4

Eleanor yawned and rubbed her eyes. She had fallen asleep. She looked to her wrist watch and it was 6:27pm. She'd been in the cab with Carl for over an hour, which was a lot longer than she'd thought she was going to be in a cab for. She inhaled, exhaled and looked to the rearview mirror, hoping to send a smile to Carl but his eyes were focused on the road... Sheesh... Antisocial much? Speaking of road, where the flipping stones were they? She scooted over to be closer to the window and looked outside. All she saw was.... A jungle. Bright green, yellow, faded brown and all bunch of colours made up the vegetation.

"Woah" she gazed at everything in awe. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful. The scenery was picture worthy. Vast untamed nature, all around her. She looked back to Carl

"This forest... It leads to Lake Creek? I'm surprised there is a cleared path to drive-" she was thrown back into her seat as the car came to an abrupt stop. "Oof! A warning would have been nice" she mumbled under her breath as her hands went to grab her hair out of her eyes. She heard a door slam and her eyes shot open. Carl got out, pulled her bag out of the trunk and yanked her door open

"What-why? What happened?" She peered up at him

"This is your stop" came his monotonous answer

She looked around, still sitting in the car "I-i don't understand. What do you mean my stop? This is a jungle, Carl"

"This is your stop" he repeated.

She narrowed her eyes at him "Is this a joke?"

He pulled her out in an oddly gentle manner while goosebumps broke out all over her skin. Sweet fudge, his hands were cold! He needed to be introduced to something called hand lotion.... And a nail clipper. He stepped a bit to the side and just behind him, she saw a very narrow path. About big enough for her legs alone. She was intrigued because something about the way everywhere looked... Felt familiar. Almost like she'd been here before. Seen it before. She was pulled out of her thoughts by Carl pulling her bag up to her. She turned to face him

"I'm guessing I have to go through here?"

He just stared. Eleanor blinked.

"There is no other way?" He stared at her for a long time and it was beginning to freak her out. Slowly, he turned and began to walk back around to his car. She was astounded

"Now wait there a second! You brought me here, just to leave me in the middle of nowhere?! What is wrong wi- what am I supposed to do now?!"

He turned to face her, slowly tilted his head to the side and said "walk". Walk? WALK?!

"Walk where?" She shouted in frustration

"Lake Creek"

Eleanor was speechless. She breathed out a laugh and sat on the floor, in the middle of nowhere, folded her arms around her legs and laughed. She laughed till her eyes watered and her breath left her

"Is this a movie? Pick a random person to prank day?" Carl just watched. "You want me to just believe that this... All this drama-" she waved her hands around "- is real? Okay. Let's pretend that I believe it. I'll walk through this path for.... How long? Any turns I have to make? What if I want some tea? Or no, what if the boogey monster-"

"You're running out of time"

She lost it. Her face flamed red in untold anger and she erupted in a stream of angry Italian. She got up and contained her urge to scream, shut her eyes, inhaled..... Then exhaled. She interlaced her fingers together and open her eyes, with a calm expression on her face

"What time Carl?" She asked In a quiet voice and for the life of her, he smiled. Carl smiled! So this was a joke?!

"I like you."

"Ah yes, I am quite the charmer. Seriously Carl-"

"Go"

"Stop it"

He barely moved but she was sure she saw a frown.

"You don't know what I mean? I mean I'm in the middle of nowhere with a strange cab driver, no offense, an aching back and you're telling me to go? Go where? There.is.nowhere.to.go, Carl" she said pointedly

He exhaled. Eleanor watched him exhale.....Like he was dealing with a petulant child and she had half the mind to beat him silly right there, but he was the only living human asides her, in an unknown place. She didn't want his blood on her hands, if he had any, but boy wasn't that thought tempting?!

"Walk through that path. It is the only way you can get to Lake Creek. This is as far as I can bring you"

She couldn't help but raise a brow. He spoke. He actually knew more words than just basic greeting and stuff. Thank God!!! She turned to face the path in question

"It is a straight road" she shivered and jumped back as Carl was suddenly standing beside her

She ran her hands through her hair "I really don't have a choice, do i? Can you take me back?" Partially wanting to go back. To what though? She'd be fired.

"No." Why did she expect that answer "Go. You are running out of time"

She swallowed down the ugre to cry or punch something and picked up her bag. "How much do I owe you for driving me insane?"

He literally laughed. Right in her face. "Go"

She opened her mouth to say something, then thought better of it and turned to face the cab. If this was a joke, she would see the end of it and God help whomever set people up to this. She took a step

"One more thing" Carl said , suddenly sounding grave. She turned to face him. "No matter what happens, don't look back. Keep moving"

With that, he fast walked to the car, got in and drove off

Eleanor was in a daze "what?!". She

Shook her head and started her journey.

The path was very narrow. It was a good thing she brought a small enough suitcase. She saw some really interesting shrubs and some really weird Looking plants. She was tempted to take photos but the time on her phone warned her otherwise. A part of her mind was beginning to question the path. She could actually die out here. Why had she followed Carl again? Oh right! The other cab drivers were feet crushing maniacs. Where were bounty hunters when you needed them? Those cab drivers must be criminals. Only criminals drove for the sole purpose of feet termination. She didn't realize that the area surrounding the path had slowly become almost void of trees till a certain wind blew and she was forced to look up. How this area had no trees at all, but managed to look so desolate, even with the shrubs on the side, she would never know but she most certainly did not like the feeling she was getting. Her heart began to race. Her palms began to sweat. Her mouth went dry as cold uneasy breeze blew past her ears and rattled the plants around her. Her gut warned her. Suddenly, no sounds were heard apart from her footsteps, the howling wind, the squeak of her suitcase's rolling wheels and her heavy breathing.

"Look who we have here" she heard from behind her. Her entire body froze in place as her heart beat sky rocketed. This must be a dream.