Tucker arrives on Gary’s old bike, and laments the chain to have broken. Tonight, Quinn’s tale concerns second-hand goods, and such an item whose dubious history may prove to be fatal. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls this story "The Tale of Highway 13".
One evening, Justin waits by Mamma’s Pizzeria. Lifelong friend Craig rolls up in Justin’s car. By the passenger seat, Justin is none too pleased to find a side-view mirror to be missing. Next day, at the junkyard, Craig suggests Justin find a more stylish car. Bulldog, sitting on the bonnet of an old V8, persuades Craig of its salvageable potential. Craig decides to buy it. A frustrated Justin is approached by mechanic Tony, who peers in alarm at the old red car. As Tony takes Justin in search of a side-view mirror, they pass an enormous, unmanned truck. Its headlamps briefly flash...
Craig and Justin, having refurbished the V8, admire their shiny red handiwork. Next day, with his mother at work, Craig decides to take the V8 for a spin. Justin tags along. While Craig revels in his new purchase, Justin warns of building fog. As Craig slows the car, the mist recedes to reveal a solitary diner. Inside, they find Bulldog, who tells a stern-looking trucker of the V8's new owner. Justin steers Craig out. They drive off. Behind them, the six wheel truck growls into motion…
Back on the road, Craig and Justin pass a sign marked "Highway 13". Behind them, the huge truck looms close behind them. After a tense moment of pursuit, Craig swerves the car onto a sudden turn-off - which an unseen sign announces to be Highway Thirteen. More pale fog descends. As some of it lifts, both boys are dumbfounded and more than a trifle alarmed to be back at the diner. Inside, Bulldog explains the Trucker will cease pursuit if the boys beat him in a race. Tony arrives, and urges Bulldog to leave them out of this. He and Bulldog, having annoyed a Trucker, raced him to a small bridge - whereupon they all died. If Craig beats the Trucker to the bridge, they can all go home. At the back door, the way is blocked by the truck. Craig sends Justin to check the phone again - and hastily sneaks outside, into the V8.
At the turn-off, the truck bears down on Craig. As he accelerates, Craig finds, on the backseat, Bulldog and Tony. While they yell direction and encouragement, Craig gives it his all. The arched steel bridge is now in sight. Behind, the truck catches up to drive alongside the V8. Craig floors the accelerator - and overtakes. Bulldog triumphs. Tony reveals the accident to have been his and Bulldog's fault. Craig swerves onto the grass, and floors the break, allowing the truck onto the bridge. As it breaches the metal archway, ethereal white light engulfs the structure, and the air within ripples. The light, and the truck, fade from the mortal realm.
Outside the V8, all three watch. Tony thanks and congratulates Craig, who hands him the V8 keys. Tony and Bulldog drive across the bridge, and vanish in another flash of spectral light. Craig walks back to the diner, to a relieved Justin. With an ominously blaring horn, the truck looms back onto the concrete. Before the boys, it pulls to a stop. The Trucker winds down his window. He thanks the boys, and drives off.
Quinn closes with a caution against careless acceptance of second-hand goods.
This episode provides examples of:
- Dead All Along: Junkyard workers Bulldog and Tony, having raced a trucker to a bridge in 1969, seek a new driver to finish the race they failed to win.
- Eldritch Location: Highway Thirteen consistently leads Justin and Craig back to the haunted diner.
- Everybody Has Standards: Craig may be the rowdier of the two protagonists, but he is appalled when he learns that the truck driver didn't want to drag race with Bulldog and Tony. It is because of these standards that he throws the race and lets the truck driver go through the bridge first.
- Good All Along: The Trucker never meant any harm; what got him, Tony and Bullddog killed was Bulldog's reckless demand for a race.
- "Groundhog Day" Loop: An endless repeat of a fatal race between a car and a truck.
- Hypocrite: "I can't imagine anyone being so irresponsible." This coming from Craig, who is normally the reckless one between him and Justin. It does, however, indicate that Craig has grown from his experience, as opposed to Bulldog, who actively demanded a race from the reluctant Truck Driver.
- Ominous Fog: A spectral symptom of Highway Thirteen.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Cautious Justin and reckless, daring Craig.
- Shout-Out: Relentless pursuit by a foreboding truck recalls Duel.
- Wham Line: "The second I saw him, I knew he could be taken!" Craig is appalled when he hears Bulldog say these words, alerting him that the big, scary Trucker didn't incite the race that killed him, Bulldog and Tony in the first place. In fact, Craig realizes the Trucker was the true victim of this race.
