Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 10:04:08 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time)
From: David Grimstone <grimstone@btinternet.com>
Subject: After Dark

After Dark by DCG

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DISCLAIMER
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Hey there folks. Yes, I know what your thinking, am I a madman for posting
yet another story on here when I already have 1 going? And the answer to
the question is yes!!! Yes! Yes!

I am no way affiliated with Nsync or anyone I chose to put in here...They
are their own person and they do whatever the hell they like whether that
be wid a boy or a girl!! Lol (Hopefully with the former!!) haha

Also, if you can't read this because of law of bigotry then leave, NOW! Lol

From this I also want to say that I will be making references to musical
acts and pieces and I want to say that their music is the property of them
and their label alone...

Author's Notes: Hey there. This is my tribute story to Mr. Christopher
Barrett.

And everyone,this is not a sex filled saga (as you have probably guessed
with all my other stuff) this is a romance. Anyhoo,enjoy and read all
Chris' stuff on here (Something Like Justin and Building Dreams) and read
JC's Hitchhiker as-well cause it has just overtaken Brian & Justin as my
favourite story EVER!! Well done for that. But alas, it has just
ended...Boohoo...

Suggested Reads: On this note I am not going to suggest a story here on
Nifty but a book I just had the pleasure of reading and it changed the way
I look at writing completely. This message and suggestion goes out to
Christopher Rice, the author of 'Density of Souls', which had me emoting at
either end of the spectrum throughout. On one page I bawled my eyes out and
the next I couldn't stop smiling... So everyone, go read it and discover
what true genius is...cause he is!!(and so are a lot of authors here...)

Important Note: Nobodies reading this I'm sure, but ha-ho... I have come to
realisation that music is a pivotal part of my writing. It influences me
immensely and guides my storylines without effort. I listen to a fast paced
piece of rock music and the pace of the story increases, and the sentences
shorten, and the action becomes slicker. I listen to a piece of background
music, or classical music, or soundtrack music for that matter, and it goes
the opposite way...and everything slows down and I put more thought into
the scene in general, and the thoughts of the characters take a more
prominent role...With this in mind, I have decided to attach a piece of
music to each chapter, as sort of a theme for it. It will be the piece of
music that influenced me the most in my writing, and was more than likely
the piece of music I was listening when I wrote it...Some pieces may
surprise you, or they may not!! Oh...and if there is someone out there who
has this kind of stuff in their story, and feels I'm stepping on toes by
doing this, then let me know and I'll stop...

And on with the show.

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After Dark by DCG

Chapter 1 - In Theory

Music: Aerials by System of a Down

"Wrap up warm tonight folks cause it looks like a cold one. The weather
people have informed me that the temperature may drop below minus ten
tonight, so I hope everyone listening is already wrapped up warm at home
and not out on the road..."

"Typical! How did you guess?" asked Chris sarcastically as he continued to
guide his car along the dark and desolate highway. He took note of his
speed and released his foot off the accelerator slightly as it topped
seventy. The car lurched forward slightly.

The radio continued to blurt out endless comments from it's presenter and
the occasional song, but Chris concentrated on the road. The journey
continued for the next couple of hours as Chris began his search for a
motel or some sort of stop off point. But wherever he looked all he could
see was trees, and snow. He mentally chastised himself for not stopping
overnight at the last motel he found, some six hours ago. 'I was so
pigheaded, and thought I could find another, fucking typical!' he shouted
internally. The time had now hit 2am and he was beginning to get
worried. The day had started off like any other, the weather was ok and the
outlook was good. He had the intention of making it all the way to Chicago
with just a few stops, and definately before nightfall. But midway through
the journey, the rain and snow started, and anytime that happened, traffic
was sure to respond by jamming everywhere. And it did. It took him a while,
but he managed to get through the congestion, but in the process lost a lot
of time, hence his current position.

The snow continued to fall, and his windscreen wipers were starting to get
clogged up. All that could be heard was a constant whining as they tried
their damnest to clear the driving snow. Chris occasionally looked around
to check on them, but all he could see was his vision continually being
impaired. He slowed his speed to compensate, but it didn't help much as
he'd hoped. The sound of the radio, and the incessant dj faded into the
distance as the echoing sound of the windshield wiper attempted to glide
over the curved glass, but instead shrieked it's presence. Every shrill
that resonated sent a shiver up Chris' spine...

