Why would he lie? The gas station was closed.
“What can we do?” I ask now.
“Road’s blocked. Tree just came down. Didn’t you hear it on the radio? Only one way to go now.”
I didn’t hear anything. I can’t hear a radio over the sound of the engine. And how was it reported so quickly?
The girl seems to know where we’re headed.
I open my purse to grab my phone. I have to tell them what’s happened, John and Nicole. I dig through the contents—wallet, brush, mints, tissues. I take them out and place them in my lap until the purse is empty.
Now I remember—the phone was in the charger, out of the purse, sitting on the seat.
I have no phone. A new kind of fear rises.
I ask now—
“Do you have a cell phone I could use? My family is probably very worried.”
Alice looks at her folded hands which sit in her lap.
And the man shakes his head.
“No. Sorry. I left it at the house. Don’t worry. We’ll be there soon. You can make your call and we’ll see what can be done about getting you home.”
“Or you could just stay with us tonight!” Alice says. Again, turning back. Again, with exuberance.
The man is smiling now.
“One thing at a time,” he says.
And so we drive. We make turns. Left turns. Right turns. Deeper into the woods.
I can’t bear the silence. I can’t bear not knowing what this is. So I do what I think would be normal if my mind weren’t running in circles.
“I’m Molly, by the way. Molly Clarke. I really appreciate your help.”
Alice giggles nervously. The man stares ahead.
I try to catch his eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Can I ask your name as well?”
He looks at Alice. Alice stares back at him and pokes his shoulder with her finger.
He shrugs, his attention returning to the road. His face is amused.
It’s Alice who answers.
“His name is Mickey Mouse!” she says. Then she laughs.
The man smiles and I realize this is a little game they play. Alice gets to make up his name for strangers.
I play along, though I feel ill.
“Should I call you Mickey or Mr. Mouse?”
He laughs out loud but doesn’t answer.
