My story begins on a lone stretch of I-70 west bound in the middle of Kansas. It was June 1977, at the time I was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed at Ft. Knox working as a Reconnaissance Instructor. We had just graduated a class two days before and I was preparing to go on leave. My pregnant wife was in Denver and the baby was due any day. I was anxious to get going, my bags were packed and I was planning to leave the next day. At 5:30 p.m. I received a call from my mother in Denver, my wife was in labor and the baby was on the way. After quickly loading my bags into the car I hit the road. Before leaving Post I stopped at the PX and purchased some things for the trip so that I would only have to stop for gas and an occasional restroom break. A six pack of Coke, four Snickers Bars and a box of NoDoz would help to keep me alert for the long drive ahead.
The trip was none eventful until around 2:30 a.m. as I was driving across that empty space called Kansas.
The night was clear, there were a million stars in the sky and the radio was playing Hank Williams from some local station. There was no traffic coming or going along the highway, just me alone. I opened a can of Coca Cola and took a long swig, then stretched my neck to loosen the stiffness that was trying to set in. I was wide awake, a little wired on caffeine and high on the notion of becoming a new father. In just a few more hours I would be at my destination. In the distance I saw a movement in the road just at the edge of my headlights. Thinking it was a deer or someone's livestock I immediately began to slow down. then suddenly in the road in front of me was a woman waving her arms. She appeared to be middle aged with long flowing brown hair and wearing a white flowered dress. Blood was across her face and down the front of her clothes. I slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel to the left putting the car into a one hundred and eighty degree skid stopping with my vehicle facing east. Shaking my head in an effort to regain my composure I quickly ran a scenario of events through my mind. Where had this woman come from and where was she now. Reaching into the console I removed a flashlight and jumped from the car. "Hello," I called out, "Are you alright?" There was no answer, only silence and the darkness of the Kansas plains at night. I hadn't hit her I was sure of it. There was no impact on the vehicle. But just the same I began searching both sides of the highway for her. Calling out to her every few seconds. I even looked underneath my car as a precaution. There was no one. Had I imagined it, did I fall asleep without realizing it. Looking down I could see that the front of my shirt was wet from the Cola that I had been drinking and spilled on myself. So I knew I was awake. But had I imagined the woman in the road? In the distance I could see a tractor trailer coming towards me in the west bound lane. I got into my car and turned it around, parking on the shoulder of the highway facing west. I turned on my emergency flashers, climbed out of the car and resumed my search.I was still not convinced that she was imaginary. The trucker slowed to a stop just a few yards ahead of me and walked back to my car to see if everything was okay. So I rapidly filled him in on the events and described the woman to him at the same time asking him to assist me in my search. In the illumination of the headlights the big man's face paled. He shook his head slowly and his eyes moistened. "Are you alright," I asked? "Son just get back into your car and go," he said, "There's no one here. Only a very bad memory lives here." "What are you talking about." I asked the driver. "I've been driving this route for almost fifteen years," he said, "About four years ago there was a very bad accident right here where we're standing. A family returning from vacation stopped their car here at night just like this. Another semi was speeding down the highway and the driver was over tired. He fell asleep and collided into the back of the car sending both vehicles off of the road and into this field here." He raised his hand and pointed to the now empty space. 'The mother managed to crawl from the wreckage and out onto the highway here," he said, "She tried to wave someone down to get help for her husband and two kids. I saw her right here on this spot. But it was too late. You didn't hit her son, I did." I stood there speechless and at the same time saddened. "Go home young man, there's nothing for you here. There is only ghosts here now," he said. With his head down, the old man shuffled back to his truck weeping. An eerie chill ran up my spine as I climbed back into my car and drove away. I made it to Denver by morning and was so filled with joy that I soon forgot the incident. Two years later I was making the same drive from Kentucky to Denver. It was in the middle of the day and the sun was bright. As I came up on that spot I pulled to the side of the road and got out to look at the place the old man had pointed out to me that night. As I stood there a Kansas State Police car eased in behind my car and stopped. The State trooper, a very large man, ambled up to me. "Is everything alright here," he asked? "Oh sure I'm fine," I replied, "Do you remember an accident here several years ago involving a semi and a family car?" "Were you here that night," the trooper inquired? "No," I said, " A truck driver told me about it a couple of years ago. I was just curious." The trooper sighed and said, "That was a bad one. June of 1973, a semi truck collided into the back of the car right here. They both ended up out there in the field, the car on its top and the truck on its side. A woman crawled out to the highway and another truck hit her then veered of of the highway over there. Killed the woman and the driver. In fact there were no survivors at all. Killed the entire family and both drivers. Terrible thing." The shock must have been on my face. "Are you sure you're alright," the officer asked again? "Oh sure I'm fine ," I reassured the policeman. "Well I've got to get back to work, you drive safely young man," he said. The same eerie chill shivered up my spine as I recalled that night. Shaking my head a sadness came over me once again as I climbed into my car and drove away. Over the years I've passed that place several times, but never once have I ever stopped again. Believe it or not!
All rights reserved. October 16, 2011
This story cannot be republished without the express permission of the author.
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