While driving on a winding road in southwest Pennsylvania, Merrill Brown hits a man with his car. He stops the car, backs up, glimpses the body, and then drives away. Merrill swings on to a dirt byroad and passes by a house. A man stands outside the house, and Merrill asks him is an Ed Hokins lives nearby. The man takes his time and walks towards Merrill’s car and even grabs the door to get closer because he is “hard of hearing.” The man looks Merrill directly in the eyes after seeing the New York license place, and asks if this Hokins man is also an Easterner. Merrill feels extremely uncomfortable and drives away quickly. He has regretful thoughts while driving and tries to justify his actions by explaining to himself that he has a family and a position to protect. He wants to call his wife and tell her not to worry, or maybe his friend Charlie, so he could take his mind off things. Paranoia takes over as he feels like he is leaving a trail for people to find him and accuse him of the murder. He goes in a diner to satisfy his hunger but even then he can barely hold in his food in fear of people talking to him and remembering his face. He passes a toll booth with a man who tries to make small talk. Merrill cuts him off gruffly, and drives away feeling himself slip into “partial insanity.” Later on, he sees a cop car pass by him, likely after realizing that his erratic driving was not a big issue. However, he snaps into a panic again and brakes his car before swiftly changing directions. He continues on this other direction rapidly until he reaches an unexpected sharp curve in the road and slams into a white fence.