The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the winding roads of northern Arkansas, painting the landscape in hues of gold and amber. The trees, dense and towering, seemed to close in around the narrow highway, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze that carried the scent of damp earth and wildflowers.
Madi Whitfield tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her silver sedan and glanced at her phone’s GPS. She had just left the safety of Highway 412—the main artery cutting through this rugged part of the state—and was now on Highway 43, heading toward the town of Ponca. Beyond Ponca lay Whitaker Point, the scenic overlook she’d seen on Instagram a few days ago.
Madi had always been drawn to the wild and beautiful, a far cry from the bustling streets of Boston where she had spent most of her life. This trip was her reward to herself after graduating from Boston College—a chance to clear her head, find herself, and bask in the solitude of nature before diving into the chaos of post-college life.
She had been on the road for hours, the tires of her car humming steadily against the asphalt. The GPS on her phone continued to guide her, but the signal was starting to weaken. Madi frowned as she noticed the bars dropping, a slight tension creeping into her shoulders. She barely registered the picturesque town of Ponca as she sped through it, her eyes more focused on her phone than on the road.
“C’mon, you piece of shit,” she muttered, glancing at her phone.
After another ten minutes, Madi found the small gravel road branching off from the highway. She turned onto it, the tires crunching noisily beneath her as she left the pavement behind. The trees here were closer together, their branches nearly touching above, forming a canopy that dimmed the light even further. The gravel road was rough, winding sharply uphill, and every turn seemed to reveal more of the same—endless curves lined with impenetrable forest.
The farther she drove, the more Madi’s confidence began to wane. She was supposed to stop for gas in Ponca but missed the station entirely while focusing on her phone. Now, she wasn’t sure if she had enough fuel to get back. She was utterly alone out here, with only the sound of her tires on the gravel and her thoughts for company.
A gnawing sense of unease began to creep in. The road was becoming rougher, the gravel thinning out until it was more dirt than anything else. Madi tried to shake off her anxiety, telling herself she was just being paranoid. After all, this was what she had wanted—an adventure, a break from the predictable life she’d always known. She had dreamed of seeing places like this, of getting lost in the wild beauty of America’s backroads.
As the minutes ticked by, the road began to climb ever steeper, the trees giving way to rocky hillsides. Madi’s heart sank as she realized how much fuel she had burned on this road. The needle was dipping dangerously close to empty, and she regretted not turning around when she had the chance.
Just then, the GPS signal dropped completely, and she couldn’t remember which road she was supposed to take next.
Panic began to set in as the realization hit her: she was lost, and soon, she would be out of gas.
She tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths as she scanned the road ahead for any sign of civilization, but there was nothing—just more trees, more hills, more of the endless, lonely road. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she spotted a small clearing on the side of the road where she could pull over and assess the situation.
Just as she did—the car died.
Madi sat in silence, the sudden stillness of the forest pressing in on her. She reached for her phone, hoping against hope for a signal, but there was nothing.
Her heart pounded as she considered her options. She could stay here and wait for another car to come by, but who knew how long that would take? She hadn’t seen another vehicle since leaving the highway. Or she could start walking, hoping to find help or at least a better signal.
But which direction should she go? The gravel road stretched out behind and ahead, a thin, winding ribbon cutting through the hills, but it was impossible to tell which way led to civilization and which led deeper into the wilderness.
Madi stared at the road ahead, the darkening sky above, and the deepening shadows in the trees. The air was thick with the scent of earth and wildflowers, and the only sound was the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. The sense of isolation was overwhelming, and for the first time, Madi felt a flicker of fear.
She couldn’t stay here, she decided—not with night falling and no gas. She grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat, stuffing it with a few essentials—a water bottle, her phone, a flashlight. She left her car parked in the clearing, taking one last look at it before heading down the road on foot, hoping to find something—anything—that could help her.
