Lonely Highway

Lonely Highway.
By Dorisann Anderson..

“Jon, did you hear what I said?”
“Sorry Kim, I guess I was thinking about Ponch. He’s going to take that highway home. He thinks it is a short cut.”
Kim smiled knowing how close Jon and Ponch were and understanding how close partners can be. Kim’s blue eyes shone as she thought of her brothers being in the LAPD and how close they are with their partners.
Kim pulled her long blonde hair back “This is a great restaurant. It’s so peaceful. I’m glad you picked it, Jon.”
Jon seemed to be far away in his thoughts. Something seemed to be wrong but Jon didn’t want to spoil the date with Kim. Still the feeling just wouldn’t leave him alone. His mind went back two week’s ago when he stood in the packing lot of Ponch’s apartment watching as Ponch put the last suitcase in the car.
“Ponch are you sure you want to come back on highway 101? You know that is a bad road at night.”
Ponch’s smile seemed to be bigger then it had for weeks now.
“Sure partner. It will cut out about 50 miles I’ll be ok. If I see a wreck I will not pull over and check it out. No I’ll just keep on trucking.”
Putting her hand over Jon’s Kim slowly rubbed his hand.
“I’m sure your partner will be ok. After a week’s vacation in San Francisco he will be all smiles and full of stories to tell.”
Looking into her eyes Jon could see the love there for him. The red dress she was wearing made her long blonde hair shine and her dark blue eyes could light up the room. Jon knew deep down this was the lady he would ask to be his wife.
“You never did tell me why you don’t like highway 101. I know Ponch said it was a ghost road.”
Kim watched as Jon ran his hand through his blonde hair and she thought to herself. ‘That blue shirt looks so good on him. I love it when he wears the dark jeans and that blue shirt. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought ‘here is the most handsome man in LA and I’m his girl.’
“It’s a long story and one that is hard to believe. One day I’ll tell you all about it, I have to say Ponch is right, it is a ghost road.”
Seeing the wonder in Kim’s eyes. Jon began to tell the story about that road.
“I can still see Sgt Getraer’s face when we got back that morning. I hope I never see him that mad again. They thought me and Ponch made a prank call that night, but we didn’t. We saw a family in a car accident. We talked to the father. Ponch held a small baby in his arms. I had to go back down the road to radio it in. the hills were getting in the way of the radio signal I finally got my call through, but by the time the Emts got there the accident, the car. The family. All of them were gone. Then there was the big cop he sure looked mean. We saw him just finished.”
Jon could tell just by Kim’s body language that she believed his story.
His smiled. ”it is nice to have some on believe me and not look at me like I’m nuts when I tell them the story of highway 101.”

Ponch smiled as he looked in the rear view mirror. ‘So far so good. No ghosts are out tonight.’
Suddenly from the right side of the road a large buck ran out in front of the oncoming car. Swerving to miss the buck Ponch turned sharply to the left, not realizing how close he was to the embankment. The Trans am began to roll down the hill. The loud sound of metal scraping against the rocks filled the air, the fiberglass crunching on the tree scrubs echoed through the quiet night, stirring the old owl from his hunting perch. The young coyote ran from his den as the loud noise came closer to him. Holding tight to the steering wheel his heart racing. Ponch thought ’This isn’t happening this just isn’t happening.’ The seal belt held him tightly in place as the car rolled over and over. Seeing the glass breaking Ponch closed his eyes so the flying glass wouldn’t get in them. He felt the pieces of glass as it cut into his arms and face. The sounds of the car being battered were deafening. Ponch yelled out in pain as the dash board came crushing down on his legs.
His mind went back two weeks ago to when Jon stood by his car “Are you sure about going down highway 101”
“Sure Partner it will cut out 50 miles. I’ll be ok.”
He thought, ‘I should have listened to Jon. I should have taken the long way home.’
Each time the car slammed the ground Ponch’s head throbbed holding his head in his hands. Ponch spoke out loud his voice full of fear and pain. “God help me.” Coming to a stop the car had rolled up right. Ponch was still a bit dizzy but wanted to see how bad he was hurt. He could feel the warm blood run down his face; he soon realized it was becoming harder to breathe. His legs hurt he could feel the blood run down them, putting both hands on the dashboard Ponch tried with all his strength to pull his legs out. All his efforts to free himself were in vain. Ponch spoke into the night his voice was but a whisper.
“Oh God I don’t want to be another ghost on this lonely highway.”
The once flawless Trans now lay in twisted parts broken glass was everywhere. The car’s mirrors had came off a little ways up the hill. Glass and parts made a trail to the wreck. The wind blew peacefully in the trees. So the owl came back to his hunting perch. The large buck walked back from the woods looking at the wreck as he walked by. For now the night was once again still.

