Tuesday, March 27, 2007

towards punta del este

my friend who's in love asked me if i'd heard the noise. i hadn't. when she asked again, i still couldn't hear a thing. i recalled that urban myth where there is a killer in the back of the car and was about to make some clever quip when i was distracted by a song and let it go.

the sky was steely blue on one side, blossom pink on the other, the sun a giant orange sitting on the horizon. stars started to appear and dark fell slowly on the road. bocas de lobo we call them roads. no lights for miles, no lights at all.

travelling at top speed. i'm daydreaming of werewolves and night creatures when i hear someone knocking on my door. i do not realize this until later but basically i panic, scream and grab the driver's arm like a clamp. immdiately i let go, hysterical, realizing how dangerous what i've just done is. (speaking in english, how weird that primal fear brings me from my native spanish to english) at the same time i'm thinking, fucking hell, there is someone outside the car, on the roof, on the side, in the boot........

we keep driving, can't stop, the noise vanishes.

after a while, my friend recalls the moment, nervous smile, and as if on cue, the knocking starts again. panic. roadblock ahead. the policeman waves us on but we stop the car by the roadside.

another benny hill moment, two girls running round the car, looking under it, on top of it, kicking the wheels, checking the boot (me: before i open the boot, can i just tell you that i'm actually afraid of opening it so that you laugh at me and i realize how ridiculous i'm being? thanks)

no zombie. no werewolf. no killer. just another peal of uncontainable giggles and more road under the stars

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