"Well you dumb broad, looks like you've got yourself in another predicament."
The last time Lila shuddered at this thought she was 18 and knocked up, crying on the floor to her mama explaining that it was true love for her and man.
"True love all right, no good dog left me and my baby high and dry two years later. It wasn't easy just the two of us, me and Darlene."
Easy though compared to the predicament she found herself in now, this year of 1973.
Lila's knees were curled up close to her chin as she suddenly awoke from her slumber. A big bump jolted her awake. She was dirty, smelly and unaware of where she was, other than knowing she's sitting in a large moving object. A semi.
The 43 year old with streaks of grey in her dark brown reddish hair, glanced sleepily around the dark cabin of the semi. It smelled of old leather and had a tar like rank.
Darkness engulfed her vision when she looked outside the window. The eerie shadows of pointed pine trees swaying in the wind, outlined in the black night frightened her. It felt like a bad dream; Lila only wished it was. Everything thing around her was real; even the large beefy man behind the steering wheel, driving the semi, the man that some women all over the state of Indiana have come to fear in this year 1973. Some have felt for lack of a better term, this beast's brute violent force. Only a serial rapist and occasional murderer as he would know how to inflict pain like that.
Lila's head throbbed, shoulders and neck to, like she'd been beat. But even more aching pain below between her legs, a horrible pain. Her body reeked liked a filthy ashtray and smelled of oily fat man semen.
"Oh dear God no,no,no, I was raped." She thought.
"That seems like that's the case Ms. Lila."
She jerked up startled by the voice, clear as a cloudless day in her mind. Dark days have come to rear their ugly and vile faces again for Lila.
"No, not now, please god not know."
"Ms.Lila calm down, everything will be all right as long as you listen to me, I'm gonna help you outta this."
She sobs quietly to herself.
"You best cut that out woman!" the big bearded drive squawked at her.
"I hate to say it Ms. Lila, but you better listen to him if you wanna stay alive."
The voice was female; sounded young with a heavy southern Indiana accent.
"Ms. Lila, it's very important that you listen to me and do exactly as I say, understand?"
She was silent.
"It's obvious you haven't used your gift for a while, you haven't said one word to me yet. Guess I'll be doin' all the talkin' for now, so you better listen up and listen good if ya wanna stay alive, ya here!"
"OK" Lila reluctantly responded.
"You is on route 11 now, in five miles your're gonna see a big flashing sign on your right, say ‘Joes Diner' you can't miss it. I'll be right in there waitin for ya. Now listen Ms.Lila, there is a truckstop just before Joes, its Scotty's reststop; DO NOT let that ape in overalls turn in to Scotty's or I won't be able to help you. Besides Scotty's food sucks and they play Perry Como on their jukebox, we play Johnny Cash baby! Now get movin."
Lila moaned. "Where are you taking me?"
"Pipe down woman." He spat tobacco juice into a metal can. Brown spit dangle from his beard.
She rested her head on the back of the seat, staring into the passenger side mirror. Her face showed signs of aging as though the final years of youth were fading away. She felt young. Maybe too young at the bar just hours ago as she danced in her tight bell bottoms with the fat rapist, drinking like a fish, trying to numb out the voices.
"Damnit, they're still hanging around after all these years," hopelessly she thought. Another thought arose in her mind. How did this voice know he was wearing overalls? A sense of urgency came over her like a hard slap in the face, waking her out of her daze.
Bright shining yellow lights were up ahead in the black night. Quickly she said, "I gotta go to the bathroom."
The fat driver looks at her annoyed. He sighs, letting out a spray of brown spit.
"Yeah ok, we'll stop. I'm not finished with you yet." Lila's spine froze at this.
"I'll need a break before round two." He says with sly evilness. "But listen here, if you try to run, you as much make a squeak to anyone, I will skin you alive you here!" Her head shakes with fear like agreement. He wipes his spit from his beard, giving her a watchful eye.
Scotty's reststop sign is shining brighter as they get closer. He flips on his left turn signal; the semi begins to slow down.
A wave a panic washes over Lila. She begins to brainstorm trying like hell to think of a reason good enough to tell the rapist not to turn into Scotty's.
Joe's Diner blinked brightly on and off in Lila's pupils like it was waving its arms frantically yelling at her, "Over Here"
Nervously she says, ‘Uh not here, please, over there looks better. Her stomach filled with a sick nausea that felt like defeat.
He hacks back, "Why not here?" The semi is swerving to the left.
"Uh, the name Scotty's, my dog was named Scotty when I was a girl, he got hit by a car and died, please."
He squints with suspicion and says nothing. Just gives a ‘your're fucked in the head lady' type of look.
