第79章　夜の道路

Driving alone at night gives a different feeling from daytime travel. The vehicle moves through silent streets, the wheel responding to even the slightest touch of my hands.

I had loaded the back seat with bags, attached a small flashlight to the dashboard, and shifted the rearview mirror — small preparations that anyone would do before a long trip.

The first hour passed instantly, almost without thought. I rush through familiar streets near my own neighborhood; even the lampposts seem to greet me in the cool, almost empty air.

But once the highway begins, the world becomes more remote. The road runs solid and stable beneath the tires, and a quiet calm settles in my shoulders without my noticing.

Occasionally I encounter another vehicle, its headlights glowing in the distance. Each time, I sigh quietly with a small relief: I am not alone after all on this dark, narrow road.

A sudden small obstacle in the road — a stray plastic bag — almost makes me accidentally steer to one side. I correct myself in time; my hands stay steady on the wheel.

As the hours wear on, I feel slightly anxious. I gradually realize that the next exit is twenty kilometers away. I keep my eyes calm and grip the wheel firmly with both hands.

When I finally pull into the rest stop, the highway is mostly empty. I lean back in my seat and breathe slowly. The car has carried me, after all, into a familiar morning sky.