The Last Night Ride

Prompt: She stopped to pick up the hitchhiker despite her parents warnings. What harm could an old woman do?

I was driving down Route 87 on why way back into the valley late at night. I was bored with my few choices of radio stations and did not have an iPod adaptor for my car. As I was trying to find some way to keep my eyes open I saw an old woman standing on the side of the road looking like she was in need of some help. I slowly pulled over several yards in front of her and got out of my car.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" I asked squinting to get a better look at her.

The woman just stared right threw me as if I was not there.

"Ma'am. Are you okay?" I asked walking closer to her.

"I could use a ride to my house. I live just a few miles from here." She replied never making eye contact from me.

I stood there unsure of what to do. I've been told since I was little I should help those in need, but also never to pick up anyone hitchhiking.

"Sure, I can do that." I said with a slight hesitation in my voice.

She slowly walked towards my car and go into the passenger side. I quickly got back into my car before I changed my mind and told her to leave. I could not explain why I felt like I needed to help the woman, but also why I had an odd feeling about her. I tried to come up with logical reasonings as I eased the car back onto the road and continued my journey. The woman sat quietly next to me, never looking anywhere, but straight ahead.

Overtime I tried to ask her a question about why she was out in the middle of the road, or her name nothing would come out and I just kept hoping that soon she would tell me where her house was. Time has past and I was certain that her claim of her house being just a few miles down the road was a lie. I tried looking out in the desert for signs of a house, but I could not see one. I was starting to feel like I had made a huge mistake in picking up this woman.

"Ma'am, can you please tell me where you live? We've been driving few about 20 minutes now and I think I've past your house." I said looking for a safe place to drop her off.

I turned to look at her and this time she was looking straight at me. I wanted to tear my eyes away from hers so I could keep them on the road, but some how I could not. My entire body froze. I kept telling it to slam on the break or scream, or just do something, but nothing happened. Finally, I was able to get my right foot to move and slam on the break. Doing so sent my body into my steering wheel. When I looked over to the seat next to me, the woman was gone.

I jumped out of my car and circled it looking for the woman. I saw no signs that anyone had been with me. The passenger door was closed, there was not foot prints in the dirt of the shoulder. Nothing, but an eerie feeling and confusion. I sat on the trunk of my car for what seem like hours, just trying to get my heart to slow down it's beating. I got up and looked in my car and saw no one there.

Had I imagine the woman? Was she real? Maybe I was driving way too long and this was my mind's way of taking a break. Nothing seem to be the right answer. I finally got back into my seat and drove away. I kept looking at the seat next to me and the side of the road for signs of the woman. I never saw her. I know the next time I drive this road I will always look for her and be happy when I don't see her.