She feels it's the end of the line, she closes her eyes and try's to accept it; Swirling shades of purple blink under her eyelids as she feels her body weight shift to the right. A big, bold blinking ‘Joes Diner' sign shined down on her, feet above the death truck. She covers her mouth in shock, exhaling a thankful cry like sigh.
"You made it girl, now quick, get on in here!"
He grabs at Lila's thin wrist, "No funny business!"
Clouds of dust plumed above their shoes as they walked through the gravel laden parking lot. The July night was hot and muggy, making Lila feel filthier. A jingle of golden bells rings out as they enter the diner. It was 2:00 A.M.
The diner was brightly lit but dead as a lonely graveyard. There was a row of wooden booths next to a large picture window and an old 1950's jukebox in the corner. Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash echoed into the diner. It soon faded out; Then the sound of crackling vinyl through the jukebox speakers duets with the ssshhhh in the back of the kitchen. Be my Lover by Alice Cooper graces the diner of the dead.
Lila and the big man take a seat at a booth next to the large window. It faced route 11; those haunting pine trees in the background. Lila wondered what was next as she curiously glanced around the diner, looking for a cue, anything. Just then the sound of southern hospitality rang from across the room behind the counter.
"What's up ya'll, welcome to Joe's Diner, ya'll just take a seat anywhere ya like ok." Lila knew it was her. The voice matched perfectly with the one in her mind.
A swoop of air is felt at the booth as Misty unexpectedly swings in front of them.
"How ya'll doin', My names Misty can I take your order?" Her ultra-red lipstick lips smack at her gum. A white apron with pockets fits tightly around her pink mini skirt uniform. Her heavy southern accent and sassy aura struck Lila off guard. She looked to be 18 or so, smelled nice to. "She's so cute," she thought.
"Why thank you Ms. Lila," The two give sheepish eyes to each other, Misty rears a confident smile to Lila. As Misty physically speaks about the breakfeast special to the couple, she simultaneously talks to Lila.
"Oh Ms.Lila, you have gotten yourself into one hell of a predicament, that's one big hoss sittin' next to you."- "And that comes with bacon or sausage, so where ya'll headin to, ya on vacation; I hope my hubby someday takes me places."
The fat man replies awkwardly, "Oh now this is my sister, we's goin to Kentucky."
"Sister eh?," Misty says flirtatiously. She winks at the rapist. His tongue wraps around his hairy lips as he eyes her with sick intent.
"What the hell are you doin' little girl?" Lila thought angrily.
"It's ok Ms.Lila, I know what I'm doin."
A look of stress and embarrassment is on Lila's face; she pulls her hair back.
"I'm going to the restroom, please excuse me." Lila gives Misty a concerned motherly look when she gets up. Misty smiles again with confidence.

Moments later Lila contemplates running out the back door next to the ladies room, vowing to forget this night ever happened. She looks back and forth between the exit door and Misty flirting with the rapist. The war inside her mind roars like tanks crushing both logic and responsibility. Then she is startled.
"What ya think ya don' Ms. Lila?" Don't act like your're gettin' ready to bolt out that door! The sassy 18 year old spoke with the tone of a strict school teacher.
"Now I heard what that bastard said earlier,bout' you leavin, so I ain't gonna talk to you, were gonna sit here an talk real peaceful like in our minds, ok?" The two speak to each other mindfully without speaking one word.
Lila crosses her arms with her back against the wall, a desperate look on her face as she looks at autographed pictures of Dolly Parton, Hank Williams etc. on the wall in front of her.
"If you walk out that door you are dead and you know it Ms.Lila. He will find you. I'm here to help you and besides my granny said I would be tested someday, guess this is it." I know you remember when you were tested Ms.Lila. You stayed with that little Smith boy when he was caught down in that well; you was about my age, you remember? Lila wipes tears from her face.
"Yes I do remember."
You stayed right there with him in his mind, talkin to him, telling him he would be ok, singing songs to him so he wouldn't get scared; right until he was safe in his mamas arms. Ya see Ms. Lila we have this gift; we can run from it or we can learn from it and use it in ways that can help others. I'm here to help you, because I felt everything you felt when you was raped, every ounce of humiliation and pain you had to go through, I felt it to Ms. Lila. Vertical rivers of tears flow down Mistys cheeks. "I'm here to help you.
They give each other reassuring smiles, tears wiped away.
"How you gonna help me?"
"I don't know, I'm still workin on that. Listen you better get back to your table before he starts sniffin, ya here. Just follow my cue, you'll know what to do.
