Chapter 26 – Artur
My wife’s condition was getting more and more stable by the week. As the doctor had instructed, I made sure she wasn’t stressing about anything. Nothing at all.
Every day, the doctor would come by the house to monitor her progress. And so far, she was responding to treatment just fine. Although she was in a better condition than before, a part of me was still scared for her safety.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do if anything bad happened to her or the baby. The mere thought of it alone always made my heart skip. And at this point, I just had to remain positive.
I told myself every day that she would get through this. That I wasn’t going to lose any of them. We’d survived worse before. This condition wasn’t going to separate us.
Celine was now in her third trimester, and at any moment, the baby would arrive. She’d come so far that even the doctor admitted she was healthier than before. The chances of having any complications during delivery were slim.
Wonderful news!
One night, I was returning late from work, tired and exhausted from an important meeting. The road was lonely, and the crescent moon was hanging somewhere in the sky full of stars.
I was traveling steadily, thinking about my wife and the baby we’re expecting, when I spotted something suspicious. Headlights beaming behind me. At first, I wanted to shrug it off, but then I realized that those two pale eyes had been tailing me for a while now.
Through my rearview mirror, I noticed the vehicle was getting closer, its engine roaring through the night. My eyes squinted, knowing this was no coincidence at all. I was being followed.
I tightened my hold on the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator. The minute I did that, the vehicle behind me surged forward, headlights brighter. Closer.
No more pretending. The driver floored the car, chasing after me at high speed. I didn’t panic, just kept my cool as my car shot through the night like a missile. The engine growled in response, the speedometer climbing into the three-digit range.
The road was curved toward the rolling hills, long, sloping stretches of asphalt that dipped and rose like ocean swells. This was a bad place for a chase. A single mistake could send one down the slope and probably to their maker.
I had no idea who was chasing me, but I had a feeling they had something to do with Rocco. Maybe a family member or his men trying to exert vengeance.
I didn’t give a shit. I just wanted to get back to my wife.
The chase intensified by the minute: engines roaring, tires screeching loudly against the asphalt. I kept my eyes on the road, my hands steady on the wheel.
Smoke swirled from my rear tires as I took a sharp, dangerous swerve. The car behind tried the same thing but fell off the road, tumbling down the hill. I kept going, eyes glancing at the rearview mirror every half second.
Then I heard it. The explosion beneath the hill. The fallen car had gone up in flames.
However, I could breathe a sigh of relief, the sound of screeching tires caught my attention again. I looked through the rearview mirror and saw another vehicle quickly catching up behind me.
What the hell?
How many of you guys are there?
I slammed on the accelerator, wind rushing past my windows. Then came the crack that split the night.
Bang!
A loud gunshot.
The sound almost distracted me.
But I kept my eyes on the unwinding ahead.
They shot again. Multiple times.
I ducked, careful not to take a wrong turn. A bullet punctured the rear windshield and hit the headrest of the front passenger seat. These guys weren’t kidding.
I pushed the car harder, every swerve carefully calculated. My phone’s screen lit up on the dashboard console with my wife’s name flashing on it. She was calling.
“Shit.”
I couldn’t take the call right now because I couldn’t risk her knowing my life was in danger. The doctor had specifically said not to let anything stress her. This wouldn’t only stress the life out of her; it could send her into premature labor.
Another bullet was fired. This time, it hit my phone, knocking it to the floor mat.
Headlights flooded my mirror.
They were right behind me now.
Dangerously close.
Before I could form my next thought, they rammed their car into my rear bumper. The impact knocked me off course, tires squealing loudly. A quick swerve steered me back on track.
Unfortunately, my triumph was fleeting.
They hit me again. Harder this time.
Again. And again. And again.
Before I could take control of the situation, it was too late. I was already at the edge of the road, the front tires spinning in the air.
Then came the final slam that sent my car down the slope. Time slowed down and I saw my life flash before my eyes.
The car flipped multiple times. Metals screamed and glass exploded inward. My body jerked, stomach lurching into my throat as the air bag slammed into my front. The seatbelt squeaked faintly, biting into my chest. It was the only thing holding me in place as the car somersaulted down the hill.
My head slammed into the broken window, glass shards cutting into my skin. The world in that moment was a violent tumble of noise and force.
Finally, the car settled upside down with one last crushing impact.
And then, silence.
I pinched myself to be sure I was still alive, my head banging like it was about to explode. My vision was blurry, and I was sure my left shoulder was broken. The ringing in my ears was loud, the air thick with the smell of burnt tires, oil, and smoke.
Inside that wrecked vehicle, I hung upside down, blood rushing to my brain. I was stuck in there, trapped and unable to move. The more I struggled, the weaker I became.
Soon, my eyes started to shut, and I could see a blinding light. I tried to stay awake. For my wife. For our child. But I couldn’t.
I was dying. I knew I was dying, and my only regret was that I didn’t get to see our child.
“I’m sorry, Celine,” I whispered to myself.
My eyes slammed shut.
Darkness.