“Did you see that car run off the road?” Lisa asked Jason, the driver of the van.
“Yes, I did.” Jason confirmed as he scanned the rear view mirror.
Coming to a screeching halt the tires protested against the asphalt. Pulling the van over Jason wasted no time in reaching into his glove box for his flash lights.
Looking back in the van he asked Amy and Lisa “Do you want to come with me?”
Not realizing the girls were half way out the van Jason jumped as Lisa took the light from his hands and started to run down the embankment. Lisa had no problem finding the car with the trail marked with broken parts and glass. She was soon beside the twisted Trans am. She held her breath as she reached in to see if the young man was still alive.
She was able to feel a pulse. “Thank God he is alive. I hope Jason doesn’t have to work tonight.”
Feeling some one touch him Ponch opened his eyes slowly, turning his head to look he smiled.
“Well if you’re a ghost you’re a very pretty one’ Ponch noticed the shoulder length red hair and the green eyes of the lady standing by his car. “Can ghosts help me get this dash board off my legs” he asked? His voice creaked with pain. His breath was in short gasps.
Lisa spoke “Sir I’m not a ghost. My name is Lisa. My friends will be here soon and together we will try to get you out. Could you tell me your name?”
Closing his eyes Ponch didn’t want to move as the pain was shooting through his body. “My name is Ponch I’m a chp officer.” was all he could say before passing out.
Soon Jason and Amy were beside the car. “Jason,” Amy whispered, “Is he on your list?”
“No at least not tonight.” Jason noticed the young man’s legs were trapped.
“Look I’m going to run back to the van to get the crow bar and some blankets. We’ll see if we can get him out of the car. You two find a safe place to lay him down on. With all this glass it might be a hard thing to do. I’ll be right back.”
Handing Amy the light Jason ran back up to the van. Amy stood shining the light on Jason to help him see. His long black hair trailed behind him as he rushed up the hill. Lisa always loved to look at his dark black eyes. Many people didn’t see the love and hurt in his dark eyes but she knew it was always there. Amy knew most people saw him as mean, hurtful, careless to their pain. Jason returned with the crowbar and blankets. Lisa began to put a blanket down. Jason wedged the crowbar into the dash board and lifting up on it the dash board gave way. Soon Amy and Jason could now pull Ponch from the car. Now safely on the blanket they could see clearly the injuries Ponch had .Feeling the weight lifted off his legs Ponch once again opened his eyes.
Looking into the dark black eyes of Jason, Ponch couldn’t help but feel as if he was looking face to face with the death angel.

“You’re ghost, right? But you were able to help me.”
“No sir we are not ghosts, my name is Jason, the blonde lady with me is Amy and the red head is Lisa. They are going to stay with you while I go for help; it should take me an hour to get to LA. I’ll try to get help for you as soon as I can okay, the ladies will take good care of you.” With that said Jason ran back to the van.

