1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Fast Food Horror is an Abbey Normal production. Hey guys, 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,919 it's ej over here at Fast Food Horror. We started 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,239 last week with our Urban Legends series with a retelling, 4 00:00:18,679 --> 00:00:24,640 a reimagining, a re nightmary of the classic story of 5 00:00:24,719 --> 00:00:29,199 the Hook. This week we do a good old fashioned 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:36,840 ghost story with the Lost Hitchhiker. So turn the radio up, 7 00:00:37,359 --> 00:00:40,719 turn the lights down low, and get ready for a 8 00:00:40,799 --> 00:00:45,759 retelling of a classic urban legend. In this week's installment, 9 00:00:47,159 --> 00:01:31,079 Happy Halloween. You've found your way back to my fire. 10 00:01:32,239 --> 00:01:36,560 What happened get lost in all the twists and turns 11 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:42,519 in the woods. Don't worry, friend, It's happened to many. 12 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:48,000 At least count yourself lucky that you've found your way back. 13 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:54,719 There are many, so many that are still walking about 14 00:01:54,840 --> 00:02:01,560 the wood lost for eternity can be dangerous out there. 15 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,760 Why don't you sit and relax a bit, and I 16 00:02:05,799 --> 00:02:09,560 will tell you another tale, an urban legend of a 17 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:15,400 traveler who picks up another kind of traveler in this story, 18 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:30,879 known as the lost hitchhiker. This is not what I 19 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,639 told dispatch at the end of my shift, and not 20 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,039 what I put in my end of day report. If 21 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,759 I had done that, it would have made me the 22 00:02:40,879 --> 00:02:44,159 joke of the terminal and more than likely had me fired. 23 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,360 This is what actually happened, though, and why I bid 24 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:53,360 off this route. I never ever want to go back 25 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,080 on that stretch of road again. The snowstorm hit that 26 00:02:58,159 --> 00:03:02,439 Friday afternoon, because of of course, that's when all snowstorms hit, 27 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,120 earlier than the forecasters had projected, right in the middle 28 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,000 of the school day on a Friday, when the drivers 29 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,120 and the students both want nothing more than to start 30 00:03:14,159 --> 00:03:18,879 their weekend. The snowstorm triggered an early dismissal from all 31 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,240 schools to get in front of the real brunt of 32 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:26,319 the storm, get everybody, students and staff alike, home quickly 33 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,680 and safely. My route was a pretty straight run directly 34 00:03:30,759 --> 00:03:33,719 out of town and up along the ridge, dropping off 35 00:03:33,759 --> 00:03:36,520 all the kids that lived in farm country, and then 36 00:03:36,599 --> 00:03:40,199 coming straight back down into town. I've had this run 37 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,840 for a couple of years. My kids are really well 38 00:03:42,879 --> 00:03:46,360 behaved and very respectful. They know that when I'm driving 39 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,199 in bad conditions, they really really need to stay quiet 40 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,680 so I can give the road by full attention. Today 41 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,319 was one of those days. The visibility was only about 42 00:03:57,319 --> 00:04:01,479 twenty to thirty yards nothing but a huge windshield of white, 43 00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:05,800 like driving in a snow globe shaken by Mother Nature 44 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,919 who had drank one too many red bulls. Slow and steady, 45 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,240 I made my way up the incline of the ridge, 46 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,319 dropping the bus into the lowest gear so as to 47 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:20,360 have the most traction. Patiently I drove along the ridge, 48 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,560 making all my stops as I went, trying not to 49 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,319 stay in one spot too long so as not to 50 00:04:26,319 --> 00:04:30,240 get stuck, but making sure my students were clear from 51 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,879 the bus and safely up their driveway. Then slow and 52 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,240 steady down the ridge, making sure not to stand on 53 00:04:37,319 --> 00:04:40,079 my brakes so as to prevent me from skidding out 54 00:04:40,079 --> 00:04:42,959 and ending up in a ditch. What usually was a 55 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,240 twenty minute descent was turning into almost forty with the storm. 56 00:04:47,959 --> 00:04:51,199 Thank goodness, my bus was empty. The tree line, though, 57 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,040 was acting as a nice wind block from the blowing snow, 58 00:04:54,319 --> 00:04:57,319 and as I made my descent, which made visibility a 59 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,279 bit better. And then I saw her, a bundled up 60 00:05:01,319 --> 00:05:04,600 figure in a puffy baby blue winter coat and baggy 61 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,959 jeans and a cookie monster beanie. The hat made me smile. 