Anytown J L Higgs
Hands gripping the steering wheel, Gabriela leaned forward, straining to see the roadway. In the moonless night, the unforecast rainstorm had turned torrential, wiper blades fighting a losing battle. Fog had rolled in further reducing visibility. Finding a safe place in the night had become a priority. A pair of high beam headlights struck Gabriela’s rearview mirror, blinding her. Where had that car come from? She didn’t recall seeing it before, and under such treacherous conditions, it was much too close. A glance at the dashboard clock showed it was 1 am. At this rate, it would take well over an hour to get home. Since childhood, Papi had told Gabriela to go to the police if she was alone and felt unsafe. In America, unlike their country, people could trust the police to protect and keep them safe. Though that was sound advice, she was driving in an unfamiliar area and had no idea where to find help. Before she left home that afternoon, Papi had asked Gabriela if she felt nervous. She had lied and said no, adding that tonight was only a presentation and book signing at a small-town library. He’d dismissed her remarks with a wave of his hand and told her how proud he was of her for what seemed like the zillionth time. Gabriela’s book, The Dreamer’s Story, had started out as a paper written for a college course assignment. Her professor had been so impressed, she suggested Gabriela expand it to be the full story of her life. Taking up the challenge, Gabriela had written the story and been shocked when the university’s press expressed interest in publishing it. Even more surprising had been the phone call she’d received from the Memorial Library’s community coordinator, leading to tonight’s presentation and book signing. Though the book’s promotion materials described it as 31
