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    Lost Highway
    Lost Highway
    Lost Highway
    Ebook213 pages3 hours

    Lost Highway

    By Joe Bob Newman

    ()

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    About this ebook

    It is Christmas Eve, 2016, Jeff Winters has presents for his kids in the trunk of his car. He is just east of El Paso when he comes to a rest stop on I-10, he stops to catch some sleep. But he wakes up in a pasture with 2 cowboys staring down at him. Where is his car? The heck with the car, what happened to the highway?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJoe Bob Newman
    Release dateJul 25, 2018
    ISBN9780463547304
    Lost Highway
    Author

    Joe Bob Newman

    I have been writing mystery and fiction books since 1982. I have never considered having any published until now. My career has been in writing technical documents for the defense industry. By profession I am a mechanical engineer, P.E. I have six grand children.. During the summer months, I spend a lot of time in the mountains of New Mexico. Watching wildlife and observing the ecology. i also enjoy riding my 4-wheeler. I built a cabin by myself, just above a stream filled with trout, perhaps i should say am building, I have been working on it for twenty years and it is still not finished, but it is livable, it has electricity, running water and a septic system. With that, I am happy to live there in the summer months and for a week or two in the winter, but I have found that I am not much of a "snow" person.I do hope you read and enjoy my books as much as I enjoyed writing them! Thanks for visiting my page.Joe Bob Newman

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      Book preview

      Lost Highway - Joe Bob Newman

      Lost Highway

      Joe Bob Newman

      Lost Highway

      Copyright 2018 © Joe Bob Newman

      Cover Design by: Laura Shinn

      Edited by: Nick F. Bowman

      Published by: Smashwords

      License Notes:

      This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved.

      This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

      Written, Edited, Published and Printed in the USA!

      Lost Highway

      Table of Contents

      Other Books by Joe Bob Newman

      Characters

      Lost Highway

      Lost Highway

      Other Books by Joe Bob Newman:

      The Craft (Science Fiction)

      When Time Stood Still (Science Fiction)

      Phantom Canyon (Western)

      The Rig (Action/Romance)

      The Executive (Action/Romance)

      Cabin Fever (Action/Romance)

      Cabin Cruiser (Action/Romance)

      One for the heart (Action/Romance)

      Mystic Moon Man (Action/Adventure)

      Lady Texas Ranger (History/Action)

      The Alamo (History)

      Texas Football: The Lone Star of Texas (Sports)

      In The Dark of The Night (Suspense)

      Bad Decisions (Mystery/Suspense)

      The Old Bull (Suspense/Thriller)

      CIA - The Slave Traders (Spy/Thriller)

      A Really Bad Day (Murder/Mystery)

      Tennessee Kyle (Western)

      When the Reaper Calls (Suspense/Thriller)

      The Craft II – A New Beginning (Science Fiction)

      The Cravings of an Old Man (Fiction)

      These E-books are available at smashwords.com

      Lost Highway

      I would like to thank my wonderful wife Linda,

      a beautiful woman who still puts up with me!

      This book could not have been written without her support.

