Addison glanced around, taking in the strange surroundings. One thing was certain: she was no longer in a hospital room. At present, she was in the back seat of what appeared to be a vintage car. Sara was seated next to her with her arms wrapped around the same teddy bear she’d been holding moments before.
The car’s speakers blasted Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” at full volume, and in the front seat, a college-aged boy and girl attempted to sing along. The girl was in the driver’s seat, and the boy was next to her, bouncing one of his tan, suede boots on the car’s dashboard. The song came to an end, and when the next one began, the girl leaned over and switched the radio off.
The boy glared at her, annoyed. “What did you do that for? I liked that song. It’s groovy, baby.”
“Yeah, well, I’m tired of it. They play it all the time. I won’t be able to get it out of my head for the rest of the day now.”
He laughed. “Yeah, well, that’s why it’s so good, and you’re not the only one in the car, you know. Maybe we should put it to a vote.”
The girl looked over her shoulder at Sara and said, “What do you think, hun? Do you want the radio on or off?”
Sara thought about it. “I want ice cream.”
“Good answer,” the boy said. “I want ice cream, too, just as soon as the song is over.”
He reached over and turned the radio back on. The girl rolled her eyes, but this time, she gave in to his wishes.
It seemed Addison was in one of Sara’s memories. If so, she assumed Sara brought her there for a reason, to show Addison something she wanted her to see.
Addison turned toward Sara. “Where are we? Why have you taken me back to this particular memory?”
Sara didn’t respond.
“Sara, can you hear me?” Addison asked. “What is it you want me to see? It’s okay. You can tell me. Whatever happened before, you’re safe now.”
When there was still no reply, Addison tried placing a hand on Sara’s shoulder, but her hand swiped right through it.
Sara turned toward Addison, pressed a finger to her own lips, and said, “Shhh. Just wait. We’re almost there.”
“Wait for what? What’s about to happen?”
“You’ll see,” Sara said.
The boy up front leaned over and kissed the girl on the cheek. “Hey, baby, how about we go to the drive-in and see American Graffiti after you put the little one to bed?”
“I can’t,” the girl said. “Not tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Sara’s mom went into the city with friends. She won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Yeah, so?”
“I’m staying over,” the girl said.
The boy frowned, displeased. “Why? Sara’s dad will be home to look after her, won’t he?”
The girl nodded. “Yeah, he’ll be around, but Mr. Belle has friends coming over tonight. I want to be there for Sara in case she needs anything.”
Belle.
The name was familiar.
“She’ll be sleeping,” the boy said. “What could she need?”
“I’ve already told him I’ll stay over, and I’m not going back on it now.”
The boy grinned and looked back at Sara like he’d found a solution where everyone got what they wanted. “Hey, kiddo, you wouldn’t mind if I borrowed Scarlett tonight for a couple hours after you go to bed, would ya? I’ll throw in a second scoop of ice cream to make it worth your while.”
Sara’s eyes widened with delight, but before she had the chance to reply, Scarlett intercepted.
“Knock it off, Theo. Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what?” Theo asked.
“Use Sara to get what you want. It won’t work. I said not tonight, and I meant it.”
Theo threw his hands in the air. “What’s gotten into you today? You’re actin’ kinda crazy. What’s the skinny?”
Scarlett breathed a heavy sigh. “I’ve ... I’m sorry, Theo. I don’t mean to blow you off. It’s just, I have a lot on my mind. I’ve lost something ... something important.”
“What did you lose?”
“It doesn’t matter. I just need to find it.”
Theo gave Scarlett’s shoulder a squeeze. “All I wanted was to spend some time with my girl. That so bad?”
“You will,” Scarlett said. “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow night. Mmm...kay?”
Theo leaned back. He folded his arms and huffed like a vexed child. “I mean, I guess so.”
“How much longer?” Sara asked. “I’m hungry.”
“A few more minutes,” Scarlett said. “We’re almost there. I just need to make a quick stop for your dad first.”
Scarlett turned onto Dawson Street, and Addison gazed out the window. The street was familiar. The surroundings were not. The barren field on the right had been turned into a strip mall in the present day, and the fast-food diner on the left was now a Brazilian Steakhouse.
Addison looked at Scarlett and Theo, studying their clothes. Scarlett was dressed in a white, tie-neck mini dress. Theo was in burgundy bell-bottoms and a striped button-up shirt.
From the looks of things, Addison was locked in a seventies time warp.
Theo jerked his head to the right and shouted, “Scarlett, Look out!”
A truck traveling the opposite direction plowed through the stop sign, slamming into the car Scarlett was driving. The car spun ‘round and ‘round, skidding across the street, before nose-diving into a tree. When everything came to a sputtering stop and Addison’s head stopped spinning, she opened her eyes and canvassed her surroundings. She was seated on the ground several feet from the car. She looked herself up and down. There wasn’t a scratch on her.
Her thoughts turned to the car’s other passengers.
Addison’s eyes first came to rest on Theo. He had been thrown from the vehicle, his bloodied body lying face down on the pavement. Addison stood up and ran toward the car. Scarlett was in the front seat. The smashed-up auto had folded into itself, sandwiching Scarlett between twisted layers of bent metal. Half of the back seat had been ripped off, and Sara was missing. So was the other car and its driver. Apparently, the offender had just driven off.
Addison whipped around and shouted, “Sara! Where are you? Can you hear me?”
Cars screeched to a stop on both sides of the road, taking in the gruesome sight. People leapt from their cars and bolted to the scene of the accident, slapping their hands over their mouths and standing in horror as they witnessed the accident’s deadly aftermath.
A small group of people huddled together on the other side of the car. At first, Addison assumed they were discussing what they’d just seen until a teary-eyed woman dropped to the ground. Addison squeezed through the growing group of spectators, fearing the worst. There, on the ground, bruised and broken, was Sara’s lifeless body.