Carter, always a good Samaritan, didn't think twice before helping a young hitchhiker named Avery get home safely. It was a simple act of kindness on a hot summer day. He dropped her off at a modest house on the outskirts of town, her grateful smile the only reward he expected.
But the next day, as Carter watched the morning news, his face drained of color, his heart pounding with disbelief.
It wasn’t unheard of for truck drivers to encounter hitchhikers on the side of the road. Often, truck drivers were the only ones who would actually take them with them. So when Carter saw a girl at the side of the road, not looking older than twelve, he knew he couldn’t drive past her. He quickly pulled over and opened his passenger door for her.
The girl stepped into his truck without an ounce of fear on her face. “Good afternoon,” she said happily. “Hi,” Carter confusedly answered. “Where are you headed?” He didn’t want to pry too much, as he didn’t want to make the girl uncomfortable. The girl gave Carter an address that was about an hour's drive in the wrong direction he actually had to go on, but he decided to take her there anyway.