An Incident on Route 12

"An Incident on Route 12" by James H. Schmitz is a science fiction story that throws a spotlight on the dark side of human nature when mixed with the unknown dangers of the universe. It presents the tale of Phil Garfield, a thief on the run after a heist gone wrong, finding himself stranded on a lonely road due to mechanical failure. Planning to take advantage of passing drivers, Garfield's world flips upside down when he targets what he believes to be an easy victim, only to discover the victim is an alien. Driven by fear and a twisted sense of survival, Garfield's actions plunge him into a nightmare of his own making, where the hunter becomes the hunted, and his own flawed perceptions lead to his downfall. Schmitz masterfully weaves suspense with the bizarre, painting a stark picture of what happens when greed and ignorance collide with the realities beyond our world.