Journey into the Unknown

By Michael J Bryant

Every day in many people’s busy lives’ when they leave the house for one reason or another, it is like speeding off into the mysterious unknown. Whether it is off to work, shopping or even going on a road trip, no one knows if and when they will return. Some try their best to stay out of trouble and have a usual uneventful day while others take their chances and speed ahead into whatever will be. No one knows the future so it is very possible for someone to find themselves on a Journey into the Unknown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365410499

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By

Michael J Bryant                                                                                         

Copyright 2024 Lulu Author,

Michael J Bryant

    All rights reserved.

    ISBN # 9781365410499

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of, or by any means of electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, or locations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All contents herein, ideas, fictional events, characters, story lines, and anything else pertaining to this story of Journey into the Unknown, belongs to the author Michael J Bryant, exclusively written and designed for this book alone.

Written By: Michael J Bryant   

Copyright By: Michael J Bryant

Created June 27, 2016. All rights reserved.

US Copyright Office Washington, DC

                                        Dedications:

I would like to dedicate and give special thanks to all my family and friends who support my writing efforts. God Bless our flag, our nation and all our troops who fight to keep us free. A special thank you to all our grandchildren who always brighten each day and to our mothers, Mary L. Bryant and Patty M. Davis.

Contents:

1.  Tehachapi Pass 1

2.  Alaskan Wild Card                                                2

3.  The Wall                                                                3

4.  The Creepy Desert                                              4

5.  The Repairman                                                    5

6.  Lost at Sea                                                          6

  Introduction

                            Every day in many people’s busy lives when they leave the house for one reason or another, it is like speeding off into the mysterious unknown. Whether it is off to work, shopping or even going on a road trip, no one knows if they will return. Some try their best to stay out of trouble and have a usual uneventful day while others take their chances and speed ahead into whatever will be. No one knows the future, so it is very possible for someone to find themselves on a Journey into the Unknown.

Tehachapi Pass # 1

Myles Bronson is a good-looking young man on his way to Bakersfield to apply for an aircraft job at the airport. He was 21 years old and tired of all the part time work at the local grocery stores. Sure, he was in a manager’s position, but the pay was much too low, and he felt he needed a lot more to support the lifestyle he wanted.

Myles had just finished washing his 1970 Dodge Challenger with a stock 440 under the hood. With thin wheels on the front, the car sat up in the rear because of the air shocks and larger racing tires on the back. Along with the pearl white paint and glass pack mufflers, this was one hot street racer. The car was a few years old but still looked as good as the day he’d bought it.

He also had an image he had grown to enjoy with his longish hair slicked back. He always wore Levis, biker boots, sleeveless tee shirts and his black leather jacket. He did take along some nice clothes on this trip for his job interview but really hated dressing up. Leaving Victorville California and heading to Bakersfield, Myles headed out across the desert. The job interview was in the morning and Myles planned on spending the night at a motel in Bakersfield so he could show up for the interview refreshed and ready.

On his way across the desert, there wasn’t much traffic, so he drove as fast as he liked until the traffic started thickening up. As he neared the Lancaster area, a lot more cars appeared. Occasionally getting stuck behind slower traffic and when he had the chance, he would floor his hot rod passing whoever he pleased. Even though it was a cold day, Myles had his windows halfway down so that everyone around him could hear his radio blasting tunes from the late 50’s and early 60’s. After zigzagging through town, Myles turned right from Avenue I onto the old Sierra highway toward Rosamond.

Smiling from behind the wheel, Myles said, No one can keep up with my streaking white bullet.

There had been an old primer gray Chevy which had been closely following him all the way down Avenue I, which turned right as well. The older 1955 Chevy quickly pulled up alongside him as the driver of the Chevy motioned for Myles to pull over. The two young guys in the Chevy had stringy long hair and appeared to want something. Myles could tell that this 55 Chevy with its hood scoop was built for racing. Although the Chevy didn’t have paint, this thing sounded like it could outrace a rocket ship. This guy’s car was nearly restored and sported mag wheels with racing tires. Myles pulled off the road as the 55 Chevy pulled up alongside.

Myles started lighting up a cigarette and turned down his radio when he heard the driver of the Chevy asking, Where are you heading?

Bakersfield, was all Myles replied.

  What do you have under the hood of that hot rod? the other driver wanted to know next.

While both drivers revved up their engines off and on, Myles looked up with a grin as he said, Enough.

Want to take them up the street a little way? the other young man in the Chevy’s shotgun seat asked, pointing forward as he then added, Bet this thing will leave that piece of crap in the dust.

Still grinning and taking a puff from his smoke, Myles then replied, You know, I would love to shut you boys down, but I have a job interview I need to get to.

The young man commented, Oh I see.

Well, this is only Monday so if you have the balls, you could meet us up on Lancaster Boulevard this coming Friday night? the driver of the Chevy suggested.

  Yeah, everybody that’s anybody cruises the Boulevard on Friday nights, the Chevy’s passenger added in.

