With every passing mile her heart fled a little more.

The girl, nine years old, sat slumped in the front seat, rubbing her finger along the worn beige armrest. The slipstream from the open window laid a strip of blond hair across her face. She brushed it away and looked up at the unsmiling, gray-haired man of about forty. He drove carefully, with his eyes fixed beyond the long white nose of the car.

"Please," the girl said.

"No."

She put her hands into her lap.

Maybe when he stopped at a red light she would jump out.

Maybe if he slowed down just enough…

Would it hurt, she wondered, to leap from the car into the tall grass beside the road? She pictured herself tumbling through the green blades, feeling the cold sprinkle of dew on her face and hands.

But then what? Where would she run to?

The first click of the turn signal interrupted these thoughts and the girl jumped as if a gun had fired. The car slowed and rocked as it pulled into the driveway, aiming toward a low brick building. She realized that her last hope was gone.

The car eased to a stop, brakes squealing like a sob.

"Give me a kiss," the man said, reaching over and pushing the buckle release. The seat belt retracted. She held on to the nylon like a lifeline.

"I don't want to. Please."

"Sarah."

"Just for today? Please."

"No."

"Don't leave me."

"Out you go."

"I'm not ready!"

"Do the best you can."

"I'm scared."

"There's nothing to be -"

"Don't leave me!"

"Look -" His voice grew stony. "I'm going to be right nearby. Just over at Blackfoot Pond. That's hardly a mile away."