"Walking Home in the Dark" 

Since we lived about seven miles from our high school, we had to ride the school bus to and from school everyday.

Most of the time, we didn’t stay after school for sports or club meetings because it would be dark before we could get home if we did.  We had an activity bus which would take the kids home after such activities but it always took a shortened route which left us having to walk the last three miles home.  If there were several of us staying we didn’t mind walking the extra miles, but on one particular night, I alone had stayed to watch a football game at our school.  It was an exciting game and had lasted an extra long time so when the game was finally over it was already starting to get dark.

The bus left the school with its lights on and by the time we got to my stop, it was hard to see very far ahead of us.  I walked part way with my friends but all too soon they had all turned off to their respective homes and I was left alone.  Soon I had passed through the little town of Des Moines and there were no more streetlights to light my way.  I still had two miles to go.

It seemed like I had never seen the night so dark and I hurried my pace.  Whenever a car would go by I could see for a little while but then the lights would be gone and I was left in the dark again.

When I had about a mile and a half to go, a car came toward me.  I was okay until it slowed down and pulled off the road right in front of me.  My heart was pounding fast now and I imagined myself being kidnapped and maybe never seeing my family again.  The next thing I knew the car door opened and I thought about running back toward town but I knew I couldn’t outrun a car.  By this time I heard someone calling my name and telling me not to be afraid.  It was Daddy and Mamma coming to find me and take me home.  I was never more happy to see them in my whole life.

That was the last time I tried to walk home after dark alone down that road.