Yeah, yeah, I know, Myles replied with a chuckle, I’ll have to check my schedule, but I think I can make it if you guys don’t chicken out.

Both young men in the Chevy laughed as the driver revved up the motor in the gray Chevy preparing to do a burn out.

Before leaving, the Chevy’s driver then commented, I’ll be looking for you, grease ball.

I’ll see you surfer boys around, Myles shouted, trying to get above the noise of screeching tires.

The 1955 Chevy shot forward like a bullet leaving black smoke and marks on the highway. The front end was jumping around a little while the driver fought to keep his frontend straight. Myles flipped his cigarette butt toward the rear end of the Chevy as he shouted, Get out of here you freak of nature.

Not especially impressed with the boys’ performance, Myles laid a little rubber himself as he got back out onto the blacktop. He was still shaking his head and saying to himself, "Grow up boys. This is not the 50’s anymore, it’s 1972.

Continuing his way, Myles headed toward Rosamond. There wasn’t much traffic on the old two-lane highway these days. Most people were now probably commuting on the new 14 freeway which went all the way to Los Angeles or to Bakersfield. Out in the middle of what felt like nowhere, Myles got his Challenger up to about one-hundred and twenty-five miles an hour before letting off the throttle. Sure, he still had plenty of foot pedal left but he couldn’t afford a ticket either.

  I’d better slow this baby down some, he told himself, I sure don’t need to get pulled over.

You can never tell where the Highway Patrol might be sitting watching traffic, plus he was fast approaching Rosamond. Rosamond was a very small town, and it didn’t take long to get through it on Sierra Highway. Still heading North about halfway between Rosamond and Mojave, which was the next upcoming town, the Challengers engine began knocking badly.

Caught totally off guard, Myles said, I don’t believe this shit. What’s going on here?

Quickly checking the dash gauges while he got off the gas, he noticed right away that the engine temperature gauge was reading hot.

Oh damn, Myles thought, hoping that he hadn’t damaged the engine.

                            While the car started slowing down, Myles began pulling over to the shoulder of the road. It wasn’t hard to realize that steam was escaping from somewhere under the hood once the automobile came to a stop. Turning the ignition off and stuffing the car keys into his leather jacket pocket, Myles popped the hood by pulling the hood release latch.

Oh God, he complained, climbing out of the car, I sure hope it’s only a radiator hose or maybe something simple like a fan belt.

While he pulled the front hood latch and opened the hood, steam was coming up from the front of the engine. He waved his hands around, trying to see what the problem was.

Oh please, oh please be something simple that I can fix so I can at least make it to Mojave to get you fixed, Myles complained like he was talking to his car.

  Once he was able to see better, Myles quickly noticed a split in the upper radiator hose. Obviously, the water had been spraying out of this crack for some time before he realized what was going on. Nothing but steam shot out when he took off the radiator cap to relieve the pressure. Standing there for several minutes while everything cooled off, Myles looked inside the radiator and did not see any water.

I am going to let you cool down for a few minutes and then if I can find some electrical tape and some water in the trunk, we are going to be back on the road in no time, he smiled.

His dad always harped at him to carry a few tools and extra water and oil in the trunk. Myles wasn’t sure if the stuff he needed was in the trunk, but he did carry extra things with him. He leaned back against the front end of the car and lit up a cigarette while the car cooled down. Looking around in nearly every direction he saw a lot of Joshua trees as well as other vegetation. There was one big Joshua tree, bigger than most near where the car had come to a stop. Glancing up and down the highway though he didn’t see a car in sight. For the time being, Myles appeared to be very alone out there in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

After finishing up the smoke, Myles walked to the rear of the Challenger and placed the key in the trunk lock. With a quick turn to the right, the trunk lid popped open.

Once he had a chance to view the contents in the trunk, only the rabbits and lizards could hear him yelling, What the hell? Where is all my stuff?

  There was absolutely nothing in the trunk. No toolbox, no tape and not even a spare tire. Even his jack was gone.

You’re a stupid idiot, he shouted to himself, suddenly remembering what had happened.

    Just a couple of weeks back he and some friends wanted to go to the drive-in to meet up with a few girls to watch a movie. Some of Myles’s friends didn’t have any money so they emptied out the trunk to sneak a few buddies and the beer into the show. He couldn’t believe that he had forgotten to put his tools and things back inside the trunk. Slamming down the trunk lid, he walked back to the front of the car and then closed the hood.

Thinking out loud, Myles then said, Mojave can’t be more than about 15 miles away and maybe I can make it there before dark. If not sooner depending on whether I can hitch a ride or not?

    Not seeing any cars coming up the road in either direction while he locked up the car, Myles complained again saying, Damn the luck. I may have just screwed myself out of that job interview in the morning?

Myles took off on foot walking toward the town of Mojave. He kept looking back to see if any cars might be coming as the crippled Challenger sitting on the side of the road got smaller and smaller. After a few bends in the road, he could no longer see his car at all. The wind was blowing as usual, and the darkening desert air was becoming cold.