I finally got time off to spend with my daughters family upstate, I rarely have a chance to see them so I finally saved up vacation days at work. My daughter and her husband had to run errands on one of the days, so I had to watch my granddaughter. She was only 8 but she’s very smart and analytical for her age.

My husband was watching tv in the house, the day was sunny but a little boring. This was in the suburbs of new jersey, not much to do. so my grandaughter asks to go to the park, I am not too familiar with the area. I tell her maybe we can go when her mom got back. She says we can

go ourselves, because she drew a map.

Curious, I ask her to show me. I was expecting

some childish drawing, but such remarkable details. The map looked like someone took a snapshot of the road, from a helicopter point of view. It had all the houses, and tree sections, with the roads, and garages.

I was proud of her, told her that the map looks good but its too far away. I wasnt sure but I think

she meant the carnival fair rather than the park, it comes a few times a year. I told her it might not be around, she says no its there lets go. I figured we can go for a bit and come back soon, so I didnt even change, I wore slippers and a light dress.

We left to the park, but she lead the way. At first it was cute and all, her telling me to turn right then left, but then I realize we are getting

a bit too far from the house. I didnt even tell my husband that we stepped out, and I didnt even take my cellphone.

Because of the summertime and it being hot, I was getting very sweaty. The little one was getting tired, and I could tell that her feet were hurting. She didn’t show that it bothers her and just soldiered on, we pass by the fare and area I see there is no fare. I tell her look its not here we should go back, she says this is not the park.

we need to keep going, but the map shows that its actually far. We already made half the way, it would be foolish to turn back now. so we continue along the side of a road, then this suv pulls near and a big tattoed man asks us where we’re headed? I tell him we seem to be a little lost and we need to get to this park.

He asks if we know its almost at the next town? We’re so far away from it. I tell him yeah I know now, but we had past so far so we are determined to make this trip worth it. He says to get in the car that he will drive us, and although I was reluctant, my sheer exhaustion of the long walk in the sun got me thinking to just do it.

We got in and he drove, we started chatting. suddenly I begin to feel something sharp poking me in the back, but I cant tell what it was. I continue talking, the guy is asking us what we planed to do after we get to the park? its gonna get dark soon, I told him I’ll call my daughter and she will pick us up. I feel the poking in my back again, he says thats a good plan but maybe he ought to take us back home.

Thats when I spot what was poking me, I almost fainted. It was a reindeer skull, what the hell was it doing inside the seat like that? I get scared and I tell the man to please let us out right there, that I remember this road is where my friend lived. He started arguing, getting angry and talking aggressively.

Saying how Im being ungrateful, people always assume the worst about him. How he is always misunderstood, how we are all spoiled. I tell him sorry sorry, and we jump out of the car. I just take

my grandaughter and run away, we see a diner ahead and rub inside. I called my daughter and she picked us up an hour later.

Im not gonna let a child lead the way from now on.