62 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,720 She couldn't have been more than fifteen. Her head was 63 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,120 down to shield against the wind, her black curls flying, 64 00:05:16,879 --> 00:05:20,240 walking her way up the road towards the ridge. I 65 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:23,079 slowed to a stop as I got near and opened 66 00:05:23,079 --> 00:05:26,000 the door. This had to be one of my students, 67 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:31,279 or maybe their parents drove them into school, So not 68 00:05:31,319 --> 00:05:34,480 one of mine. I racked my brain going through my 69 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,959 roster of kids, name by name, face by face, but 70 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:42,079 every one was accounted for. Nope, not one of mine. 71 00:05:43,319 --> 00:05:45,759 As she approached the door, I tried to mask my 72 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,959 concern and annoyance that a child, or anyone for that matter, 73 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,839 would be walking up this stretch of road in these conditions, 74 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,120 and I yelled out as cheerily as I could, Hey, 75 00:05:58,079 --> 00:06:01,279 what are you doing out in this? She raised her 76 00:06:01,319 --> 00:06:05,040 face up to meet my look of concern, cherubic face 77 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:10,040 surrounded by black curls with freckles across her nose. I 78 00:06:10,079 --> 00:06:14,120 didn't recognize her. Not one of my students, not this 79 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,079 year or years past. Her reply to my greeting was 80 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,199 a teeth chattering missed my ride to have to make 81 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,480 a home. Well, you're not walking in this. It's not 82 00:06:26,639 --> 00:06:30,160 safe for anyone out here, I said, come on, I'll 83 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,839 take you home. What's your address? She fed me her 84 00:06:33,879 --> 00:06:37,279 address as she came aboard, and I entered it on 85 00:06:37,319 --> 00:06:41,240 my cell phone's GPS, trying to find anything. This would 86 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,120 be next to impossible, and I would rely on any 87 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,920 tech assistance I could rules be damned. I told her 88 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,040 to get warm and that the heater in the back 89 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,079 was the best and it was on full blast. I 90 00:06:54,199 --> 00:06:56,519 watched as she made her way to the back, yelling 91 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,199 that to thank you, that they ain't thank you through 92 00:06:59,199 --> 00:07:03,600 her chattering. What's your name? I shouted to the rear 93 00:07:03,639 --> 00:07:06,079 of the bus, hoping she heard me over the engine 94 00:07:06,079 --> 00:07:12,879 and wind. Jenny came the reply, Jenny Strom. Okay, Jenny, 95 00:07:13,439 --> 00:07:16,639 here we go, I yelled, trying to hide my growing anxiety. 96 00:07:17,439 --> 00:07:19,959 I put the bus in gear and radioed into terminal 97 00:07:20,759 --> 00:07:22,480 just to let them know I had picked up a 98 00:07:22,519 --> 00:07:25,240 student and was going to take them home rather than 99 00:07:25,519 --> 00:07:28,839 let them walk in the storm. Ten four mister c 100 00:07:29,199 --> 00:07:33,319 reply came, followed by a stay safe. I made my 101 00:07:33,439 --> 00:07:35,800 way to the bottom of the incline and did a 102 00:07:35,879 --> 00:07:39,920 quick three point turn at the empty country intersection before 103 00:07:39,959 --> 00:07:42,600 starting to climb six miles up the incline to the 104 00:07:42,639 --> 00:07:45,639 address she gave me. I was laser focused on the 105 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,000 road or black thereof in front of me. As I 106 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,959 kept thus moving forward, darkness was starting to fall, which 107 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,319 was making visibility even worse. But slowly I continued forward 108 00:07:57,839 --> 00:08:00,560 through the drifts that were now starting to up and 109 00:08:00,639 --> 00:08:03,160 cover the road. I hoped I was going to get 110 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:05,319 her home, and that I was going to make it 111 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,959 back down safely. About mile three, my faith kicked in, 112 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,759 and I found myself doing mental rosaries, followed by a 113 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,000 prayer to Saint Jude. If I made it without crashing, 114 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,519 it would be a miracle. A voice broke my thoughts. 115 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:25,639 You have arrived. Thank goodness for GPS, we were here. 116 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,959 I never would have found this address without it. A 117 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,240 small little cottage set off the road, surrounded by trees. 118 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,639 I could barely see the lights on inside, so someone 119 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:42,399 was home. Even better, I yelled back to Jenny, Hey, Jenny, 120 00:08:42,639 --> 00:08:47,639 you're home. No reply came back. Maybe she didn't hear me, 121 00:08:48,799 --> 00:08:55,480 Hey Jenny, we're here again. Not a sound. Maybe she 122 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,879 fell asleep. It's a long school day, no telling how 123 00:08:58,919 --> 00:09:01,720 long she was out walking in this and it was late. 124 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:04,799 I set the parking brake and turned on my four 125 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,360 ways and quickly made my way to the back of 126 00:09:07,399 --> 00:09:10,240 the bus, trying to make some noise so I could 127 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,840 wake her as I approached. I really didn't want to 128 00:09:12,879 --> 00:09:15,399 stay and park too long, though, I didn't want to 129 00:09:15,399 --> 00:09:21,200 get stuck out here all weekend. Jenny. Where I had 130 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,480 made it all the way to the back of the bus, 131 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,120 all forty feet was empty. I walked the length of 132 00:09:27,159 --> 00:09:29,600 the bus again, looking under the seats as I went, 133 00:09:30,039 --> 00:09:33,360 calling her name. Where the hell did she go? I 134 