FLASH TERROR 250 Contest – "The Last Gas Station" by Deanne Marcus-Rupert

Howdy weary traveler.

Twenty on pump number three?

You got it.

Six hours on the road, you say? I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Grab yourself a cup, on the house. It looks like you’ve still got a ways ahead of you and need the caffeine.

Foggy out there, huh?

It sure did come out of nowhere. Tends to happen around here. Lucky you found us when you did.

Us? Me and this place. I spend more time here talking to the walls than actual people. I come to think of it as such.

This place? Oh, no. It’s not new, not by a long shot. It’s been here longer than anyone knows.

Never noticed it before?

That’s because we’re real easy to miss. Not on any map, you see. We show up when we need to.

No, we don’t get much business. But that’s fine because we don’t need a lot of business out here.

Oh, you could say we run on something else. It comes to us when we need it.

Yup, that fog sure is getting worse by the minute. I don’t think you’re going anywhere tonight.

Nope. No, that was no threat. More like a promise. Fog rolls in around here and things get stuck. Better to just accept it, and what comes after.

Sorry weary traveler, but you’ll find the doors are locked. You’ve got something me and this place are looking for. We’re mighty hungry now, and you’re just what we need.