I Stopped to Help a Girl With a Flat Tire at Night, but What I Found in the Trunk Changed Everything

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I just…” She swallowed. “Can you please not open it?”

I stared at her.

“You said the spare was in there.”

“I know.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

She looked past me toward the road. Her hands were shaking harder now.

“Please,” she whispered. “Just help me get away from here.”

That was when I stopped thinking about tires.

I moved a little closer, keeping my hands where she could see them.