stocky, the third scrawny and of medium height, along with a petite Asian woman, turned the corner and strode toward the cab. The short, stocky one opened the front door on the passenger side.
"U-Ride?" he asked.
"Yes. You are going toLangdon Street ?"
"That's us." The short, stocky man slid into the front seat. The two other men climbed in the back. The woman sat between them.
"There are four of you."
"You got a problem with that?" said a voice from the back.
"It violates the rules. Only parties of three or less may call for a U-Ride."
"Hey, be a dude," said the guy in front. "Just pretend there's three."
"I am sorry. I do not make up the rules. When you call for a U-Ride, you can at most be a party of three. However, if one or more wants to stay behind and call again, we can send another cab quickly."
Silence. I glanced furtively at them, sensing something strange, but was not quite able to grasp it. The tall, slender passenger opened his door, yanked the woman's arm, pulled her across his lap and flung her from the cab.
"I guess we're three now," the gentleman behind me said.
"Oh, man," said the student in front. "What'd you do that for?"
"Hey, we'll find another. There's plenty more where that came from."
I paused and glanced toward the woman, watching her crawl on the sidewalk, then slowly rise to her feet. She took a step, stumbled, steadied then stared at the cab. Her lips moved, but only the sounds of the remaining passengers were audible - their laughter, soon obscured by the sound of three hearts beating, pumping blood through three bodies, only to be covered by the loud, steady thump, thump of my own pounding heart.
"Enough!" I shouted. "I have had enough. You will all get out of my cab. Right now! This ride is over."
"Hey, man," the guy in front said. "We're just kidding around. What's the matter? Can't take a joke?"
"This is U-Ride," said the fellow behind me. "You're just a fucking cab driver. You have to take us."
I jumped out, quickly circled the cab, opening all the doors. "Out! Right now! All of you. Get out or I will call the police."
One by one, the passengers climbed out of the cab, each slamming their doors loudly. Two walked away. The tall slender one remained by the cab and glared at me. "That was stupid," he said, dropping his voice a couple octaves. "You might just regret something like this."
They walked slowly to the corner where they stood staring at me, their pale flesh glowing brightly in the moonlight. Suspicion filled me. Did their flesh perhaps glow too brightly? Why would their flesh be so pale when these Americans prefer to sear their skin in the sun until cooked a golden brown?
The woman fell again and was scrabbling on hands and knees. Damn these fellows! This woman needed help, and that was my top priority. Paying the students no further mind, I opened the front door and helped her inside. "Come. We must get out of here. I will take you wherever you want to go." I punched the accelerator and squealed the tires, driving without destination, simply trying to put as much distance possible between the cab and the three students. I did not even turn on the meter.
After a few blocks, I slowed to a stop. "Is there someplace I can take you?"
"Huh?" she said quietly. The woman stared straight ahead. I flared my nostrils and let her aroma wash over me: sweat, a trace of soap, that trendy perfume popular with the sorority girls that smells like insect repellant. And something else, something very faint, so faint only a vampire would notice. Sweet like lilies, but with a slight bitterness. Something I had not smelled in a long time.
"Datura," I said aloud. Known as Jimson Weed inNorth America and found in various forms all over the world.And sometimes used during unsavory religious rituals.
I flicked on the dome light and studied my passenger. Her skin was pale, she was perspiring and her breathing was labored. Turning the light off and on revealed the woman's pupils to be dilated. The dosage was substantial and fairly concentrated. She needed prompt medical attention. Fortunately, theMadisonGeneralHospital emergency room was very close.
"Stop the cab," the woman said. "I'm gonna be sick."
I stopped, and the woman jumped out just in time.
"Oh, god," she said, crying, holding her stomach. "I don't feel so good. Can you get me to