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,440 saw her get on the bus and walk to the 135 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,720 rear There's no way she got off the bus. The 136 00:09:38,799 --> 00:09:42,360 emergency door would have sounded. I walked the bus again 137 00:09:42,399 --> 00:09:45,399 and just a double check, opened the rear door and 138 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:50,279 heard the loud buzzing alarm before closing the door. Where 139 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,919 the heck did she go? I went to the front 140 00:09:53,919 --> 00:09:56,519 of the bus and looked out the student door. The 141 00:09:56,639 --> 00:09:59,480 snow was up to the first step and there was 142 00:09:59,639 --> 00:10:04,840 no footprints. I couldn't understand where she went, but that 143 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:08,200 wasn't the worst of my problems now either the snow. 144 00:10:09,519 --> 00:10:12,360 The snow was up to the front step on an 145 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,960 incline road. I put the bus in gear. I keyed 146 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,240 the mic one five to seven a base, but all 147 00:10:19,279 --> 00:10:23,519 I got back was static one five to seven a base. 148 00:10:24,399 --> 00:10:30,799 Again the electric reply of white noise, and then the 149 00:10:30,879 --> 00:10:36,000 horror struck. Not only was the radio no use, I 150 00:10:36,159 --> 00:10:41,600 wasn't moving. I was stuck and lost the child. I 151 00:10:41,639 --> 00:10:46,360 looked at my cell phone, no bars. I searched for answers. 152 00:10:47,039 --> 00:10:50,759 Where how did she get off the bus? What was 153 00:10:50,759 --> 00:10:55,759 I gonna do? How was crap? I was in trouble 154 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,399 with no options for help. My eyes drift to the 155 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:05,559 left and then to the right the lights the cottage. 156 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,879 I forced the passenger doors open and stepped out into 157 00:11:08,919 --> 00:11:12,279 the snow and felt myself sink. The snow was all 158 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,279 the way up to my knees. I pushed through the 159 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,519 quickly falling snow and made my way up to the cottage, 160 00:11:18,639 --> 00:11:22,440 hoping that Jenny was there with a reasonable explanation and 161 00:11:22,519 --> 00:11:25,679 that there was a land line. I knocked at the door, 162 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,240 and I heard a muffled female voice. Was it Jenny all? Please? 163 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,279 Let it be Jenny, safe and warm, then she could 164 00:11:34,279 --> 00:11:37,919 explain to me how she did her Houdini impression. I 165 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,320 said my silent prayer until the door opened. Hello, a 166 00:11:42,399 --> 00:11:46,519 female voice greeted me from a partially opened door, chain 167 00:11:46,639 --> 00:11:50,440 still in place. I introduced myself and pointed out my 168 00:11:50,519 --> 00:11:54,080 bus's flashing lights, the only thing still visible on the snow. 169 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,039 Do you have a landline? My radio and cell phone 170 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,679 both are out. I need to call terminal to let 171 00:12:00,759 --> 00:12:03,360 them know what's happened. When I was bringing Jenny home, 172 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,320 the door slammed close. I heard the chain fall back, 173 00:12:08,799 --> 00:12:12,360 and then it slowly opened. She was in her sixties, 174 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,600 all of five two, with graying brown blonde hair and glasses. 175 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,600 And it was behind those glasses I saw a look 176 00:12:21,639 --> 00:12:27,919 of concern and understanding. Who are you bringing home? She 177 00:12:28,039 --> 00:12:31,679 asked Jenny. I explained, I picked her up down the 178 00:12:31,759 --> 00:12:36,320 road and she was wearing a light blue coat, baggy jeans, 179 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,919 and a cookie Monster beanie. She interrupted, Yeah, I said, 180 00:12:41,039 --> 00:12:45,519 she's she's been dead for thirty years. She replied. I. 181 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:52,080 I'm sorry what I said, baffled. Dead gone thirty years 182 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:56,080 ago on a night like this, she was walking home 183 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:00,480 from school. I was stuck at work, was supposed to 184 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,240 get her. Her dad was out of town. Remember this 185 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,639 was before cell phones, or I would have told her 186 00:13:07,639 --> 00:13:11,759 to stay at school. She she took it upon herself 187 00:13:11,879 --> 00:13:16,919 to start walking home. She didn't make it up the incline. 188 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:23,879 We searched. They, the police searched, they. They found her 189 00:13:23,919 --> 00:13:26,720 in a snow bank two days later, when the snow 190 00:13:26,799 --> 00:13:29,919 finally stopped. People have been picking her up on nights 191 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:34,120 like this ever since. She's looking for kind strangers to 192 00:13:34,159 --> 00:13:38,279 bring her home. She's still trying to get home. You're 193 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,639 not the first and won't be the last, as long 194 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:47,440 as there's storms on nights like this. I stood there, stunned. 195 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,159 She was so matter of fact about it, not rehearsed, 196 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,639 but but like she's had this interaction over and over. 197 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,320 Before I could get my next question out of my eyes, 198 00:14:00,759 --> 00:14:06,240 I caught a in memory picture above the fireplace. A 199 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,960 cherubic face stared back at me, surrounded by black pearls, 200 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:37,120 with freckles covering her nose. It was her. It was Jenny.