"There is an urban legend of a taxi that will not take you where you want to go, but where you need to go."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were lost, Pilgrim."
The words echoed through her mind like her heels on pavement as she made her way to the door.
"Then again, we're all a little lost."
A simple exchange was usually enough to keep that voice quiet, tonight it was persistent. Tonight, it wanted more.
Staring at the door, she wondered if it was worth it to take the next step, one she had taken many times before.
"Care to get lost with us, Pilgrim?"
It wasn't a voice she recognized well, she couldn't place it, ever so slightly familiar. The voice itself sounded like a young girl, a cheery and cheeky little lady.
After what seemed like hours of standing in the rain, the street dimly lit by fading street lights and a neon sign advertising a St. Mary's rehab clinic above, she noticed the brightest light came from the sign above the door.
It read "OPEN"
It was always open, it didn't need a sign.
The voice chimed in again, " Care to get lost with us, Pilgrim?"
She felt a swell of courage and faintly whispered,
"No, not this time."
With a sharp exhale and quick turn, she left and called a cab.
"See ya next time, Pilgrim." The voice chuckled.
In moments the cab rolled up and she got in, drenched and shivering.
"Where ya headed?" The cabbie asked " Do you want a towel? I've got a clean one or two, looks like you could use it and i know my seats could."
He seemed friendly enough, like he had been doing this for far too long, she took both towels, sat on one and wrapped her hair up just like her mom used to after coming out of the shower.
"This was better." she mused to herself as the cab began its trip.
She noticed he hadn't started the fare meter, and she hadn't told him where to go.
"7th and 42nd please" she piped up.
"Same as last time yep." he said without hesitation.
'Same as last time' she thought, had she seen this man before? He wasn't familiar at all, one more thing she couldn't place, maybe he confused her with someone else, but someone going to the same place?
" How ya feelin' lately?" he asked like he was her old friend.
"Had my ups and downs like most people." a typical response.
" Hey now that's the spirit." he laughed as his phone rang.
"Excuse me sorry, the old ball and chains calling, mind if I put up the barrier? She gets so riled sometimes, wouldn't wanna put you through hearing all that." he said as he raised his brow and rolled his eyes.
" Sure of course." She smiled, the seat was warm, she felt cozy enough to doze off, it was going to be a while anyways she thought, why not?
She woke to the cabbie announcing, " 42nd and 7th!"
Not knowing how long it had been she asked how much she owed him, when he said she already paid the voice chimed in again,
"You're more lost than you know, Pilgrim."
Confused, she laid the towels on the seat and got out, dropping her phone as she did, as she picked it up and looked up, she saw a terrifying sight.
It read "OPEN"
It was always open, it didn't need a sign.
"Back already Pilgrim? You always come back, don't you?"
Not knowing what else to do, she ran. Heels clicking, hair plastered to her face and chest. Those old heels weren't meant for a marathon and snapped, as she fell she heard the voice again,
" Its always safe here, Pilgrim."
"Safe from what?" she wondered.
"Oh, now you're talking? Aren't you lost, Pilgrim?"
As she stood up, She found herself surrounded by neon signs bright enough to challenge the sun, all advertising the same clinic.
To her surprise, it was the same door with the 'Open' sign.
It was always open, it didn't need a sign.
However it was there and the same one littered the frames of all the doors going down the street as far as she could see both ways.
"Only one way to go, Pilgrim." the voice cackled, adding in a heavy cough at the end.
She opened the door.
The same staircase, leading down as always, with the broken railing and cheap old **** carpet, a light flickering weakly lit the way down.
This time, there was also a staircase leading up beside it, she had been here many times before and never noticed.
"Coming down, Pilgrim?
With another swell of courage she again whispered, "No."
As her foot landed on the first staircase going up, the upper staircase got brighter, while the one below darkened, this continued as she moved up until it was too bright to see.
"You'll be back Pilgrim, they always come back." It laughed.
She took one more step into the light, the voice disappeared.
She was greeted with a new voice, " Welcome to St. Mary's, what can we do for you?