As she walked, the shadows grew longer, the forest around her darker and more foreboding. The road continued to twist and turn, leading her deeper into the wilderness. Madi’s heart pounded in her chest, and her breath came in short, sharp bursts as she quickened her pace, desperate to find a way out.
But the road kept going, leading her further away from everything she knew, everything familiar. The trees loomed high above, their branches intertwining like the fingers of some ancient, watchful creature, and the air grew colder, carrying with it a sense of unease that settled deep in Madi’s bones.
Then, in the distance, she heard the low rumble of an engine.
Hope flared in her chest as she rounded a bend and saw the headlights of an old truck coming down the road toward her. She waved her arms, relief flooding through her as the truck slowed to a stop beside her.
The driver was an older man, burly and broad-shouldered, with a long white beard that hung down to his chest. He wore a pair of worn denim overalls and a battered hat that shaded his weathered face. His eyes, sharp and blue, studied Madi with an intensity that made her shift uncomfortably.
“Evenin’,” the man drawled, his voice gravelly. “You look like you’re in a bit of trouble.”
Madi nodded, her heart still racing. “Yeah, I, uh, I got lost, and I’m out of gas. I was trying to get to Whitaker Point, but I think I took a wrong turn somewhere.”
The man chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. “You got close, but you missed yer turn back there, missy.”
Madi’s stomach sank. “Oh… do you think I could get a ride back to Ponca?”
The man’s smile widened, but there was something in his eyes that made Madi uneasy. “Sure do. Hop in, and I’ll take you back. The name is Sid, by the way.”
Madi hesitated, a warning bell going off in the back of her mind. But what choice did she have? The sun was nearly gone, the forest around her darkening with each passing minute. She couldn’t stay out here alone.
“Thanks, I'm Madi.” she said, trying to keep her voice steady as she climbed into the truck.
The interior smelled faintly of tobacco and engine oil, the seats worn and cracked with age. The man didn’t say anything as he pulled back onto the road, the truck’s engine growling as they picked up speed. Madi tried to calm her racing heart, telling herself that she was just being paranoid, that this man was just a kind stranger helping her out.
But as the truck rumbled deeper into the hills, the trees closing in on either side, that uneasy feeling only grew. The man glanced at her from time to time, his eyes lingering just a little too long.
“So, where ya from?” he asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
“Boston,” Madi replied, trying to keep her tone light. “Just graduated from college there.”
The man nodded slowly, his eyes flicking back to the road. “Boston, huh? Long way from home.”
“Yeah,” Madi said, forcing a smile. “I wanted to see the country, you know? Thought I’d take a road trip before starting work.”
“Mighty brave, doin’ that all on your own,” the man said, his voice unreadable. “Not too many folks come this way, especially not alone.”
Madi’s grip on her backpack tightened. “Yeah, well, I’ve always liked adventures.”
The man chuckled again, but there was no warmth in the sound. “Adventure, huh? Well, you’re in for one now, I reckon.”
Madi’s blood ran cold at his words, her heart thudding in her chest. She forced herself to look out the window, watching the dark forest whip by. The truck’s headlights cut through the darkness, but the world outside seemed to grow more shadowed, more menacing with each passing moment.
Suddenly, the truck swerved off the gravel road, onto a narrow dirt path that wound through the trees. Madi’s heart leaped into her throat as she turned to the man, panic rising in her chest.
“Wait—where are we going?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The man didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The truck bumped and jolted over the uneven ground, the trees closing in tighter around them, and Madi realized with a sickening certainty that this was no shortcut back to the highway. This was something else entirely.
“Please,” Madi whispered, fear choking her words. “Just let me out, I can find my way back—”
The man’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his jaw set in a grim line. “Too late for that now, missy.”
Terror clawed at Madi’s throat as she reached for the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge, the lock jammed in place. The truck continued its relentless course, plunging deeper into the woods, away from any hope of rescue. Madi’s mind raced, searching for a way out, but there was none.
She was trapped.
And as the truck came to a stop in a small, shadowed clearing, Madi knew that her adventure had turned into a nightmare she might not escape.
