Suddenly the headlights illuminated a figure standing in the middle of the road.
"Watch out!" I yelled.
A guy with moonlight-white skin and spikey black hair, clothed in a black coat, black jeans, and black Doc Martens, quickly raised his arm to shield his eyes--seemingly from the glare of the headlights rather than the imminent impact of Becky's pickup.
Becky slammed her brakes. We heard a thud. "Are you okay?" she cried.
"Yes. Are you?"
"Did I hit him?" she yelled, panicking.
"I don't know."
"I can't look," she said, hiding her head on the steering wheel. "I can't!" She started to cry.
I jumped out of the truck and anxiously peered around the front, afraid of what I might find lying in the road.
But I saw nothing.
I checked underneath the truck and looked for dents. On closer inspection, I noticed blood splattered on the fender.
"Are you okay?" I called out.
But there was no response.
I grabbed a flashlight from Becky's glove compartment.
"What are you doing?" she asked, worried.
"Searching."
"For what?"
"There was some blood--"
"Blood?" Becky cried. "I've killed someone!"
"Calm down. It could have been a deer."
"A deer doesn't wear black jeans! I'm calling nine-one-one."
"Go ahead--but where's the body?" I reasoned. "You weren't going fast enough to catapult him into the woods." "Maybe he's under the truck!"
"I already looked. You probably just bumped him and he took off. But I want to make sure."
Becky grabbed my arm, digging her nails into my flesh. "Raven, don't go! Let's get out of here! I'm calling nine-one-one!"
"Lock the door if you have to," I said, tearing myself free. "But keep the engine and the lights on."
"Raven, tell me this..." Becky exclaimed breathlessly, gazing at me with terrified eyes. "What normal guy would be walking in the middle of a pitch-black road? Do you think he might be a--?"
I felt the pleasant tingle of goosebumps on my arms.
"Becky, don't get my hopes up!"
I combed the bushes that went down to the creek. Then I headed for the hillside leading up toward the Mansion.
I let out a shriek.