      Lost Highway

      Characters

      Name Year From Description

      Jeff Winters 2016 Driver #1, stopped at rest area

      JimBo Winters 2016 Jeff’s son

      Ashley Winters 2016 Jeff’s daughter

      Helen Winters 2016 Jeff’s ex-wife

      Rusty 1878 Bar-K cowboy

      Jim 1878 Bar-K cowboy

      John Kellison 1878 Original owner of Bar-K

      Cecil Roberts 2016 Driver #2, stopped at rest area

      Dana Anderson 2016 Driver #3, stopped at rest area

      Darrel Watson 1878 Gun fighter

      Henry Jorgenson 1878 Gun fighter

      Terry McGloflin 1997 Driver #4, stopped at rest area

      Luther James 1878 Gun fighter

      Judge Roy Bean 1878 Famous Western man

      Charles Goodnight 1878 Famous Western man

      Mary Ann Goodnight 1878 Wife of Charles Goodnight

      Billy Cougar 1878 Mountain man

      Moose Bacon 1878 Second saloon owner

      Collis P. Huntington 1878 President of Rail Road

      Tom Pendergrass 1878 Man in saloon

      Lillian Pendergrass 1878 Wife of Tom Pendergrass

      Jeffrey Thomas Pendergrass 1878 Baby of Lillian and Tom’s

      Joseph Gates 1880 Landman, moves to the future

      Mort Howard 2016 FBI Agent

      Grady Kellison 2016 Descendant of John Kellison

      Doctor Philpott 2017 Scientist

      Robert Dean Winters 2018 Son of Dana and Jeff

      Bill Sutherland 2018 US Army Scientist

      Patrick Sweltz 2018 US Army Scientist

      Jacob 1880 Livery attendant

      Becky Humphrey 1880 Jacob’s fiancé

      Joyce 2017 US Army Sergeant

      General Debrough 2018 Army Project Head, in Texas

      Doctor Adams 2018 Scientist

      LOST HIGHWAY

      As I drove on eastward my eyes were heavy; I was having a problem staying awake. I have to get there, I said to myself. It’s Christmas Eve, and my kids are waiting for me and the presents that I have in my trunk. It was December twenty-fourth, 2016. My son and daughter were the two most important people in my life; it had been three months since I have seen them. I couldn’t wait to see how much they have grown. I am truly about as excited as I can be. JimBo, my little man, was five and Ashley, my beautiful daughter, was seven. She was already beginning to look like her mother, not a bad thing. They lived with their mother, and I rarely got to see them. My ex-wife Helen lets me see them whenever I ask. Except for the one incident, she had been an awesome mother to my children and wife to me. Sometimes people do things that we can’t forgive, and that is what happened with us. It is sad when that happens, but we have to pick up and go on—that’s what life is all about!

      I had left Las Vegas, Nevada at ten o’clock last night and had to get to Arlington, Texas today, or tonight. It was a twenty-four-hour drive. I had left at the end of my eight-hour shift last night and had driven all night long. I was the second-shift-manager at the Hollywood Hotel and Casino. I had worked there for the two years since my divorce from Helen. We split up on not-so-good terms when I realized that she was having an affair with my neighbor and once friend Rodney. Rodney was and still is a nice-looking and pleasant man; I do understand why Helen was attracted to him, but I am disappointed in her. I have not spoken to Rodney since and have only spoken to Helen when I had to. Finding your wife in an uncompromising position with another man was almost too much for me. It took some counseling and a new lifestyle for me to start over.

      I must say Las Vegas had been a cure-all for me. Having a position of some importance has bolstered my self-confidence and made me realize that I did nothing wrong. I have since come to the realization that I am a good man, and deserve better. I would have thought that Rodney and his wife would have divorced, and he would have married Helen, but that didn’t happen. Rodney and his wife went to counseling and are still trying to put their marriage back together. I am sorry, but I couldn’t wish them luck nor happiness, and I truly don’t care if their marriage works or not. That left Helen single and out in the cold, though I do suspect that she has had her fair share of suitors since the divorce.

      I had to drop down and take Interstate Ten as the weather to the north was icy and snowy. Interstate Forty was a mess; it was icy and treacherous. Fortunately for me, the Interstate Ten roadway was clear, and the outside temperature showed to be a balmy forty degrees on my car's thermometer. I was about fifty miles west of El Paso, Texas, and I needed gas; the needle had been on the red line or empty for the last twenty miles. I didn’t normally push my luck like this, but tonight I was in a hurry. I had driven for twelve hours and thus had twelve hours to go. I was starting to get tired; my excitement level had waned. Not sleeping in the last twenty-four hours had about caught up with me. I didn’t usually abuse myself this way, but tonight was special—I have some very special gifts for my two kids, and yes, even one for Helen. Whether I liked it or not, I had to stay on good terms with her. She was and always would be the mother of my children.

      As I looked ahead, I could see a sign standing tall. It read, Exxon. Well, I needed gas, and even though I didn’t like Exxon, I would have to stop there before I run out of gas. As I pulled into the station I found that there was no attendant, but the pumps were operating, how unusual. Putting my card in the pump, I filled my tank up and topped it off; I wanted it completely full. I was glad that no one was around. I went and peed in the grass and then jogged in place to get my blood flowing. I needed an exercise to get the cobwebs out of my brain, but none came to mind.

