Chapter 53
Monica
A s I blinked slowly, the shadows and shapes of the tall trees taking a sharper form as my vision adjusted, I couldn’t understand where I was. My head felt fuzzy, like an old television covered in gray static. The clouds overhead darkened the forest around me and I suddenly felt very cold besides the large hands that gripped me. I knew those hands. I just couldn’t quite place who they belonged to.
I looked to my right and saw crushed red metal and the splintering of a tall tree, its insides light and splayed out for the world to see. Smoke rose, or was it mist? I couldn’t tell through the orange haze of headlights that jutted through the trees. I saw broken glass scattered along the rocks and grass of the floor beneath me.
I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, knowing I was just in that car. Or was I still? My mind was too blurry to understand where I was. Who I was. I sucked in a breath at the woman who sat in the driver’s seat, or rather lay there. Her head was bent in a way that made my insides cold, her light blue eyes slowly blinking as they stared at the window toward me.
“Oh,” I gasped, sucking in air that I didn’t think would come.
“It’s okay,” said a soft voice as a hand ran through my hair, softly combing it.
I turned my head toward the voice and looked up. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing correctly as I took in the green eyes that were as dark as the forest around us, or the mouth I swore I had kissed hundreds of times, now pressed in a hard line of fear. I studied his face for a long moment, not believing he was real.
Troy. Troy was here.
As if seeing this idea register in me, his mouth curled up into a small smile.
“Hey you,” he whispered.
I blinked a few times.
“How?” I started, my mouth dry and desperate to ask questions I needed answers to.
“Shhh,” he said, placing a finger to my mouth gently. “Ask questions later.”
He pulled me closer to him, my face against his chest. I breathed him in, still not believing the mirage that was before me, holding me in the arms I never thought I would feel again.
As I felt him breathe, I looked through the trees and saw flashes of red and blue bouncing off them. The wind picked up and rustled the leaves, the air cold as it seeped through my clothes. I shivered and his warmth held me tighter. I heard footsteps and muffled voices approaching, and I buried my head in Troy’s chest, feeling overwhelmed.
“Mr. Gunner,” said a man gruffly.
Hearing someone else say his name meant someone else saw him too. He wasn’t an illusion. Troy was real. I wrapped my arms around his neck and clutched him tightly. His hands tightened their grip on me as I kept my face buried in his chest, his familiar scent enveloping me.
“Are you—is everyone…okay?” asked the man I could only assume was a police officer.
“I-I think so,” said Troy, his deep voice sounding in my ears like music. “But the driver…er… Veronica. She’s still in the car. I don’t know if she’s…”
Veronica. The woman who had abducted me. Troy’s ex-wife. That was who was behind the wheel. It was all coming together now as I pieced together the conversation before me. It had felt like a nightmare, but now I knew it was real. The red car. The speedometer arrow shaking on the dash. The sound of tires squealing. The crunch of metal around me.
She had been more dangerous, more deadly than I could have ever imagined. I couldn’t believe I had let her take me with her, accepting her bald-faced lie as the truth. I couldn’t believe I had fallen for it, and almost died because of it. But Troy was okay. He was here with me. There had been no accident, except my own.
“We’ll check it out,” said the police officer. “Paramedics are on the way.”
“Thank you,” said Troy.
I heard the crunching of footsteps and the opening of a car door, followed by a piercing scream that made the hair on my arms stand up. I heard Troy suck in a shaky breath.
“Get your hands off of me!” shrieked Veronica.
I felt a mixture of fear and relief that she was okay. I turned my head to see what was going on, and to also make sure she didn’t get away. I wondered if I would ever feel safe again knowing she was in this world.
“Miss Mews. Please, calm down.” The police officer put his hands up carefully, as if he was scared to touch her.
“My car!” she screamed, as she looked around. The red hood was completely caved in. The windshield splintered like a spiderweb. The passenger window caved in, the door crushed. That was where I had sat. I shuddered at the sight of it.
I watched as she took in her totaled car and then as her eyes grew wide, looking frantically around.
“Troy!” she screamed. “Where is Troy?”
She started sobbing, placing her forehead against the steering wheel and banging against it.
“Miss Mews…” said the police officer, putting his hand on her back. “Please, stop. Miss Mews. Please.”
She began clawing at her hair, pulling it away from her scalp and violently shaking her head, screaming sobs escaping her.
“I killed him,” she sobbed. “I killed Troy! Oh, my God!”
“No, Miss Mews. You didn’t. Mr. Gunner is fine.”
“Don’t lie to me!” she yelled. “I saw him. I hit him. Oh, my God. I couldn’t stop the car in time.”
“Veronica,” said Troy loudly, trying to break her from the spell she was under.