The coyote quietly came back to his den. He yelled into the night. The smell of blood filled the air. There was other smells he didn’t know but the blood was something he knew. The hungry young coyote slowly made his way to the accident. Standing up Amy took the flash light shining it towards the woods. She could see an outline of a small animal coming toward them.
“I’ll be back I got to have a little talk with this animal.”
Amy carefully walked up to the coyote. Her light shined bright around her. In the light one could see a lady with a long flowing white robe with gold trim all around the robe. Her angel like wings folded to her side. The coyote was frozen in his tracks, first thoughts were to run from this strange light but some how he realized he was in no danger, he had no fear as he walked up to the lady. He turned his head to the right side looking up at the lady. Amy knelt down stretching her hand out to show the animal there was nothing to fear. He laid his head in her hands much like a puppy would. Amy listened to the thoughts of the young animal. Not being able to hunt for food for days after he had gotten in a fight with another coyote, his paws hurt from where he had been bitten, and his mouth hurt from all the biting he did. Now sore from the fight he laid in his den the strange noise of this night made him come out of the den.
Patting the hurt animal Amy spoke her soft voice. “There is no food for you here. Go now to the creek you will see an engaged rabbit. Go now and eat.”
The coyote turned to walk away but stopped to take on last look at the lady as if to say thanks. Then ran off to the creek to eat.
Lisa was busy changing the cut up rags on Ponch’s legs. She never noticed Ponch was awake.
Ponch turned his head towards the woods, thinking to himself ‘it looks as if she’s talking to it and it is listening to her.’
“Now I know you’re not ghosts. You’re angels.”
Laughing at the look on Ponch’s face Lisa took hold of his hand, “Ponch you need to be still, you’re losing a lot of blood and you’re in and out of consciousness .You need to save all your strength to recover from this.”
Ponch felt calm when Lisa took hold of his hand. He couldn’t help but think he was safe and was going to be taken care of. He felt he could rest knowing she was there. Amy walked back and seeing that Ponch was now sleeping, she took this time to talk to Lisa.
“You know what you are; your sprite knows where it belongs. It knows where you came from. It knows this is not home. Your sprite is homesick and that is why you feel like you do. You are an earth angel; you have just lost your way is all.”
“Amy I’m guessing but soon I will remember none of this. I mean you and Jason and what you just said. What if I lose my way again? What if I don’t do what it is I was sent here to do?”
“You will be fine. You know God will always be with you. He will find a way to guide you. You just need to listen for his voice. As for me and Jason, we will be in your memories as old school friends.”
Ponch stayed still as he heard every word Amy and Lisa said. He heard the fear in Lisa’s voice and felt as if she had many questions still not asked.
Coming into LA, Jason came across the fire station. Station fifty one. The sign on the building said. Jason parked his van closes to the door and ran inside. Johnny stood by the fire truck watching the young man come in side.

“Can I help you?” Johnny asked.
“There has been a bad accident on highway 101, it’s about a four hour drive south of LA.
Shaking his head Johnny smiled, “Did Jon and Ponch put you up to this, If so tell them it isn’t funny, it wasn’t funny then and isn’t funny now.”
“Ponch. that’s the name of the man that is hurt in the accident, He said he was a CHP officer.”
Captain Stanley came over to listen to the man’s tale of the accident. “Johnny get Roy and start out there. Sounds like Ponch could be in serious danger.
Writing down a phone number Johnny handed it to Chet “Call this number. It’s Ponch’s partner Jon. Tell him we are going to get Ponch and should have him back in a few hours. Have Jon meet us at the hospital.”
Jon stood at the window of his apartment looking at the night sky and feeling as if all was wrong. He couldn’t shake the feeling he had all day, Making the date with Kim not as good as it should have been. Hearing the phone Jon froze. Something told him it was bad news.
“Jon, this is Chet. Listen there was a man here who said there was a bad accident on high way 101. Jon it was Ponch. Roy and Johnny are going now to get him. They should be back in a few hours. Johnny said to meet them at the hospital. Hey Jon don’t worry. You know they are the best EMT’s out there.”
Jon put the phone down. He ran his hand through his hair something he does when upset.
“Ponch, why didn’t you listen to me about that road?”
The only person Jon could think of to call was Kim. “Hi it’s me Jon. look Ponch was hurt. He will be coming to the hospital soon. Would you be able to go with me to the hospital? I really don’t want to go alone, and the other guys are all asleep now, I’ll tell them in the morning about this.”
“Sure I will. Just let me call work and tell them I’ll not be in tomorrow. I’ll come over to your place after I make the call.”
Hanging the phone up Kim made sure she had lots of change and one dollar bills. Thinking to herself, ‘it’s going to be a long night and day. I’m sure we will need lots of coffee.’ Picking up the phone Kim whispered ‘One more thing I need to do.’
“Hey Sally I know it’s my turn to drive to work, but I’ll not be in tomorrow, Jon’s partner has been in a bad accident. And I’ll not let Jon have to face this alone.”

