For an ad-free listening experience, visit Patreon.com slash D.R. no sleep.

Sign up for a seven-day free trial and gain access to all my stories, including over 80 bonus episodes completely add free.

That's Patreon.com slash D.R. no sleep.

Now let's dive into the story.

Talk to nicely.

Get in, roadkill. I'll give you a lift.

The 57 Ford Idles by the side of the highway, a lone stretch of what used to be Route 66.

I leaned down and looked through the passenger window, but it's night and the

dash lights aren't strong enough for me to see the driver's face.

I'm good, I say and take a step back.

Get in, TJ, the driver says, you're going for a ride.

I'm a patient man, or as patient as I can be considering my circumstances.

That's probably why I have this job, not that I interviewed or anything.

I've never met my boss. I don't have co-workers other than the spirits of run-over road runners, armadillos and jackrabbits. And they don't say much. All I remember for my first night on the job is a 57 Ford and a whole lot of blood.

The job wasn't hard to figure out.

It was like I had been doing it forever.

Basically, I stand by the side of the highway with my thumb out and wait for someone to stop.

It doesn't happen often these days.

This stretch of highway is a forgotten road. It doesn't happen often these days.

This stretch of highway is a forgotten road,

left behind by history and progress, I suppose.

Maybe during the day there's more traffic,

...