Creative Writing Challenge #8 - Escape In The Night

Challenge #8 - accepted and fulfilled! We had to pick one word from five separate categories and run with it. See @steemfluencer blog for more. Hope you guys enjoy the story!

Elma had been driving all night trying to pick up a few more well needed dollars as her rent was coming due. Being an Uber driver was supplementing her income for a few months now.

She generally enjoyed it but, didn’t always feel safe doing it.

At just a petite five foot one and one hundred and ten pounds, just about any man with bad intentions could over power her.

Elma always played it pretty safe while driving, sticking to the neighborhoods she knew in the short while since moving to Northern California; she always called it quits after midnight.

On this night though, things would be different. She couldn’t know what the rest of the night would bring.

As midnight approach she was getting ready to call it quits when a ride request came in. It was only a few minutes away from where she was and was in the direction of her home.

Elma decided to take it as it would be one of the larger fares of her night. She picked up a young gentleman a few minutes later on the corner of Houston and 1st. He had a hacker type look, rocking a hoodie with a Backpack.

He got in and off they were. Halfway through the ride the guy, named Eddie based on his account info, asked if they could make a stop at a convenience store his friend worked at. It was a town over from where they were, but was not in the best area and was not all that active with people.

Wanting to keep her customer happy, Elma agreed. She plugged in the new address he gave her. With each turn she felt less and less comfortable with the area.

Finally, she was about to make the last right hand turn before arriving at the destination. As soon as she came around the corner, her stomach dropped. The street was deserted, nothing but run down warehouses and an out of business gas station.

She heard the cock of a gun. Eddie told her to pull over and get out of the car.

Shaking, she pulled the car to the curb and then slowly got out holding her hands just above her shoulders.

Eddie pointed the gun at her and said “get in the trunk.”

Elma began to cry and begged him to just take the car and leave.

He moved the gun closer told her and shouted “get in!”

She climbed into the trunk as he shut it closed on her.

The car began to move.

Elma started freaking out with all sorts of thoughts. Where was he talking me? What is he going to do with me?
After a few minutes of panic, she took a deep breath and forced herself to think clearly.

“How can I get out?” she thought.

Elma began rummaging through the trunk and remember her dad left some basic tools in the there, just in case.

One of those tools was a hammer.

She began to use the claw end to pry the hinge on the trunk lid. It was starting to come loose, she couldn’t believe it.

Now motivated by this progress she worked the hinge a little more and a little more. She wanted to get it to the point it was hanging on by a thread so the next time the car stopped she could pop it and make a run for it.

Moments later, the car began to slow to a stop.

Elma gave the hinge once last crank of the hammer claw and it popped open!

She could see the shine of the street lights and feel the hope of her freedom as she tumbled out of the trunk……

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Regards,
Mitchell J