      Once back in the car, I set the cruise control at eighty, and I zoomed around El Paso and on eastward. The sun was now up, but it shone directly into my face. Even with sunglasses on, it was a strain to drive. A blue sign emerged: Rest Area Ahead. I didn’t like it, but I was going to have to stop. Here I was stopping in the middle of nowhere, and my kids were waiting for me—what a miserable father I was. My watch said that it was eight in the morning and I only had ten hours to go. I had time to take a short nap and let the sun rise a bit; I set my watch to wake me up in one hour. Thank God for special inventions. Watches with alarms, what a novel idea.

      I pulled in at the exit and found a place to park that was somewhat secluded. I planned on sleeping for just a little while. The rest area was nearly empty; only a few cars were in the parking area. I wasn’t worried about the cold. I pulled the blanket up to my neck and made certain that it covered my legs. I leaned my seat back as far as it would go and grabbed a pillow out of the back seat. I went to sleep before I knew it.

      Something woke me up. It was voices—strange-sounding voices. I finally could make one out: Well, Rusty, what do we have here? A sleeping drifter, third one today. What should we do with him, string him up?

      When my eyes focused, I saw two cowboys bent over at the waist, looking down at me. As I looked around, I could see that my car was gone. I was lying on the ground. The sun was well up in the sky. How in the world did I get here? What exactly had happened? To say that I was confused was an understatement!

      I found my voice. Hello, guys. I must have sleep-walked. Where is my car? I looked all around. There were no cars in sight. I was in a pasture. Something was wrong! Not only that, I couldn’t see the freeway nor any light posts.

      The cowboy with the brown hat on looked bewildered. Your what?

      I was starting to get angry. As I sat up I noticed that the roadside park was gone too. I was in the middle of a grassy field. In fact, the highway was also gone. Looking at the second cowboy, I realized that he didn’t look friendly. You know, my car. I drove in here in my car. Where is it?

      The second cowboy, spoke dryly. Yore the second feller to mention a car today. What exactly is a car?

      I held my hands up,

      An automobile. You know, you ride in one; you can drive it on the highway. Where is my car? I pushed the two men back and stood up. I was half a head taller than they were and had thirty pounds on them. As I looked around, I saw nothing familiar. That was it: someone moved me; it was a practical joke. Well, it’s not funny, guys. Where is my car? Just where am I?

      The first cowboy spoke up harshly. Mister; you are on the Bar-K ranch. We don’t allow no trespassers. How did you get here, walk? They both laughed at his joke. However, they were looking at the ground around me.

      I looked at the ground. The only tracks that I could see were where the two cowboys had walked up to me. There were no other tracks, not even mine. As I walked around and looked down, I could see my new tracks clearly in the soft dirt.

      The second cowboy spoke up again. Mister, just who are you?

      I pulled out my wallet and took out my driver’s license and thrust it at him. Jeff Winters, Arlington, Texas.

      He looked at the first cowboy. Where is Arlington, Texas? He seemed somewhat confused.

      I was getting really frustrated. It’s between Dallas and Fort Worth, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Heard of ‘em?

      The first cowboy shook his head. I have been all between Dallas and Fort Worth and there ain’t no town called Arlington, and I never heard of no one called Dallas Cowboys.

      I was getting scared. Could you take me to somebody that knows something? I had about had my fill of these two idiots.

      The second cowboy said, We can take you to the ranch house; that’s where we took that other man and woman. The boss, though, he don’t like trespassers; you would be better to skedaddle out of here.

      The two cowboys went to their horses and mounted up; I had to walk in front of them. It wasn’t much more than a half-mile walk to the old ranch house—if you could call it a house. It appeared to be a lean-to butted up to a dugout area. At the front of the house was an older-looking man dressed in a nice suit, and a much younger blonde-headed woman wearing a skirt and blouse. They were dressed as I was, their clothes were factory made. The boss, Mr. Kellison, was standing between the two people. When I walked up, he asked, Where are you boys getting all these people?

