“Rendezvous” is a short horror or thriller story by Daniel Ransom (Ed Gorman) about two strangers whose paths converge on the Interstate.
“Rendezvous” Summary
Payton is doing 60 mph as he pulls his Firebird onto the Interstate and quickly gets up to 71 mph. Drums pound from the tape deck and his long dirty hair blows in the wind. He has a can of beer between his legs and a cobra tattoo on his left bicep. Other cars make room for him as he gets up to 77 mph.
Kim, fifteen-years-old, huddles in the cold at an Interstate rest stop. She has a little unappetizing food in her backpack. She momentarily wishes she were still at home, but she has to teach her parents a lesson. They don’t give her enough freedom and her absence will send a message. She wishes she were in a warm car with some good food. She hopes her parents are scared.
Payton sees rain starting in the west. Saxophone music plays now, which makes him morose. He’s going 80 mph now and checks for patrol cars; soon he’s up to 84 mph. He continues drinking and thinks about the priest. He wasn’t very nice or sympathetic, even when Payton told him he sent flowers and visited the funeral home on some of his Interstate drives. The priest said he should turn himself in.
Kim sits in the bathroom trying to warm up. No one has driven by for 20 minutes and she hears the rain coming. She won’t call home yet. Staying away longer will make her story more impressive to her tenth grade friends. She wants to get a ride before it gets too dark.
Payton feels invincible and dismisses the priest’s advice. The loud drums are playing again. Ahead, through the gloom and rain, he sees the shape of a hitchhiker, a young girl.
Kim sees the car pull over and runs to it in the dark and rain. She wasn’t able to get a look at the driver, like she did with the others. She thinks briefly again of calling home. She opens the car door and hears very loud drums.
I hope this summary of “Rendezvous” by Daniel Ransom was helpful.