She had left the luxury store smiling, pleased with her purchase and eager to see the man she cared about. She had entered the taxi expecting nothing more than an ordinary journey through afternoon traffic, complete with casual conversation and perhaps a little delay along the way. Yet, in the space of a few minutes, that peaceful expectation had collapsed into a situation she had never imagined herself facing.
For the first time since leaving the shop, Sarah wondered whether she would reach her destination at all.
For several seconds, nobody inside the taxi moved. The driver's hands remained wrapped around the steering wheel as he stared at the vehicles ahead, his earlier irritation replaced by a tense expression. He was clearly searching for a way out, but the surrounding traffic left him with few options.