Arriving at the accident Jason pulled the van over. Looking back he could see the flashing lights of the ambulance. It was becoming day light now, even with the light of day you would never know there was a car over the embankment.
Jason pointed down the embankment “They’re down here.”
Roy and Johnny gripped the gear they thought they may need and slowly made their way down the hill. Roy looked at the twisted metal that was once a Trans am, shacking his had Roy looked at Ponch.
“You must have one strong guardian angel to come out of that alive.”
Leaning down to take his vitals Johnny spoke “Ponch now this is an accident, unlike the last time.”
“It had to be you. Of all the EMT;’s in LA it had to be you.”
Johnny smiled, hoping to lighten the mood and put Ponch at ease .for he knew lifting him unto the back board will be painful for Ponch. They carefully put him on a back board and carried him up the hill to the waiting ambulance.

Jason, Amy, and Lisa went to the van. Before going inside the van Jason turned and walked down the road.
Amy watched him go out of sight. “I guess Jason had something h had to do.”
An hour later Jason showed up with a smile on his face his eyes shine with love. “I had some unfinished business. From now on highway 101 will not be called a ghost road.”

Jon watched as they rolled Ponch into the Emergency room. Seeing his friend and partner in such bad shape, he tried to follow him into the room, Feeling someone taking hold of his arm Jon turned to look.
“I want to be with him.”
“Yes I’m sure you do but there’s no one allowed inside the examining room. Please wait in the waiting room.” With that said the doctor left Jon in the hall way and went into the room. After what seemed like hours for Jon, the doctor came into the waiting room.
“Your friend is going to be okay. He has been moved to room two fifteen. You can go see him now.”
Walking into the room Jon noticed Ponch was awake.
“Well partner what happened out there.”
“You and Kim better sit down. It’s a long story. First a large buck came out onto the road I turned to miss it and ended up going over the embankment. I didn’t see any ghosts but I did see two angels. And Lisa is an earth angel, I’m not sure what that is but it’s different than a regular angel.”
Trying to tell the story took some time with Ponch going in and out of sleep.
“I saw Amy turn into the angel she was, and talk to a coyote, I heard her tell Lisa what she was and that she would forget what she was told.”
That night a new nurse walked into the room to take vitals.
“Ponch, I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
“Lisa” Ponch smiled “my pretty angel. Jon, and Kim this is Lisa, the one I was telling you about. Where are your friends at?”
“They had to go back home, it’s been a long time since I had seen them. We were all such good friends all throughout school. I’m not sure when I’ll see them again.”
“Lisa, do you believe in angels” Kim asked.
“Yes I do, my grandmother always said that angels walk amongst us.”
“Well I think you’re my angel. And I think you would be an angel if you went out with me after I get better.” Ponch said with a big smile.
Lisa laughed. “You get better first, and then we will see.”
As Lisa walked out of the room Jon and Kim stood by the bed side. “Ponch you didn’t tell her what Amy said about her bing an earth angel why?”
“Partner, I think maybe that is how it was meant to be.”


sorry I had to post this so many times, it was too long to post all at once