Short Story Mystery

Ride Into the Fog
By Linda Kozar

PART 3

For a moment, I thought she’d break down, that the tears would come, the wall crumble. But she pulled away. Her eyes moist and fluid, she kissed my cheek. “Bye now.” Kelsey slid into the tattered driver’s seat and put the car in reverse.

“Hey,” I yelled over the sound of the struggling engine, “can we say a prayer together?”

She shook her head. “No time.”

Following the car, I motioned. “Aren’t you going to buckle up?”

“I will, later,” she yelled back.

I blew her a kiss in the same moment she blew me one and tried to smile. The kids waved and said sweet goodbyes in little singsong voices.

The old blue Impala rattled off down the road, a trail of gray fumes in its wake. I ran down the road after it waving at the kids and followed it with my eyes as far as I could see.

Dark now, the opaque fog coiling in, I stood still, fearful of thoughts coming together like puzzle pieces. Maybe they’ll close that old bridge tonight. And I thought of Kelsey’s eyes, blue as sun-jeweled waters. I brushed a tear away.

Tune in next week for a brand new Short Story Mystery!