She quickly looked up through her tear-filled eyes and saw him. In disbelief, she took the sight of him in for a moment before her eyes landed on me, being held in his arms. I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry.
“You,” she growled, her voice narrowed in a cold almost whisper.
She stumbled out of the car, madness in her eyes. I couldn’t look away, though I wanted to desperately. I caught sight of her mangled leg dragging on the ground toward me and it made my stomach turn. She didn’t even seem to feel the bone that jutted out of her skin.
“Miss Mews. Please. You’re hurt,” said the police officer, waving over the others to help him.
Two other officers walked over and wrapped their hands around her arms, supporting her as she tried to claw her way toward Troy and me. She lost her balance and shrieked in pain as she started to fall to the ground.
“Oh,” I sobbed, turning my face to Troy’s chest as he held me tighter.
“You are under arrest, Miss Mews,” said the officer. “For the abduction of Monica Durrall and reckless driving. Please, don’t make this harder than it is. You’re very hurt. Let us help you.”
“I don’t need your help!” yelled Veronica as she tried to fight her way out of the police officers’ grasp. “I’d like to call my lawyer. Now!”
“You can do all of that at the police station. For now, you need to be seen by medical staff. You’ve suffered a broken leg, and who knows what else,” said the police officer calmly.
He followed behind Veronica and the officers who carried her toward one of the ambulances that had just pulled up.
“We need to get you checked out too,” said Troy softly, looking me over.
“I’m fine,” I insisted.
Even though I was far from it. My mind and body were still in a state of shock. Hell, I didn’t know if I had my own broken bones jutting out of my skin.
“Please, baby,” whispered Troy.
Baby . The word warmed through me like a hug that I so desperately needed. I nodded against his chest as he carefully carried me across the rocky terrain to the other ambulance. The paramedics rushed over to take me from him, but he didn’t loosen his grip. And nor did I as my arms tightened around his neck. If this was real, I wasn’t going to let him go. Not again.
He carried me up into the ambulance and sat next to me as the paramedics took my vitals and shined bright flashlights in my eyes. I heard Veronica screaming in the distance, and desperately tried to shut the sound out. I shut my eyes as the slow spread of pain flooded my head. Everything seemed so blurry, even the feel of Troy’s strong hand in mine.
I could hear the paramedics talking, but their voices sounded far away. Troy’s voice, too. It felt like they were muffled whispers, even though they were right next to me.
“Monica,” said Troy, his lips against my ear.
“Hmm?” I sounded.
“Can you hear me?” he asked.
I nodded slightly.
“They think you have a concussion…”
“No,” I croaked. “I’m fine. Really.”
“You’re not fine.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” I said, my eyes opening and finding his. I was scared to ever leave his side again. I had almost lost him. He had almost lost me. The image of him standing in front of the car as it sped toward him flashed in my mind. I grabbed onto him, in disbelief he was here with me and not dead.
“Please, don’t leave me,” I sobbed.
“I’m not leaving you, baby. I’m right here.” He wrapped his arms around me and I felt his lips press against the top of my head.
“We need to get her to a hospital,” said a nearby paramedic.
“I’ll get her there,” said Troy. “Probably faster than you.”
There was a brief pause, as if the paramedic was thinking it over.
“Okay,” he said warily. “I will call the hospital and let them know you’re on your way, and to give the helicopter clearance.”
Helicopter?
“Thank you,” said Troy, as he slowly got to his feet, taking me with him as he scooped me up.
He carried me down the steps of the ambulance, the air biting into us as the sun began to set in the distance. I saw a sleek, black helicopter on the road before us, as Troy carried me to it. I wondered what was happening as the pilot jumped out and opened the large door for us, the rotors above slowly coming to life.
“Troy?” I asked, fear in my voice.
“It’s okay,” he assured me. “We’re going home. After I’m sure you’re okay.”
He carried me into the helicopter. The pilot closed the door behind us. Troy carried me to the back seat and gently placed me down. He pulled my seatbelt over me and took the seat next to me, taking my hand in his. Groggily, I laid my head on his shoulder, suddenly desperate for sleep.
“You can’t sleep, baby,” he whispered, squeezing my hand.
“I’m so tired.” I yawned.
“I know, but please stay awake. You have to.”
“Mmm.”
“I promise the view will be worth it.” I heard a small smile in his voice.
A small smile of hope after everything we had been through.
“Okay,” I said, returning the smile.
I watched as the ground fell slowly further away from us as the helicopter lifted up, leaving the terrifying scene below us. The red of the ambulance, the mangled car around the tree, the broken bones, the sirens, the flashing lights. I was ready to never see any of it again.
Soon, the skyline of Manhattan came into view and my heart swelled. Home. We were going home. The buildings that kissed the purple and pink sky welcomed us as we approached. I still wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or not.