Monday, June 26, 2006

Entry #35

"Quit These Hills"
by Peter Anderson


I lean out the window again, craning my neck upward to look at the sky, never removing my hand from the steering wheel. Still no good, I think, as I duck my head back into the car, returning my eyes to the road speeding beneath me. The clouds never seem to give me the thick bank of cover I need, with the moon peeking out again and again. Complete darkness is required, no moonlight.

At least I've left the streetlights far behind, their last bit of fake amber glare fading away maybe ten minutes ago, on the outskirts of Williston. But I must still be close to town, too close, for the power lines continue along, their peaks and dips following beside me on my journey, my mission, my unpleasant task. The presence of power lines means I have yet to reach nowhere—those lines are taking their power to someplace or someone, and as long as that place or person is nearby I haven't gone nearly far enough.

I need remoteness and darkness, and those power lines and that peekaboo full moon show me I still have neither. Remoteness is needed to avoid strangers passing in their cars, darkness to prevent any that do pass from spotting what I'm hauling out of my trunk and dragging into the woods.

I've got my shovel and a strong back. The job shouldn't take more than twenty minutes, and once it's done I'll be gone. I'll quit these hills, forever.

8 comments:

Bhaswati said...

Chilling and compelling. I like the narrator's voice, running away, and the imagery of the power lines on his journey to nowhere. Nice!

Flood said...

I'm with Bhaswati, I liked, "...I have yet to reach nowhere"

cesarcarlos said...

Nicely written. I felt as anxious about finding that nowhere as he was. Nice job!

Scott said...

I can see Joe Paschi being the narrator in this. Good job.

Anonymous said...

This pulled me in and kept me pinned. I like the full circle of title and last line.

mr. schprock said...

Something tells me it ain't doubloons he's burying.

Nice job!

Jade L Blackwater said...

I so deeply identify with that need to just get as far away from civilization as possible, that I was off in my own dreams of escaping when I came upon the end! :) Well done.

Anonymous said...

Peter, I like the description of the journey viewed as what is still remaining, what is still wrong.