Lesson 2 - No dialog

Introduction to Dialog: Lesson 2

The Oregon fog added to the gloom Gus suffered from driving his '69 Mustang south on Interstate 5 just passed Salem. Cloudy wisps limited his view as the sun dropped below the horizon. He shook his head and tried to fix his sight in front of him, but the beams of his headlights bounced off the mist, scattering the light in different directions. Slowing down, he wished other vehicles would appear on the road so he could follow their red rear view lights.

Driving in fog always frightened him. He could never be sure whether his view of the highway would stay true or if it would stray over the edge. Other drivers he had ridden with never seemed to share his fear, making him wonder how they could navigate the murk without his apprehension.

He stayed along the curb aligning himself with its white line. A grey silhouette manifested on the side of the road and jumped back off the road. Gus jerked the wheel to the left and pulled back onto the center of the lane. Wiping beads of perspiration from his forehead, he slowed down, crawled to a standstill, and parked. The hitchhiker became visible in his right hand mirror approaching from behind.

"Have I lost my mind?" wondered Gus. The rider drew alongside his car, knocked on his passenger window and motioned for Gus to let the window down. The figure was a teen-age boy. He asked Gus how far he was going. Gus replied that he was going to Medford, just north of the California border and invited him in. He introduced himself as Gus Chamberlain and his passenger informed him his name was Ralph Kronos. The boy said he was on his way to LA.

Gus revved up the motor and pulled back out onto the freeway, remaining silent. His guest hummed something that triggered Gus's memory but he could not bring the tune's identity to light despite his efforts. He began to feel uneasy around Ralph. There was something strange about the boy.

Gus asked Ralph where he was from and the boy said Salem. Gus asked where his parents were and Ralph said he didn't know or care. Gus asked him what he was doing in Salem. Ralph said time, non-jokingly. Thinking he remembered the state mental hospital was in Salem he got extremely nervous. He told Ralph he was dropping him off at the next town, Corvallis.

Gus stopped at the end of the Corvallis off-ramp and exited the car. He told the kid to get out. The boy just smiled. Gus got out of his car and walked around it. Opening the passenger door, he prepared to throw the teen-ager out by his collar if necessary. He opened the door and reached for the boy.

The slice of the knife cut his midsection from one side of his abdomen to the other. He squealed and then screamed. Ralph turned the knife ninety degrees and slashed upwards to Gus's bellybutton. The withdrawal of the weapon from his gut left him hemorrhaging on the sidewalk.

Ralph thanked him for the ride and the new wheels. Gus finally recognized the tune. The lyrics to the Doors "Riders on the Storm," passed through his head as he sagged to the ground.


There's a killer on the road,
His brain is squirming like a toad,
Give this man a ride,
Sweet Emily will die,
Killer on the road.