Randall
Randall
Hey, this is your Uber driver, Randall.
Randall
Randall
I’m outside.
Woman
Woman
Sorry, be right out!
Woman
Woman
My daughter is dragging her feet tonight.
Woman
Woman
You know how silly little girls can be!
Randall
Randall
No problem.
Randall
Randall
Take your time.
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel as I wait.
A few minutes later, a woman opens the car door.
There’s a young girl balanced on her hip…
All bundled up in a coat, her hood obscuring her face.
Woman
Woman
Here for Rita?
Randall
Randall
That’s me.
Rita
Rita
We’re terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.
Randall
Randall
It’s okay.
Randall
Randall
Just make sure to buckle your seatbelts.
Rita straps the two of them in.
Rita
Rita
So there’s been a change of plans.
Rita
Rita
I’d actually like to make a couple stops.
Rita
Rita
First, the Washington Cemetery, please.
Cemetery?
At this time of night?
Randall
Randall
Uh, okay.
I take a peek in my rearview mirror.
Rita is glaring out the window.
Randall
Randall
Everything alright?
Rita
Rita
Do you like your neighbors, Randall?
Randall
Randall
They’re okay I guess.
Rita
Rita
I hate mine.
Rita
Rita
The Smythe family.
Rita
Rita
Terrible and silly people.
I pull away from the curb.
Randall
Randall
Did something happen?
Rita
Rita
Oh, something happened all right.
Rita
Rita
Sabrina was over at their house last year…
Rita
Rita
Their son Billy pushed her from the top of the playground!
Rita
Rita
She nearly broke her neck.
Randall
Randall
I’m sorry to hear that.
Rita
Rita
I was able to save her just in time.
A small voice sounds from the backseat.
Sabrina
Sabrina
I hate Billy Smythe.
Sabrina
Sabrina
I hope someone pushes HIM off a playground.
Rita laughs in response.
Rita
Rita
Maybe if we’re lucky!
I tense at the exchange.
Sabrina looks so small…
She can’t be more than six years old.
This doesn’t seem like an appropriate conversation.
Rita
Rita
Mrs. Smythe lets Billy do whatever he wants.
Rita
Rita
I don’t want my Sabrina around silly people like that.
Sabrina chimes in again.
Sabrina
Sabrina
He came to the house today…
Sabrina
Sabrina
Didn’t he, mama?
Rita
Rita
He sure did.
Rita
Rita
But I chased him away.
At this point I’m getting a little uncomfortable.
So I decide to change the subject.
Randall
Randall
So, the cemetery?
Randall
Randall
Visiting loved ones?
Rita
Rita
Oh yes.
Rita
Rita
Although, the dead never really leave us…
Rita
Rita
Do they, Sabrina?
Sabrina
Sabrina
No.
Sabrina
Sabrina
The dead are always with us.
Now I’m more than uncomfortable.
I’m creeped out.
When I pull up to the cemetery…
Rita gets out, Sabrina perched on her hip.
Rita
Rita
Be right back.
I watch them walk away.
Rita returns fifteen minutes later.
Sabrina is nowhere in sight.
I roll down the window.
Randall
Randall
Where’s your daughter?
Rita jumps and laughs at the same time.
Rita
Rita
Oh, silly me!
Rita
Rita
I swear, I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached.
In shock, I watch her run back into the darkness.
Did she just leave her daughter out in the freezing cold?!
She returns seconds later with Sabrina in her arms.
I clench the steering wheel as they both get back into the car.
Randall
Randall
So, where to next?
Rita
Rita
The nearest convenience store, please.
Randall
Randall
You got it.
Rita
Rita
What kind of candy should we get, Sabrina?
Sabrina
Sabrina
Chocolate.
Sabrina
Sabrina
Lots and lots of chocolate.
Rita
Rita
Good thinking.
Rita
Rita
You know who likes chocolate?
Sabrina
Sabrina
Billy Smythe.
Rita
Rita
But he’s not going to get any, is he?
Sabrina laughs in a small, maniacal voice.
Sabrina
Sabrina
No.
Sabrina
Sabrina
No chocolate for Billy!
I quickly pull into the nearest 7/11.
Rita gets out right away.
Before she walks off, she leans into the open backseat window.
Rita
Rita
Remember what mommy told you…
Rita
Rita
No talking to strangers!
I find the comment odd.
And I start to wonder if I should call the police.
What if Sabrina needs my help?
I take a deep breath and soften my voice.
Randall
Randall
Are you okay back there, Sabrina?
No response.
Randall
Randall
You must be tired.
Randall
Randall
It’s even past my bedtime.
No response.
Hmm.
She must have taken her mother’s comment seriously.
I don’t try and talk to her again.
When Rita returns, she has two full bags of candy.
Rita
Rita
Alright!
