The Father

**The Father**, whose real name is **Donald Earl McArthur,** is the first and, currently, the only Stranger in Rides With Strangers.

## In-Game

The Father will constantly attempt to attack the player, giving off silent indications by slowly turning his head and staring at them with an unsettling smile. The player can counter this by staring back at him—making him relent—but doing so raises the sketch meter, and they will no longer be able to glance at him after it has been filled. This forces them to either tuck and roll out of the car, or allow the Father to assault them. He shouts, "YOU HERETIC!" as he lunges out at the player when striking. The Father's homicidal attempts can be kept at bay by providing obsequious responses to his questions, as well as the fact that he is incapable of attacking when talking.

## Description

The Father is a 51 year old Caucasian male, balding with thick black glasses, brown eyes, and black, short-sleeved attire. His role as a priest is confirmed by the clerical collar around his neck.

## Biography

Donald was given to the local church community to be raised in the ‘Sons Of Our Father’ program; it is here where he will be taught the lessons on becoming a priest. Donald was a youthful, young boy who always seemed to have a slight worry on his face, but most of all the characteristics of being innocent. Being a young boy without his parents, he was confused as to what was right and what was wrong. This, however, attracted some of the priests of the church to his company, attract in a way he didn’t know was wrong. Donald was touched and was forced to perform acts on these priests in a way that is most appalling and disturbing, but to Donald, it was ‘normal’ and acts of ‘love.’
As Donald became a young man, unfamiliar to the outside world, he wanted to venture off to a local diner to grab a bite to eat. It was a cold and rainy fall night in the year of '87; he could hear the dead leaves blowing in the streets, and smell the rain in the air. While walking into the diner, Donald noticed a young family, a mother, father, and a young boy, eating. Donald felt something overcome him, something he has never felt before... desire. This desire though was something he couldn’t control; it was an itch, an itch he just had to scratch. Not knowing the precautions and danger of his intentions, Donald came up to the family and started talking with them. The family was welcoming and introduced themselves, Donald was telling the family scripture when he started to rub the little boy's leg in a way that made the parents furious. The father in his fury punched Donald in the face and threw him into the streets, telling him to stay the fuck away from his son. Donald was confused, he didn’t know what he did wrong, but this was the first time he felt violence and rage... and Donald liked it, it was like a drug running through his veins giving a high he has never felt before.
In his confusion and self-doubt, Donald rushed to the church's public library to find out what he did wrong, what caused the boy's father to act in such a way. He grabbed his Bible, and other scripture books he was raised to read upon times of trouble. While doing this, he noticed a local newspaper. The headlines stated, 'The Church Charged With Child Molestation'. He read further to find out what this meant, it then all snapped into place like a ticking time bomb went off inside his head, full of rage and sadness. Donald finally realized what happened to him as he was growing up as a young boy, he was overtaken by self-hate and sadness... but just for a second he then remembered the violence he felt earlier that night. This violence overcame him, and rage was in his eyes, he was to seek out vengeance upon those who have touched him. Donald kept his calm in public though; he knew he had to be smart about this, he knew he didn’t want to get caught...
A few years had passed since that cold, rainy fall night when Donald discovered what had happened to him. At this time Donald has become an expert in forensics and chemistry, he has done his homework to start his vengeance, his calling from God. It was another hot and humid summer day, just like the day he was born. Donald was waiting in his car while he stalks the ‘Fathers’ of his childhood as they leave their afternoon service. Knowing the ‘Fathers’ were drinking coffee, a special blend that Donald put together for them, they slowly pass out barely making it to their vehicles. Donald felt a sudden rush of panic and nervous tick come over him, but it was his time to act. Donald quickly dragged them into the trunk of his car and drove away. Those priests were never heard from or seen again...
A few days have passed since the day Donald got his vengeance, the sun was shining, and the birds were singing, Donald was peacefully sitting on a park bench. He was content and relaxed; he could finally move on with his life and move over his past. While Donald is resting his head back and closing his eyes, he hears a laugh; a laugh that overcomes him with lust. He looks ahead to see a little boy in the park just a way down. He could feel the itch just creeping up throughout his entire body, and this time it’s worse than before. This itch won’t go away; he can’t help this itch, no matter how hard he tries to dismiss it or hide it. He fights it hard, telling himself to snap out of it, but it's too powerful, and Donald finally submits. He stares away at this little boy while the most disturbing thoughts run through his head, slowly smiling. He has become what he thought he destroyed, he has become ‘The Father’.

