The Phantom Hitchhiker by Niamah Oran

In the looming cloak of night, I roamed,

A lone traveler, on a path unknown,

No guiding stars, no signs to lead my way,

A world of darkness where shadows held sway.

No gas stations, no abodes, no towns in sight,

A desolate landscape, devoid of light,

I pressed the pedal, my engine's hum the score,

Onward I drove, through the somber moor.

Yet amidst the emptiness, a specter emerged,

A hitchhiker of mystery, a presence submerged,

I drove on by, my heart filled with unease,

His outstretched hand, lost in the night's cold breeze.

Miles and minutes passed, the road unending,

Yet there he stood again, my thoughts suspending,

A figure forlorn, appearing without end,

A twist in reality, an eerie blend.

Am I but dreaming, lost in slumber's snare?

Or have I wandered into a realm unfair?

Doubt clouded my mind, like a dense fog's shroud,

As phantom hitchhikers danced in the night, unbowed.

The road stretched on, as if in endless trance,

Each time I passed, the hitchhiker's ghostly glance,

A haunting reminder, an enigma's tease,

The boundaries of my perception, brought to its knees.

My eyes grew heavy, fatigue tugged at my soul,

Did sleep claim me, as I strayed from my goal?

Or was it madness that gripped me in its hold,

A fragmented reality, stories untold?

In the depths of that looming abyss,

Where sanity and illusion cease to exist,

I questioned my path, my very existence,

Driving through darkness, resisting persistence.

But then, with a jolt, my eyes opened wide,

For there he stood, by the road's treacherous side,

The hitchhiker's presence, no longer in jest,

His ethereal form put my doubts to the test.

A spectral messenger, sent from the unknown,

To awaken my senses, in this realm alone,

A reminder that reality's fabric can fray,

And in the darkest night, we may lose our way.

So, I pressed on, through the midnight's embrace,

With a newfound clarity, no longer a chase,

For the hitchhiker's visits, though eerie and surreal,

Revealed the truth within, my spirit to heal.

Through darkness I traveled, guided by naught,

Yet in that absence, profound lessons were taught,

And though the road be long, and the night profound,

I'll find my way back, where solace is found.