Losing All Hope

          A flash of movement lunged from the side of the road, pulling my focus from my mind. Slamming on my brakes, a deer barely made it across my lane of traffic before my front end careened right where it had been. Jerked back into awareness, I overcorrected. My backend fishtailed. Shit!

          Using both feet on the brake, I held the steering wheel firm. The sides of the road swapped entirely too quickly. The trees blurred, and I slammed my eyes shut. My knuckles ached at my grip. The vehicle spun beneath me before skidding to a halt halfway on the shoulder and facing the wrong way. 

          Slowly, I cracked open an eye. The radio filled the cabin, and the ditch blazed alive with my headlights. My body erupted in a quivering mess. Screaming at the adrenaline, I pounded my steering wheel. The eerily quiet night offered no comfort. Throwing it into park, I checked for any damage. Nothing. Good. 

          Forcing calming breaths into my core, I shakily checked my phone. Kian and Ryan were safely at Wolfisle. Maybe they’re in it together. Paranoia prickled down my spine. Acnos said we could trust him. It anchored in my bones and poisoned my veins despite our divine confirmation. Get a move on unless you want them to catch you. The critic added toxicity. 

          I guided the car back onto the lonely road. Lonely is better than company. The branches from the trees reached out at me like desperate hostages. Blasting the AC , the heat rushing through my body subsided. The shadows danced along the road, beckoning me all while the music droned on as incoherent background noise. 

          My erratic thoughts bounced absurdly out of control. Everything that I knew was gone. My entire life had been a lie. Everything she had said to me was a twisted version of the truth. The only reason I wasn’t killed was that I was going to have her savior baby. I shuddered at the thought. Was everyone in on it? The council never indicated any such motives. Growing up never seemed strange or out of place until recently.

          Headlights popped into my rearview mirror. My heart sped up. My fingers firmly repositioned and gripped the steering wheel. Slamming on the gas, the trees again lost their detail while I raced through the mountains. They quickly disappeared behind the curves and hills. They’re catching up. You better hurry. The slime slid down my limbs, adding weight and making them difficult to maneuver. 

          My phone lit up in the passenger seat. Ignoring it, I whipped off the road towards Wolfisle. Another hour at the most. My tears had long dried up, leaving behind a cold exterior. Staring lifelessly ahead, another set of headlights illuminated my rearview. It’s her. Within seconds, they were close to my bumper. 

          A straight-a-way opened up, and the car sped around me. Slowing down, I waited for their brake lights to engage, but they continued on their journey, not paying any more attention to me. A quick scan of the car showed the critic wrong. It’s not. Now shut up and let me drive. Mentally, I shoved them aside and sent them tumbling to the back of the mind.

          The road to his place glimmered like a sidequest in a video game. This is it. The car slowed, but the adrenaline pumped itself heavily through my veins. Eyes watched me from the safety of the tree line. This was a mistake. Apprehension leaked from my heavy muscles.