Free Darkness on the Edge of Town by Brian Keene

you a ride back into town? Maybe your husband can look at it later?”
    “He’s at work. Bob works for the Library of Congress. He commutes to Washington, D.C., every day, sohe leaves really early. And I’ve got to get our baby to the doctor. He has an appointment today. He’s asleep in the back. If he wakes up and starts crying…”
    Her voice trailed off. She raised her arm and made a sweeping motion toward the Civic. Sure enough, there was the shadowy outline of a car seat sticking up in the back, presumably with a baby inside it.
    I smiled. “We can probably fit that car seat in the back, if you want me to try?”
    “No,” she said. “We can’t go back home. I told you, he has a doctor’s appointment. He’s only three weeks old, and he’s been having trouble breastfeeding. We put him on formula, but he was allergic to that. Now they have him on some hypo-allergenic stuff, but he’s still losing weight and…” Her voice cracked.
    “Ma’am,” I said softly, “where is the doctor’s office located?”
    “In Verona.”
    “It might not be a good idea to go there right now. I don’t know if you heard what the chief said earlier, but there’s a situation.”
    “I know that,” she snapped. “I’m not blind. It’s dark outside. Big deal. Weren’t you listening? He’s got to see the pediatrician. If he’s still losing weight, then…” She trailed off again, glancing back down at the smoking engine. “They said if he hadn’t gained weight by today they were going to check him into the hospital and start feeding him intravenously.”
    I paused, considering our limited options. That numb feeling started to evaporate, replaced with an intense sense of pity. I didn’t know this woman or her baby, but they needed our help. All you had to do was look at her to know that she was at the end of her rope and close to cracking.
    I opened my mouth to respond, but Christy reached out and squeezed my leg. Her nails dug into my skin through my sweatpants. I turned to her.
    “Do not offer her a ride to Verona,” she whispered. “No way, Robbie. You said it yourself. We can’t go out there.”
    “We’re not.”
    “You promise?”
    “Yeah. I’m not going to offer her a ride.”
    Shrugging Christy’s hand away, I turned off the car and got out. The woman jumped back a little. I held up my hands and tried to smile reassuringly again.
    “It’s okay. I just want to look under the hood.”
    Christy stayed inside the car, pouting. Russ got out and joined me in front of the Civic. The woman eyed us warily, but her expression was hopeful. I peeked under the open hood. Russ shined his light on the engine while I examined it. The air smelled sickly sweet, and the steam was nauseating. It made my stomach lurch again, and for a moment I thought I was going to puke right there. Instead, I focused on the task at hand.
    “There.” Russ pointed with the flashlight. “You see it?”
    The radiator hose had a huge split down the middle, and coolant had sprayed from the rupture and all over the engine. Using my shirt, I unscrewed the radiator cap. It was hot, even through the fabric. I winced, then set it to the side. Russ shined his flashlight down into the dark hole. The radiator was bone dry.
    Russ turned to the woman. “Got any duct tape in the car?”
    “No, I don’t think so.”
    “How about you, Robbie? Got anything in the trunk that we can fix that hose with, at least temporarily?”
    “The only things in our trunk are an old beach blanket and some seashells left over from our trip to Virginia Beach. And the tire jack.”
    “Can you fix it?” The woman’s voice took on a hopeful, pleading tone. I was hesitant to answer, not wanting to crush what was left of her spirit. Instead of replying, I just shook my head and screwed the radiator cap back on.
    “Not really,” I said, “but I’m sure we could help you get it towed back home.”
    Her voice grew shrill. “I don’t want it towed. I want it fixed!