Melanie stood at the corner of the busy street. Her meeting hadn't gone well and she was in a dark mood over it. She wasn't sure how she was going to be able to get by this month. The thought was stressful, but she didn't want to dwell on it. She would get a break at some point, she was sure. Back to business, she had to get home. She assumed the look of someone who was expectantly awaiting a taxi. Unfortunately, a few passed her by and picked up other, more hurried looking businessmen. Frustrated, she stepped out into the street a little to add a little desperation to her look.
Finally, a taxi rolled up to her. It was a little different that the normal Ford taxi that you saw everywhere. It was a Chevy Suburban with a taxi sign on top. "Whatever," Melanie thought. It would do as long as it wasn't expensive.
She opened up the door to get into the back and hopped up into the SUV. A woman in the driver's seat greeted her enthusiastically.
"Welcome!" the woman smiled.
"Good afternoon," Melanie replied.
The woman had a pixie-like face and appeared to be young. Melanie was a little confused. Definitely not the normal demographic you would expect driving a taxi.
"Where are you headed today?" the woman asked.
"Fourth and Market please." Melanie replied as she eyed the rates on the side of the window. It wasn't nearly as bad as she thought. Actually cheaper than a normal taxi.
Satisfied, she relaxed a little a noticed that there was someone sitting right behind the driver's seat to her left. A man was just minding his own business looking out the window. Melanie was a little confused by this. She hadn't known taxis to do this before.
"Excuse me, but I wasn't aware we were ride sharing." Melanie said.
"Oh don't worry dear, Paul is okay with it. He's not in a rush." The driver said.
"I just wasn't expecting another person with me." Melanie said, "It's just that usually, the people in the taxi are going to the same place."
"Oh don't worry dear, I've already thought of that!" the driver said, "I suppose I should introduce myself to you. Paul and I are already acquainted. My name is Caliban."
An odd name. "I'm Melanie, pleased to meet you." She relplied.
"And to your left Melanie, is Paul. Paul, Melanie." Caliban stated. Paul looked over at Melanie and smiled a little, obviously uncomfortable, but pleasant.
"Pleased to meet you," he said.
"Likewise," Melanie smiled.
"Oh! Would you look at that. Such joy in getting people to meet each other. Well since the introductions are out of the way, let's get started." Caliban said.
The inside of the SUV lit up with lights alternating and game show music played surprising both Paul and Melanie.
"Welcome to Futa Taxi! The game show where everyone wins but only one comes out on top." Caliban exclaimed with more gusto than should be possible from such a small woman.
Melanie was frustrated, tired, and over this. "Excuse me, I've had a rough day. Can we just not do this."
Paul looked uncomfortable as well. "I would rather not play a game either."
"C'mon guys, this is great!" Caliban pouted. "If you don't want to play, I can always make you."
"No thank you," Melanie said. "Drop me off here please."
Caliban didn't stop.
"Let me out!" Melanie shouted.
Melanie tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. She tired her seatbelt. It was stuck and secure.
"Well, well, well, looks like we're going to play Caliban's game after all," the pixie-like girl from the front smiled devilishly in the rear view mirror.
Melanie was panicking. Paul didn't seem to be doing well either. The realization dawned on him that he too was being kidnapped by this crazy woman in an SUV.
"So this is a trivia game. The rules are simple. I ask a question. If you get it right, you get a point. If you get it wrong, I get a point. Three points for you gets you out of the taxi. One point for me gets me a reward." Caliban grinned.
Melanie looked at Paul. He gave her a panicked looked, but they didn't have a choice. How hard could this be?
"Let's begin," Caliban said, "Melanie, give me the first three numbers in pi."
"3.14," Melanie stated.
"Boom! One point for the team in back!" Caliban exclaimed. "Okay, big boy, your turn. What is the first planet in our solar system?"
"Mercury," Paul said.
"Very impressive! You simply cannot stop this team!" Caliban shouted. "For those of you keeping track at home that's two points of three to our guests."
So they could work together, sort of. That was good. Melanie was happy to learn this. She and Paul were a team. They just needed one more point. The game would probably get more difficult, but how much so based on how it had started.
"Melanie! Time for you to answer a question now. What is the pressure at the bottom of the Marianas Trench?" Caliban asked.
Melanie paused. That was difficult. She couldn't surmise it off the top of her head. She looked over a Paul. He looked confused and afraid, but shrugged.
"Clocks ticking my dear," Caliban said. "You've got 5 seconds."
There was no way Melanie could figure this out in five seconds."
"Three, two, one. EHHHHHHHH," Caliban shouted imitating a buzzer noise. "That's one point for yours truly. Thank you dear. Anyway, for my reward I want you an Paul to kiss."
"No!" Melanie and Paul shouted at once.