They start to walk back to the booth. "Hey Ms.Lila, here's a quarter, go to the jukebox, I'll distract him, go on now. And play something good." She gives her a quick smile.
Lila turns around leaning on the jukebox, her arms crossed. The diamond studs along the back of her jean jacket click on the glass. The needle drops scraping across spinning vinyl; The Rumble by Link Wray crackles like fire.
She watches intently from afar as Misty tempts and flirts with the fat man. The two get up and Misty leads him to the back in the kitchen. Lila cautiously and slowly follows behind them. She felt like she was moving in slow motion; her body and mind was tire, exhausted. Misty gives her an eye just before they enter the kitchen.
"It's on the counter, next to the sac of potatos."
Lila squints with confusion but still follows along. The devilish blues anthem rings loudly in her ears. She glances around the diner with fear and realizes they're the only ones there. Moving like the wind, she creeps towards the door.
Slowly pushing the double doors she cranes her neck to the left. In her view the backside of the rapist, Misty's arms around his bulky shoulders. He gropes her waist with his puffy oil stained hands; his black bearded mouth snakes along her neck.
Then In Lila's mind, she hears softly- "Do it"
Her wide eyes remove themselves from the grossness of the fat man manhandling Misty, and are now focused on the large cleaver next to the potato sac on the counter. Her heart speeds up as that rush of adrenaline kicks in.
Still softly, "Do it"
Lila's ears ring with anxiety and muffled devil soaked blues.
"Grab it Ms.Lila, I can't keep this up much longer."
She gives Misty a look of extreme uncertainty, rubbing her forehead with stressful indecisiveness.
"Do it Ms.Lila, hurry." Mistys sweet voice echoes.
Gathering up the courage she makes a move; her hand reaches for the cleaver, but then quickly refrains, stepping back.
Her mind spins- the rape, Mistys voice, the daughter she hasn't spoken to in three years, the devils blues, those damn pine trees! It all spins around her like a nightmarish carousel carrying devil black horses with red eyes, smoke misting from their blood dripping mouths, laughing demonically at her on every horrific pass.

"Do it…..Do it"
The fat man begins to undo his overalls. A loud and scared sigh escapes Misty.
Real voice, "DO IT Ms.Lila!"
An ogerish "Huh?" bellows from the fat rapist as he turns around, just as Lila in a desperate quick panic reaches for the cleaver. He sees the blade of steel coming up fast, cold and shiny. Lila swings with the vigor of a seasoned batter, and now before her stands the fat man and a hefty piece of metal lodged in his neck.
Blood splatters on the table with the potato sac, and then drips to the floor. He claws at her gurgling out an almost inaudible, "You bitch, you bitch!" A tiny spray of blood exits from his mouth, it lands on her face. He falls to one knee gasping as he holds the cleaver, trying to dislodge it like an insane man. It moved only a quarter of an inch resulting in a splat of blood gushing from a ruptured vein. He lies on the floor infant style with less gurgling and minor movement. He is dead.
The bloody, hairy mound of a man is a sickening sight to Lila. And the thought of what she has done makes her even sicker. She throws up. It makes a plopping sound on the floor. It stunk of cigarettes, fried food and whiskey.
"You did it Ms. Lila, you did it." Misty whispers softly.
Lila sinks to the floor sobbing, her hands covering her face. Misty begins crying as well and kneels down to her. "Ms. Lila, please don't cry. Listen, take my hands and look in my eyes." Misty gently wraps her hands around Lila's.
She loses her breath when she looks into Misty's green pupils and the unspeakable truth is revealed. Faces of young girls and women, the would be victims of the rapist rush into Lila's view, each one bursting into dust as flames erupt in the background. She see's mothers and fathers dressed in black, sobbing over gravestones, weeping the loss of their daughters.
The sad images cease.
"You still have doubts about what you did?" She cries.
"There were so many of them." Lila holds her mouth with disbelief.
"You saved them Ms. Lila, every one of them. That beast will never be able to hurt another soul ever again."
"I wanna thank you Misty for saving me."
Misty extends a loving hug that warms Lila's heart.
"Anytime Darlin." Real voice.
"Now let's get you cleaned up." She helps her up and they walk back to the booth.
"I'm just gonna sit here for a while." Lila says.
"You go right ahead Ms. Lila. Willie and I will take care of that fat ass in there."
"Coffee?" Misty asks
Lila smiles back, "Sure honey, that sounds great."
So there Lila sat, resting by herself with her thoughts; her own thoughts, in this year of 1973. She feels a warm blanket of hope crest over her when she realizes everything will be ok.
And then,
"Hi Mama, it,s me, your daughter. Haven't talked to you in a while, will you talk with me."