## Dialogue

* *"Good evening, child. What are you doing out there? Here, take a seat and let me give you a ride."*

*(Player agrees to get in.)*

* *"Yes, yes, please sit."*

*(Player refuses to get in.)*

* *"Very well. Godspeed to you, my child."*

* *"This is a dangerous place to be hitchhiking. What is a precious young thing such as yourself doing out there?"*

A: 1: I can take care of myself.

* *"Yes, I presume you can."*

A: 2: It's a dangerous place to pick up hitchhikers, too.

* *"I have the Lord to protect me."*

A: 3: Why is it any of your business? Just shut up and drive...Fucking creep.

* *"I will pray for you."*

A: 4: I am a lost sheep who is going through the burden of life.

* *"The Lord has brought you to me for a reason, then, and we shall discover it."*

* *"Well, we have quite a ways ahead of us. May I ask: where is it you are traveling to?"*

A: 1: I have an important meeting in the morning I can't be late for.

* *"Then I shall get you there before you are missed."*

A: 2: I'm just running away from home, my life, everyone.

* *"How perfect. Uh, I mean... I would love to offer my home to you, child."*

A: 3: I lost a bet, and this was the wager. Crazy, right?

* *"Quite a wager on your life. Never know what is out there."*

A: 4: Home. Yourself?

* *"I just... needed to get away."*

* *"I can tell by the way you are dressed and present yourself, you have ones that love you. I was forsaken at birth by my mother and was raised by fathers who are no longer with us. What would your family say if they knew you were hitchhiking?"*

A: 1: They probably would be happy I got picked up by you and not some creep.

* *"Hm, yes. To think someone else could've found you before I did."*

A: 2: Don't bring my family into this. Sounds like your family is already fucked up enough.

* *"Relax. You've nothing to fear, child. I'm harmless."*

A: 3: As long as I get home safe!

* *"I'm sure they will miss... I mean, that they*do*miss you."*

A: 4: This isn't my first time!

* *"How precocious. I like that..."*

* *"Funny how this world is, how God has set this path in front of me. You see, I have this... itch, this itch I can't control. I try to run away from it, but it just brings me to you. It reminds me of the story of the Scorpion and the Frog. Are you familiar with it?"*

A: 1: I didn't realize that was from the Bible.

* *"It would be unwise to not learn the lessons of nature as well as His word."*

A: 2: Yeah, about the river? Doesn't the Scorpion kill the Frog at the end?

* *"There's more to it than that, but yes."*

A: 3: I don't think I know that one.

* *"It's a beautiful parable about how it is difficult to act against one's nature."*

A: 4: Yeah, I know the story. But what the fuck do you mean by "itch"? What are you implying here?

* *"Nothing, child. Nothing."*

* *"I have made a vow with God to purge the heretics of this world. In exchange, He suppresses the itch, so it has come time to ask: are you a God-fearing woman?"*

A: 1: I don't think that's any of your business, Father.

* *"My child, I am merely just a vessel of God's work. My hands are His hands."*

A: 2: I am.

* *"Excellent."*

A: 3: Yes, Father. I prayeth to the man Jesus! Amen!

* *"Blasphemy. How dare you..."*

A: 4: Not enough people are today.

* *"Yes, how astute. They will be, once my work has finished..."*

* *"Now, what is the worst thing you have ever done?"*

A: 1: What is this, a confessional? Leave me alone.

* *"It can't be that bad. Confession washes sin clean from the soul. No one likes a dirty girl."*

A: 2: I shoved six grams of coke up my ass and fucked your mother!

* *"I never knew my mother, but I know she died years ago. This... blasphemy you spit out of your dirty, little whore mouth won't go unnoticed."*

A: 3: I've hurt people.

* *"We all have, child. Let me take you into my flock..."*

A: 4: What about you, Father? What have you done?

* *"If you must know... I have killed, raped, and tortured many. Little boys are my passion, but I pray to God to forgive and cleanse me."*

* *"A person's faith can determine the outcome of their lives, as in the scripture of James 1:3. You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Do you believe that everything happens for a reason, or is it just chaos?"*

A: 1: I think that's incredibly unlikely, so I'm going with chaos.

* *"And yet, I've asked God to give me a weary soul, and here you are."*

A: 2: Sure. Some people win the lottery and some people die hungry.

* *"He works in mysterious ways."*

A: 3: Yes! He told me to get in the car of a creepy priest!

* *"(Clicks tongue repeatedly.)"*

A: 4: My faith is unbreakable.

* *"Then you are truly blessed."*

* *"’And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men’ (Laughs.) Will you be ready for His judgment?"*

​A: 1: Yeah, I had a good word put in with Him.