      The second cowboy, whose name turned out to be Rusty, said, Boss, we just find ‘em lying in the dirt. They don’t have any tracks around them; I don’t know how they got there. It looks like they just fell out of the sky.

      I shook Mr. Kellison’s hand. Jeff Winters. Pleased to meet you, sir, and just so you know, I am just as confused as you guys are. I have no idea how I got here. Where exactly is the highway from here? I was doing my best to control my anger. I was late now and this had happened. The two people dressed as I was seemed calm so I tried hard to maintain my cool.

      He was confused too. What is a highway? He began to scratch his head.

      I said, A highway is just a road—you know, a paved road.

      He said, I have heard that they are paving some roads back east with bricks, but there are none around here, not even in Dallas.

      I introduced myself to the old man and the young woman. They were Cecil Roberts and Dana Anderson. They were as bewildered as I was. Then I had an idea. Sir, what year is it?

      Mr. Kellison looked at me like I was stupid. It’s 1878. Don’t you even know what year it is?

      I looked at the other two people. To me, the year is 2016. Both of them nodded in agreement.

      All three of the other men gasped. Kellison said, No, that isn’t possible. You say that you are from the future?

      I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I nodded. Yes, sir, you could put it that way.

      He said, You three sure talk funny. Where are you really from?

      The old man, Mr. Roberts, said, Highland Park.

      The young woman, Miss Anderson, said, Garland.

      I repeated myself: Arlington, Texas.

      Kellison said, Never heard of any of them. You sure you’re from Texas?

      I said, Sir, you’re just going to have to trust us. We didn’t do anything wrong. I have no idea how we got here. Maybe if we went back to where your men found us we could go back to our own time.

      Kellison looked up at the sky. Not today. A blue norther is coming in. It’s going to freeze hard and you people ain’t dressed for it.

      I looked at the sky and could just see some wispy clouds. I reached into my pocket and pulled out all my coins. I showed them the dates on the pennies. It didn’t seem to prove anything. I put the coins back in my pocket and tried hard to think of something to say or do.

      I walked a ways off from the people and looked all around, the highway had to be close to here, there should be something that I could see, high lines or a cell tower. But, I could see nothing but prairie and cows. Something told me that there shouldn’t be so many cows around here, however, I had no idea why not! I pulled out my cell phone and looked at it, there was no bars, thus no signal.

      Kellison invited us into his cabin. The four of us would barely fit in the main room. It was small but warm. There was a fireplace in one wall, and it was the only light for the room except what came through the open door. The room was nearly dark, no way could I have read anything.

      Kellison went outside, and I whispered to the other two people, Just remember, we aren’t supposed to be here. Don’t do anything to change history.

      Dana broke the silence. I have to go to the bathroom, really bad.

      I looked around, and there was no bathroom, not even one outside. There was a bucket in the corner, and when I smelled it, I knew that it was the slop bucket. I told Dana, Cecil and I will step outside and shut the door; you use this bucket. They don’t have any toilet paper; you will have to make do the best that you can. Come out when you’re finished. Dana looked horrified, but I knew that she would do what she had to. Cecil and I went outside, and I held the door closed.

      When Dana opened the door, everyone stared at her; she turned bright red. I was really liking Dana; she was tall, slender but shapely and she was as pretty as anyone that I had ever seen. She was dressed conservatively and seemed to have a lot of class. Did I say, she was also exceptionally pretty. Needless to say, every time that I saw Dana she got prettier! I think I was getting fixated on her.

      When I told the three men that it was Christmas Eve, they were all surprised; they didn’t know that. That seemed strange to me, but I recognized that they didn’t have a calendar.

      Just as Kellison had predicted, it got very cold that night. The three of us had to sleep by the fire, they didn’t have any extra blankets, and we had to take turns keeping the fire going to keep from freezing. There wasn’t that much firewood; we had to mete it out so that it would last all night. We didn’t have a thermometer, but I was guessing that it got close to zero that night. I went outside once to pee and hurried right back in—man, it was cold. We didn’t have pajamas or sleeping clothes and had to sleep in what we were wearing. I began to wonder what we were going to do without any extra clothes, and Dana had on a very short skirt. All the men, or hands as they were called, on the ranch continually stared at her and pointed

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