The drive continued for another half an hour at no more than cruising
speed. The snow was still built up on the windscreen, and there was nothing
Chris could do that seemed to help. He occasionally veered from side to
side, but he stopped once he realised that the car started to slide a
little. He even tried to stop suddenly to shift it, but he could tell the
engine wasn't going to stand for it, so he continued on, hoping the wipers
would do their job.

"The time is now 3am and all is not well out of doors. I have just got
another weather warning in from our experts and it has become apparent that
we are in for more of the same during the night and into tomorrow. I would
advise everyone out on the road, or outside full stop to high tail it
inside..." quoted the radio dj as his show continued in the background.

"Oh you don't say!" responded Chris filing his comment with sarcasm... The
comment flew out of his mouth in a vain attempt to breath life into the
car. The silence in there apart from the constant drivel by the dj, and the
always present shrill from the wipers were beginning to drive him to point
of no return. Add onto that the fact that the darkness outside and the
unknown beyond were un-nerving him no end...

"For those cooped up in the warmth wherever that may be, here is a song
that'll help you through the rough night..." added the dj, and that was
about as much as Chris could take...To him, the dj did nothing but rub in
the fact that he had made a monumental cock up by staying out in the
weather. It was as if he was directing the comments right at him.

"Just shut the fuck up will you?" shouted Chris as he looked down at his
stereo...And that was it, the radio cut out slowly through interference,
until there was nothing but a distant buzzing, and no more voice.

"Fucking typical." responded Chris. It seemed everything was going against
him, and this was just the icing on the cake. But just as he said that, and
just as he thought nothing else could go wrong he heard a tell tale
sounds. It was a clunking noise coming from the engine as it continued it's
workload. 'What now?' he thought as he looked around the numerous dials on
his dashboard for a sign. And then it hit him as he found the dial with the
answer. Fuel, that was the problem. Through all his deliberations and
mental berating, he failed to see the one thing that would bring this
journey to a halt. He failed to see the fuel slowly but surely drain out of
his car...

Suddenly the speed of the car began to drop, and it lurched forward
violently causing Chris' head to snap forward involuntarily. "Shit!" flew
from his lips as the sound of skidding tires greeted his ears for a second
at the change in speed.

As he raised his head, he saw that the speed had just dropped below 40 and
continued to fall. As his eyes met the road ahead his tight grip of the
steering wheel was broken...He looked on in horror as the wheel slipped
through his fingers as the wheels of the car began to screech under the
stress. He tried in vain for several seconds to regain control of the out
of control car, but to no avail. The swell of panic overtook his senses
immediately as he clambered with all his might to stop the steering wheel
from moving of it's own free will...but he couldn't. A tree passed by,
close by, a close shave, and the car lurched the other way as it now
started to slide across the desolate highway, out of control. The thoughts
rampaging through Chris' mind were numerous and non-sensical. He couldn't
make sense of his own thoughts and urges. Too much was happening, and too
quickly to make a sure enough decision. First the car veered left, towards
darkness and trees, and Chris thoughts centred around aiming the car in
another direction, and then it veered again, and he had to start the
process over again. It was hopeless... Another tree passed, this time even
closer, and the speed remained around the 40 mph mark...Even pumping the
brakes didn't help as it skidded every time...

A second tree passed by his right hand window as the car hit the torn and
worn edge of the road, sending shivers through the hull of the car...

Chris could feel every contour of the ground below through the seat of his
pants as looked around himself for a route of escape, or a tool to help...

The wind and snow continued unabated as suddenly the car started to slow,
in time with Chris' pumping of the brakes...Chris knew that the car had
moved away from the ice covered centre of the road, and he was relieved
beyond measure as he closed his eyes for a second and let out a withheld
breath...

The speed of the car diped below 20 as the rough ride continued along the
road edge. Chris opened his eyes, getting ready to stop and survey the
damage...when...he saw a faint silouette approaching, fast, dead ahead,
shrouded in snow and darkness. It captured Chris' attention for a moment
too long, just a moment...

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Short? I know...hehe

I decided that this story, to be the quick paced thing that I wanted it to
be, would be a hell of a lot shorter than my other story...This is intended
to be a plot based, and not sex based story, but to keep in line with the
tag of 'Thriller' that I gave it, cliffhangers, and short chapters are
going to be commonplace...But gaps between postings will not be!! haha

Plez,plez,plez get back to me and let me know what you think, and just to
let you know, the guys will be appearing in the next chapter...so never
fear, NSync will appear!!!

All feedback, no flames, to grimstone@btinternet.com or
ujemeflip@hotmail.com