Roads have always had a habit of acting as gateways to other places. In older times, people would use forks in the road to act as portals in order to summon or contact other places. See all of the many rituals to meet the devil at a fork in the road.

Legends of roads taking you unwillingly to other places almost always have two factors in common: Happening at night (overwhelmingly midnight, just as happened to this woman. Clarke Ashton Smith’s “The Ninth Skeleton is a rare exception) and happening when alone.

Some believe that when left alone long enough, the roads can “fall” into other places. Some think that devils are playing tricks on us, but can’t risk calling too much attention. Others, of course, believe that at certain times, the barriers between our world and other places becomes a little thinner.

In any case, whatever was beyond Exit 181 wasn’t something you can find here on a map. Although, one could provide a clue. These things tend to make choices deliberately, and based on symbols or ideas. And for the same reason, I would listen to what others are saying and not take Exit 181, ever. Once you have come so close to these things, they can sometimes follow you forever.