I guess some people have missed the memo that this full story is included in my poem collection as a bonus story. I think is very funny. So to ease any confusion here is the full story for Jade's Ghost Story. This is actually a rewrite of a story I had written back in 2009, but I had lost the original copy somehow so I did my best to rewrite it from memory. Hope you like it.
Jade’s Ghost Story
By P.C. Snider
Jade Price was driving her Toyota Corolla, in the middle of a blizzard that came out of nowhere. She is with her boyfriend Sam. They are stuck right behind a big snow plow on the highway of all places.
Her and her boyfriend Sam are currently having an argument about the situation.
“I told you we should have stayed home.” Sam said, while engulfing a cheeseburger and fries that they managed to get before the blizzard started.
“I know, I know. You’ve said that countless times now.” Jade snapped back.
“Why do we have to go visit your parents anyway? You know they don’t like me.” Sam scoffed at the thought of seeing them again.
“They wanna make sure that you are still a good match for me I guess.” She responded not angry.
“No pressure.” He sighed.
“Rather be watching the tube, could be missing a good Basketball game.” Sam said.
“I could be working on my book.”
“Lots of other things I could be doing than being stuck here in the middle of a stupid blizzard on the highway. ”
“Ugh. Why don’t you just finish eating and take a nap. Let me focus on driving and getting us there in one piece?” Jade said.
“Best idea you’ve had all day.” Sam said. Just as he finished the remainder of his meal and reclined his seat, and put his cap over his face.
Jade sighed a sense of relief. She turned off the radio station for the time being. Just as she did the car started to fishtail just a little bit, she was able to correct the mistake. But it scared her wide awake now.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter with her hands. Pretty much white knuckling as they call it now.
The car behind her flashed its high beams at her.
“Ugh. Please get off my butt.” She said, “We’re driving in a blizzard!”
The driver behind her must’ve heard her thoughts, as he floored it past them in the passing lane.
She honked his horn at him, and gave him the finger. She knew he wouldn't see the finger gesture anyway with the way the blizzard is behaving.
Guy must be crazy! She thought.
She decided to straighten her review mirror, as she adjusted it, she could have sworn she saw a woman on the side of the road! She was holding her right arm as if it was broken. She thought she could see her saying the words, “Please, help me.”
Before she knew it the woman was gone.
She let out a small scream. Which jolted Sam awake from his already short nap.
“God what now?” He said.
“I saw a woman walking on the side of the road babying a broken right arm!”
“No you didn’t…” Sam responded.
“I swear I saw her in my rear view mirror! She was saying "please, help me.”
“You know I can read lips right?”
“Yeah I know.” Sam said.
He took a look at his right view mirror to see if he could see her too. But the mirror was covered in snow. He couldn’t see anything.
“I can’t see anything.” He said.
“No duh, your mirror is covered in snow.” Jade responded.
He sighed.
“I’m going back to my nap.”
“Good idea.”
The snow plow ahead of them started to slow down.
Oh great, we are never going to get to my parents place now.” Jade thought.
Maybe we should’ve stayed home like Sam said. She thought as she looked over at him, starting to snore now.
The snow plow is now going to a very slow crawl.
I bet there’s an accident up ahead.
Now the snow plow has stopped completely.
Jade slams on the breaks. The car fish tails again, but still just only a little bit she was able to correct, and come to a complete stop just inches before hitting the back of the snow plow.
This time Sam is still sound asleep.
She wipes the sweat that formed recently on her forehead. “Phew. That was close.” She said.
But just immediately after she uttered those words another truck came up behind her. “Please stop, please stop.” She said as she saw it also fishtailing behind her.
Only this time she didn’t get her wish. The truck had slammed right in the back of her vehicle, also pushing it into the back of the snow plow.
She blanks out. She thought she had heard Sam scream before she lost consciousness.
#
When Jade came too, the first thing she saw was Sam covered in blood, looking like he had hit his head on the car window.
The next thing that happened was a shearing pain in her right forearm. She looked down and saw that her arm was broken.
She slowly got out of the car, and decided to go for a walk to find some help. She had to get help for Sam, and for her arm. There was no one in the snow plow ahead of her. He must have gotten out too to go find help. She thought.
As she walked in the blizzard, waving her good arm for help, the cars just kept passing by.
One of them almost looked like the car she was driving…
Copyright 9/21/2025
~P.C. Snider