* *"Really, now? Then you should have nothing to worry about."*

A: 2: I'll have my shit together when the time comes, sure.

* *"You had better. The Lord will show no mercy."*

A: 3: Dude... What the fuck are you talking about? You are fucked!

* *"Shut that dirty, little whore mouth of yours before I do it myself."*

A: 4: Whatever. As long as He doesn't check my browser history.

* *"Mm. I should probably clear mine when I get home."*

* *"All this talk is making me think of the days of my youth. The days in the church and in the hands of my fathers. It is truly such a pleasure to share the road with such young company."*

A: 1: Alright, keep it in your pants!

* *"Lust, my true sin."*

A: 2: Thanks, it's nice to not be freezing my ass off out there.

* *"I'm glad I can warm you."*

A: 3: Young company? Anyone is young compared to you!

* *"Respect your elders. Am I going to have to punish you?"*

A: 4: Aww... I'm sure it is.

* *"Yes, this old car can be so lonely."*

* *"I feel that we are building a bond with each other, so I must get this off my chest. As a young boy, I was... touched by the fathers of my childhood. They made me feel loved. When you were a child, were you ever touched the same way I was?"*

A: 1: Is that why you're so fucked up? God, I will pray for you. But don't be trying anything smart with me!

* *"Yes, please, pray for my salvation."*

A: 2: What the fuck did you just say?!

* *"Nothing, child. Nothing."*

A: 3: Yes, my daddy used to play with me... But that was forever ago.

* *"Oh my, my, my. My child, what are you doing to me?"*

A: 4: Would you like to touch me, Father? Am I being a bad girl?

* *"Yes, child. Such a bad little girl, you are."*

* *"Hmm. I... often find myself at the park watching the kids play and... the lust takes over me. In fact, I was at the park earlier today and... Well, do you think God will judge me on my actions?"*

A: 1: Of course He will, what actions have you committed?!?

* *"None that shall be spoken of."*

A: 2: Wait... did you just say lust? What kind of sick fuck gets turned on at a park with kids!?

* *"I am sick. I need help. I can't control myself. This... itch won't go away."*

A: 3: You seriously need some help, are you seeing a physiologist?

* *"They have, in the past. They can't help me, only God can."*

A: 4: No, not at all! Your actions are totally normal!

* *"Really? So I'm not the only one..."*

* *"(Deeply inhales.) You smell so... fresh. Are you wearing perfume?"*

A: 1: Stay the fuck away from me!

* *"But I am already so close."*

A: 2: Yes, do you like?

* *"No. Perfume is for whores."*

A: 3: No... but I did just fart.

* *"You must eat well, then."*

A: 4: And you smell like rotten old cheese, when's the last time you took a shower?

* *"I cleanse myself after the purge of whores and heretics."*

* *"Ah, to be young again. Such a blessing*and*a curse. If only you knew. Although our time together is short, I believe it will be memorable."*

A: 1: I definitely won't forget it.

* *"Neither will I."*

A: 2: I'm not even sure I know what that means...

* *"I dare not explain myself."*

A: 3: Yeah sure... whatever.

* *"(Sighs.)"*

A: 4: Look, I'm just in this for the ride...

* *"You could receive so much more, child."*

* *"Oh, dear. It appears we are nearing the end of our journey together, child. I do wish we had more time together..."*

## Trivia

* The Father follows the archetype of a child-molesting priest.
* Subtle banging and muffled screams can be heard emitting from The Father's trunk, foreshadowing his life as a kidnapper and serial killer.
* The noise of an unsheathing knife can also be heard, implying that The Father's method of killing is by stabbing his victims.
* It is unknown what he does to the player if they do not manage to survive, most likely raping or murdering them, which he mentions that he has done in the past.
* There is a Bible on the center console, emphasizing The Father's supposed religious faith.
* The Father constantly refers to the player as "child", suggesting that he views most of his victims with pedophilic intentions, based on his statements that he enjoys sexually abusing children.
* He speaks in a very low, light voice and overly predatory manner that puts the player on edge, constantly whispering or muttering throughout the car ride with different meanings and undertones behind his words.
* (Contains spoilers for *Welcome to the Game.*) The Father makes two cameo appearances in the 2016 Reflect Studios horror game *Welcome to the Game*. His website, "Father Donald", which contains a recorded message of his voice, can be read/heard, and he can be seen driving down the highway to pick up Elora in the secret ending.

## References

1. ↑ http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/discussion/601371642/451850849192020561/