Rita
Rita
Next, my brother Todd’s house.
She directs me to his place…
Then glares as it comes into view.
Just as she did at the Smythe’s house earlier.
Rita
Rita
Todd hasn’t come to visit us in a while, has he Sabrina?
Sabrina
Sabrina
No.
Sabrina
Sabrina
Why hasn’t he come to visit, mama?
Rita
Rita
He doesn’t understand us.
Rita
Rita
No one does.
Sabrina
Sabrina
But I miss Uncle Todd.
Rita
Rita
And he misses you.
Rita
Rita
He loves you very much.
Rita
Rita
So he won’t mind what I’m about to do.
Rita
Rita
I know he’d understand.
Without another word, she jumps out of the car.
She returns a few moments later with a shovel.
My stomach drops.
Randall
Randall
A shovel?
Rita
Rita
Todd won’t mind if I borrow it.
Rita
Rita
I need it for something very important.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
And I decide then that I’m done with this ride.
Randall
Randall
If you don’t mind, I’m going to be calling it a night.
Randall
Randall
Where can I drop you off?
Rita
Rita
Oh, I’m all set now.
Rita
Rita
You can take me home.
Thank god.
I’m relieved when we pull up to the front of their house.
Rita
Rita
Thank you, Randall.
Rita
Rita
You’ve been quite helpful.
And with that, she scoops Sabrina up and gets out of my car.
Even though my instinct is to speed off…
I stay to make sure they get in the house okay.
As an Uber driver, it’s my number one rule.
And it’s a good thing I do…
Because Rita and Sabrina don’t go into their house.
Rita puts Sabrina in a swing on the front porch…
Then walks across the lawn to the neighbor’s house.
That must be the Smythe’s house…
But if she hates them so much…
Why is she going there?
With a shovel, no less!
I look over at Sabrina.
The poor thing must be freezing.
The thought propels me to get out the car.
I should make sure she’s okay.
But suddenly I hear Rita’s voice.
It sounds as if she’s talking to a child.
The bad feeling in my gut increases tenfold.
I switch directions and walk across the lawn, following Rita’s voice…
When I get to the backyard, I see Rita standing on top of the playground set.
Her hands are filled with candy.
There’s a small boy on the ground, staring up at her.
Rita
Rita
See, Billy?
Rita
Rita
I told you if you met me out here I’d have lots and lots of candy.
Rita
Rita
And you can have it all if you come up here.
Rita
Rita
With me.
My stomach drops.
I start to move at the same time Billy does.
I’m farther away than he is…
And by the time I make it to the playground, he’s already beside her.
Randall
Randall
Rita!
Randall
Randall
What’s going on here??
She turns to me with wild eyes.
Rita
Rita
This doesn’t concern you, Randall!
I turn to Billy.
Randall
Randall
Come down here.
Randall
Randall
It’s late.
Randall
Randall
Your mommy and daddy won’t like it if—
Rita
Rita
—NO!
Before I can finish my sentence…
Rita shoves Billy from behind.
I don’t hesitate.
I run forward and catch him seconds before he hits the ground.
I distantly hear a scream come from the Smythe house.
A man and woman come running out.
Randall
Randall
Call the police!
Randall
Randall
She — she pushed him!
30 minutes later
Karen Smythe walks me to my car.
The whole street is lit up with red and blue lights.
Karen
Karen
I can’t thank you enough, Randall.
Karen
Karen
If you hadn’t been there tonight…
Karen
Karen
Who knows what would have happened.
She looks at me with sad eyes.
Karen
Karen
Last year, Rita’s daughter Sabrina was at my house.
Karen
Karen
Unfortunately, there was an accident.
Karen
Karen
And Sabrina fell off the top of the playground.
I remember what Rita told me earlier.
Randall
Randall
But Rita was able to save her, right?
Karen wipes away a tear.
Karen
Karen
She tried but…
Karen
Karen
She wasn’t fast enough.
Karen
Karen
None of us were.
Karen
Karen
It was awful.
Ice runs through my veins.
I instinctively look to Rita’s porch.
Randall
Randall
Wait, I don’t understand.
Randall
Randall
Sabrina died?
Karen nods.
Karen
Karen
A year ago today.
Karen
Karen
Billy made Rita a card.
Karen
Karen
Brought it over to her house this morning.
Karen
Karen
But I shouldn’t have let him.
Karen
Karen
Rita’s become mean and bitter.
She glances once more at Rita’s house before walking away.
I look at Rita’s porch again.
Sabrina is still sitting there.
As if propelled by some outside force…
I make my way toward her.
And with shaking hands…
I pull back the hood of her winter coat.
I must cry out, because suddenly there’s an officer beside me.
I can’t believe my eyes.
It’s not a little girl at all.
It’s a doll.
Randall
Randall