours I had been sitting in my car, staring wide eyed at the road in front of me. Drinking coffee in between rest stops was no longer effective and something about driving in a straight line drove me crazy. 
 
 I was about to pull over in the nearest parking lot and smoke a cigarette when I noticed a hispanic teenage boy walking up to my window during the red light. His clothes looked ragged and my first assumption was that he was homeless. Feeling well enough to indulge in a good natured act, I grabbed my wallet and slid down the window just enough. 
 
 He looked at me with a shy, insecure face. His lip was bloody and his eye bruised. 
 
 I asked him, `` Who did that to you? Do you need help?'' 
 
 Tears began to secrete from his eyelids, and he said with a Mexican accent, `` I got kicked out of my house. I need to go to my grandma's who lives in Oregon but I do n't have a car.'' 
 
 After a brief moment of contemplation, I suggested, `` Okay.. well I'm heading up that way too as it turns out. What city is your grandma in?'' 
 
 The young man answered, `` Portland.'' 
 
 Surprised at the turn of luck, I told him, `` I'm headed there, too. What luck.'' 
 
 After unlocking the doors, he got in and the journey continued. 30 minutes later, I attempted to initiate conversation, despite him turning away from me, `` Umm, so, you said your family kicked out? That must have been tough.'' 
 
 There was no response, `` You know because I had a dad that always said he was gon na kick me out when I was your age, but he never actually did it. So it saddens me that that would happen to you.'' 
 
 The teenager eventually turned back over and explained, `` I lied.'' 
 
 Confused, I laughed and said, `` What your parents did n't kick you out? Hey man, that's alright. We all have our secrets, I do n't need to know. One thing I do need to know is your grandma's street address.'' 
 
 He replied, `` My grandma's dead and her house is condemned.'' 
 
 At this point I began to get quite nervous, `` Oh.. so.. what is this then? Where are you going?'' 
 
 The boy pulled out a pistol from his pants and aimed it at me, exclaiming, `` Take the next exit off. Look calm, do n't alert anyone.'' 
 
 I could n't say anything, I was completely frozen in shock and disbelief, but my adrenaline kicked in and I was able to keep driving. 
 
 We got to the next exit and I took it. There were signs for roads leading to the wilderness and mountain areas, and my face went white with pure terror. 
 
 Managing to speak, I begged to him with tears falling, `` Please, whatever this is, I'm sorry. If you could explain to me maybe, what you feel I did, I could..'' 
 
 He said with distaste, `` You ripped off some friends of mine down south big time. Do n't pretend you do n't remember, it's cowardly.. Take the next right turn.'' Trees began to surround us at all sides and I wanted to get out and run with everything I had. 
 
 `` Please, please. I do n't know who you think I am but I did not do that, I swear. I can prove it, I can prove it.'' 
 
 Rage showed on the young man's face, `` How?! Your name, what's your name? Where's your drivers license?'' 
 
 I swiftly answered, `` It's in the dashboard. My name is Michael Gutierrez, I'm from Portland, I've never even been to Mexi-'' 
 
 The man yelled, `` Shut up! ``, as he looked over the driver's license, holding it up to the car light to make sure it was n't counterfeit. `` I need to call someone. If you try anything, anything, I will kill you.'' 
 
 A loud conversation in Spanish took place while I looked out the window, contemplating my doom. Once it was over, the man grunted, looking rather upset and set his phone on the dashboard. 
 
 He stared into my eyes with the coldest look I'd ever seen and said, `` I'm sorry. Really.'' And before I could say anything, he slammed his pistol into my head, knocking me unconscious.
