To an observer, the sight would have evoked a sense of pity or perhaps even one of twisted
amusement. A lone figure, shoulders dipped as if carrying some huge burden like Atlas, returned the fuel
dispenser to its station as his last and most loyal companion was refilled with gasoline. The sluggish,
uncoordinated movements of the figure told the story of the raging conflict inside the shell’s mind. For
that was what the young man was, a shell of himself. The silver SUV that was the shell’s last friend was
equally as run down as her master. Dust from months of unchecked accumulation covered her once shiny
silver exterior. Her brand new black antenna had been a replacement for the vandalized original, but was
now bent almost double in a pretzel shape by unknown assailants. Her once shiny black brush guard and
attached high performance fog lights were almost tan in color under the gas station’s bright lights because
of the caked on grim. Worst off all, her once immaculately maintained black trim had started to brown
from UV exposure. It wounded her master to see his baby girl in this state that, months earlier, he had
vowed to never to let her reach.
The shell returned to his place at his metal horse’s reigns and the sight of the face that was barely
illuminated by the neglected beauty’s cabin light would have taken our observer aback. The vibrant youth
was gone from the eighteen-year-old shell’s face. The dark rings around his eyes told the story of his
insomnia having steadily grown worse over the course of his ordeal, and caused the once kind natured
young man to have an intimidating essence. The expression carved into the man’s facial features was one
of complete indifference that was as eternal as the expressions carved into the statues of Ancient Greece.
All of these features and his rough, patchy facial hair were even further evidence of the battle he was
losing inside his own mind. His eyes had dulled from sanity shattering stress and only one gasp of
humanity was still visible in the hollow man. Love and affection was visible for the briefest of seconds in
his eyes when he remembered her. Back-to-back little defeats had slowly broken down his mental
defenses and a final knockout blow had shattered his sanity and threatened to consume him entirely.
However, a tiny shard of his pulverized mind had remembered the warmth she gave him the last time he
was able to hold her smaller frame in his arms as well as the warmth her, now rare and treasured,
messages gave him. These memories of happiness, the last remnants of the naïve youth he had been mere
months prior when his ordeal had begun, now filled him with an idea that the last surviving traces of his
willpower rallied behind. Hope. Hope for the future, for a second chance and for the chance to get his life
back.
What was the identity of this mysterious savior? What role did she serve in his life? Was she a
caring friend, a romantic interest, a close sibling, or perhaps even a delusion of a troubled mind that was
desperate to escape the never-ending nightmare of the past few months? If our observer had asked, the
broken man’s response would have only consisted of a near invisible and brief glowing expression
breaking up the entrenched indifferent mask before vanishing forever.
Despite the ignition key shaking because of his hands suffering from another bout of involuntary
trembling, the conflicted youth managed to insert the metal patterns into the ignition slot with the use of
both hands. His companion comforted her master as she cranked with a flawless roar despite her worn out
appearance. Her headlights and the hundred and twenty watt fog lights burned through the thick fog that
had surrounded the lonely gas station and the sound of classic rock emanated from inside her now dark
interior. Engine thundering, the bonded pair of misfits disappeared from our observer as they continued
their trek south though the choking blanket of bone penetrating cold fog. Their road still had miles
remaining and there was plenty of time remaining for the couple to earn their redemption. Now however,
for the first time in their lives, the couple could finally call it their road and theirs alone.