“I win you heartless, piece of shit,” He screamed at the silent truck, “I beat you you motherfu…” Suddenly, lights blinked on in the cab. The engine burped and burst into life. The truck shook, rumbled and then, slowly it started to roll away. It picked up speed and moved fast. Jason followed it for a few yards screaming no, picking up rocks and hurling them fecklessly at the disappearing truck. Then, it was gone. He screamed at it, stamped the ground kicked clots of dirt around. Finally, exhausted, angry, defeated, he turned back toward the ditch to gather his things and go home. Suddenly, there was a light in his eyes. He could see the silhouette of a man standing near the ditch. He held up his hand to shield it from the light. He didn’t move.
“Did you do that,” the man asked.
“Do what,” Josiah said, thinking of a strategy if it was the cops, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do … Josiah.” he said, “did you stop that truck?” Josiah froze, he knew his name, this could be bad. “I’m not going to hurt you, son, just tell me, did you stop that truck?”
“Yes,” Josiah said.
“But, it started up again.”
“Yes,” Josiah said, his anger rising again, rolling right over his fear, “it did. It …fucking did.”
“How come?” the man said.
“How come,” Josiah said, “ because … Because I messed up. Because I don’t have the money to buy a better computer to figure out how to make it stop for good. That’s why.” There was silence. The light clicked off and the man walked toward him. Josiah braced, tensed. Waited. The man was standing right in front of him now.
“Tell me Josiah,” the man said, “if I got you the right computer, do you think you could make them stop and stay stopped?” Josiah thought for a moment.
“I can,” he said confident and sure.
“Good,” the man said, “I’m sorry about your father, Josiah, he was a good man.” the man stuck out his hand for Josiah to shake and he did.
“Who are you?” Josiah asked. “Moses,” the man said.
To be continued…