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Near stares blankly at the dead baby.
“Nothing will bring her back,” a voice says.
He turns to find an older woman giving him a concerned smile. “But I suppose it’s only natural some people try. Can I give you a ride?”
There’s a London taxi behind her.
Extracting a Russian ruble from his pocket, Near offers it to her.
She shakes her head. “You can pay when we get where you’re going.”
“I don’t know where I should go."
“That’s okay,” she says. “Some people don’t. They usually know when they get there.”
…
Near twirls his hair as the world twirls around outside the hackney carriage.
There’s a flash of red, and he says, “Stop.”
Doing so, she goes around to open his door to help him out.
“Near!” Matt exclaims. “I- I think I’m on a bad trip, man. Do you know where Mello is?”
Withdrawing a £2 coin, Near says, “Take this, and come with me, Matt.”
Complying, Matt addresses the driver with, “Hi, I’m Matt. What’s your name?”
“I’m no one important,” she answers.
Staring above her head, Near murmurs, “I’m not so sure.”
…
Matt and Near play concentration 64 and slide until Matt exclaims, “Oh, cool, look, a gaming arcade!”
She stops, and the three get out.
“Give her the £2, Matt.”
“No, keep it for, now,” she says.
Taking Matt’s hand, Near says, “Then, I’ll go in with you.”
Leaning down, she covers Matt’s ears. “He doesn’t know. Don’t worry, I never drop people off somewhere bad unless they know and want or need to be there. He’ll be happy and safe for right now. Let your friend go.”
She removes her hands.
Near tugs on Matt’s hand, and turning his confused look from her to him, Matt uneasily asks, “Near?”
“Go inside, Matt. Hopefully, I’ll see you later.”
“Alright,” Matt agrees. “If you see Mello, tell him where I am.”
“I will."
“Do you happen to have any more money? I don’t think £2 will get me very far.”
“It will,” she says. “They have free games inside. Keep what your friend has given you until you need another ride.”
Nodding, Matt gives Near a brief hug. “Later, Near.” He jogs inside.
They get back inside the hackney carriage.
…
“This is a bad neighbourhood. But don’t be scared. Nothing can get in.”
“I’m never scared.”
She looks in the rear view mirror. “We both know that isn’t true, don’t we? Whether you believe it should be or not, the truth is that ignorance often is bliss. Most of my passengers are like your friend.”
“Knowledge isn’t the problem," he responds. "The problem is people often misuse and misapply it."
The drive continues in silence.
Sighing, she stops. “You don’t have to get out here.”
Seeing Mello standing outside a building, he opens the door to climb out. “Mero.”
Mello turns. “What are you doing here, Near?”
“Trying to save you,” she answers. “Come with him, child. No one wants you to go inside.”
Mello doesn’t respond.
Reaching over with one hand, Near tries to take Mello’s hand, and with the other, he offers the Russian ruble. “L and Matt are waiting, Mello. Your God might be waiting. He hasn’t sent you here.”
“No one is ever sent here,” she adds. “You made the choice to come, and now, I’m offering you the choice to leave.”
Moving away, Mello says, “Goodbye, Near.”
He walks inside, and Near tries to follow.
Holding him back, she kneels down. “You’ll find the door locked.”
He pokes her forehead. “Why do you bring those who ask to go to places like this to them if you know what they plan to be subjected to?”
Smiling sadly, she answers, “We all have jobs. Duties. A purpose. And every action has a consequence. It’s my job to ferry people. It’s their duty to decide for themselves where they want or need to go. All I can do is make suggestions and offer them alternatives.”
“I’m staying until he comes back out.”
“Do you want to wait in the car?”
“I don’t need you to stay with me,” he answers.
She looks up at the sky, and he follows suit. Faintly visible in the blue sky is a sliver of the moon.
“The moon might be full before that happens,” she warns. “And when the sun goes down- this isn’t a place you want to be.”
“I understand."
Standing, she goes over to open the boot. Withdrawing a parasol, she sets it up on the ground and puts a futon under it. “Here.” She hands him a pack of cards and a two-way pager. “If you ever want to leave or simply talk to someone, use this. I’ll always answer, and I’ll quickly come to pick you up.”
“Thank you.”
She starts to leave.
“When you come back, will you bring some chocolate?”
Turning, she nods and smiles before continuing to the car.
…
The day passes.
People come and go.
Some ignore Near, and some talk to him.
In the end, those who came to enter all do.
Some people sit with him and wait. Some leave without the person they came for, and some leave when the person they came for comes out.
…
Stumbling out with more scars, Mello does a double-take when he sees Near. “What are you doing here, little Nia?”
“Waiting for Mello,” Near answers. He holds his hand out.
Gently, Mello pulls him up. Looking up at the almost full moon, he asks, “How long have you been out here?”
“For as long as Mello has been in there.”
Mello stares down. “There’s a lot I don’t know about you, isn’t there, Near?”
“Yes.”
A London taxi pulls up, and the driver gets out.
Giving her an uneasy look, Mello asks Near, “Was she here before?”
“Yes,” Near answers.
She hands Mello a chocolate bar. “We better get going. Dark might fall soon.”
Shivering, Mello allows Near to lead him.
…
The car stops in front of the gaming arcade.
Matt comes out. “They told me- Mello!”
The two embrace.
“Man, what happened to you? It feels like I’ve been waiting eons.”
Gingerly touching one of his newer scars, Mello shakes his head. “You don’t need to know right now. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” Matt agrees. “Where to?”
“Somewhere better, for all three of us,” Mello answers.
…
Mello tenses.
Stirring from his doze, Near looks out. “The baby is dead. Someone wants desperately to save her.”
Sighing, Mello hands the chocolate to Matt before asking the driver, “Will you stop please?” To Near and Matt, he orders, “Wait here.”
Near and Matt play while Mello talks to a young person outside.
Eventually, another cab pulls up, and Mello helps the person in as large birds carry off the dead baby.
…
“This is your stop, boys. For now, at least.”
“Cool. I wonder if Roger’s still around,” Matt says. “Hey, think Linda will visit soon?”
They get out, and Near and Mello wearily study the driver.
“You should be happy here, this time. But if you’re not, you can always leave. Take better care of your friends, Mihael, and don’t take them for granted. Mail, expand your horizons.”
“How do you know my name? And Mello's?”
She smiles. “That’s a start.”
Mello whispers something to Matt.
Kneeling down, she touches Near’s cheek. “You can stay for as long as you want, but be warned, Nate, you may not be able to keep them or the others within forever.”
“I understand. Just as you might not,” he replies.
Nodding, she stands.
Mello takes each of their hands. To her, he says, “Thank you.” To them, he says, “Let’s go.”
The three go inside to the laughter, shouts, and running of young and older children.
Looking out a window, Near sees the vehicle drive away and disappear into the dusk.
“Near.”
He turns to find Mello looking at him. In another part of the room, a small child teaches Matt how to operate an unfamiliar game.
“Why’d you wait for me?”
“Tell me something, first, and then, I’ll tell Mello something,” Near says.
“Okay.” Mello sits down.
Near follows suit.