Don't Talk to Strangers

VI

Dan pounded on the window. "Open the door!" he hollered. "Come on, Cassidy, I swear it's all a mistake."

I tore my gaze away and choked on hysterical tears. What's happening to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? I'm not even that interesting! Why did he target me? Why? Thoughts tumbled furiously around in my mind.

Dan pulled on the handle again, with no use, of course. He pounded on the door harder. I pressed my hands to my ears, screaming, "Stop it!"

I wiped tears away angrily and looked back over to Dan. He'd turned away from the car, pacing in the dirt. "Cassidy... Cassie..." he murmured.

"No!" I snapped. "Don't you dare call me Cassie! Why are you doing this? Why? What do you want from me?" I sat in fear of the answer, pulling my legs to my chest and curling my arms around myself.

"Cassie, I swear, they were after you," he insisted. "I'm saving you! You're making a mistake. This is all a mistake." I tried to block him out, but he kept talking. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. You're going to help me though! It's all fair. I'll save you, and you'll help me. Come on, Cassie, just come—"

"Shut. Up." I hardly recognized my own voice. We sat in silence for another bout and Dan slumped down against the car. I remained curled up in the seat, trying to calm my thumping heart and figure out what to do.

A thought struck me. I had the freaking car keys. Inside the car. I could just... drive away. I could leave him. I knew who he was, what he looked like, I could turn him in.

The only problem was... where was I? I had no idea where we'd gone. We were nearly an hour outside town, I knew that. Which direction did we even come from?

I peered over the seat through the back window, looking down both ends of the road. They both looked the same. I clenched my fists angrily. If you don't know where you are going, any road can take you there. The ridiculous quote flashed through my mind, and I pressed my hands to my head again. If you don't care much where you'd like to go, then it doesn't much matter which way you go.

It all really only frustrated me further. Finally, as Dan started moving about outside the car, I shifted carefully into the driver's seat. I stuck the key in the car and started it.

I heard Dan give a shout and he jumped up, his face partly desperate, partly furious. "Get out of the car! Stop this!" he demanded.

"Leave me alone!" I screamed at him, throwing the car in reverse and stepping on the gas. I swerved around a bit before spinning around and facing the exit. I glanced in the rearview mirror to see Dan standing in the dust, his face dark.

My stomach dropped but I tore my gaze away and steeled myself. I needed to save myself. I stepped on the gas again and pulled out of the lot, turning the way I prayed was correct.

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