CHAPTER 1
1696 Words
ZOE ROSSI
I grip the steering wheel tightly, my fingers turning pale against the leather as I drive down the dark road.
The rain keeps falling relentlessly.
My eyes still burn from the tears I shed earlier at my parents’ house.
It’s been three months since the accident, but the pain is still there, like it was on the first day.
I should have returned to the city before sunset, but going through their things and reliving so many memories drained my energy.
Now, a pile of photo albums and my father’s old sweater are carefully stored in the back seat, small pieces of what was once my family.
The GPS blinks red on the dashboard.
A cold, digital voice announces:
“The main route is blocked due to weather conditions. Rerouting to an alternate route.”
This road is less busy, a path that cuts through the forest.
I hear my phone vibrate with an incoming call.
It’s Josh.
“Hey, love. It’s late, and I’m at your apartment waiting. When are you going to get here?”, Josh’s voice sounds warm, but there’s a concern that doesn’t go unnoticed.
“I’ll be a little late. The GPS sent me on a different path because of the rain. I know it’s late, but I’m driving carefully.”
“Why did you insist on going alone?”, he asks, his concern clear.
I take a deep breath.
“I needed some time alone, Josh. The house is full of memories.”
“But I’m your boyfriend! Why do you always think you have to deal with everything by yourself? That’s what worries me.”
I grip the wheel even tighter.
“Because I don’t want you to treat me like I’m going to break at any moment!”, I say, the fatigue in my voice evident.
“Do you have any idea what it’s like to try and move forward while everything around you is falling apart?”
“I’m just trying to help you. And speaking of us... have you thought about what we talked about? About you moving into my apartment?”, he replies, now more controlled, but still heavy with emotion.
“No, I haven’t had time to think about it. But please, don’t pressure me.”
“I’m not pressuring you. I just think it would be good for us, good for you.”
“Josh, please. Can we have this conversation another time?”
I bite my lip, hands still gripping the wheel. I’m about to hang up when he changes his tone.
“Look, I didn’t want to argue. Just... maybe the trip with my family this weekend would be good for you. You might feel closer to them, you know?”
“Josh, your family is rich. I grew up in a small neighborhood, and my parents never had much. We’re from different worlds. And your dad? Do you think he’ll accept me?”
“He’s looking forward to meeting you.", he insists, trying to sound optimistic.
I shake my head, even though he can’t see it.
“I’m still shaken by the death of my parents. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Zoe, we’ve been together for three years. Maybe it’s time we take a bigger step.”
I breathe deeply, feeling the weight of his words.
“I don’t even know your dad, Josh. I want to take it slow. I’m in college, trying to build my life.”
In three long years of dating, I’ve never had the chance to meet my father-in-law, who is always busy with work in another state.
The road is getting darker, and the rain makes everything worse.
I blink several times, trying to see through the foggy windshield.
“Josh, I can’t talk about this right now. The road’s awful.", I say, accelerating slightly to get past this stretch as quickly as possible.
“Zoe, just listen to me.", he insists, but his voice sounds like a distant echo when something catches my attention.
A huge shadow crosses the road in front of me.
Too fast to be an ordinary animal, too big to be human.
The soaked fur glistens under the headlights, and golden eyes flash in the darkness, looking at me before running to the other side and disappearing into the trees.
“My God!”, I scream, slamming the brakes and turning the wheel sharply.
The car skids, and before I can regain control, I see something else.
A human figure, standing in the middle of the road.
“No, no, no...”, I whisper, trying to swerve.
This time, I’m out of luck.
The car leaves the road and flips.
The first roll feels in slow motion; the second is quick and brutal.
When the vehicle stops upside down, the world around me falls silent.
Only the sound of rain hitting the twisted metal remains.
I groan, every inch of my body aching, and my leg is trapped.
There’s broken glass everywhere.
And then I see it.
A shadow is outside, moving slowly toward me.
Something is wrong. It doesn’t seem human. Red eyes glow like embers in the darkness.
Panic takes over.
I try to unbuckle my seatbelt and open the car door to escape, but I’m stuck.
The creature is closer now, its steps almost silent in the mud.
The tall shadow walks toward me, getting too close. The red eyes gleam in the darkness, and I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.
My heart races wildly in my chest, and then I lose consciousness, seeing everything fade to black.
And the last thing I can see is the shadow kneeling by the car, reaching out its hand to touch me.
The sirens cut through the night’s silence like distant wails.
The sound invades me, piercing my mind, but my eyes don’t open.
Voices float around me, muffled, as if coming from far away, crossing a storm.
“Head injury. Looks like the bleeding in her leg has been controlled. Stable blood pressure, but we need to move her now!”
Fingers touch my head, firm but careful.
A groan escapes my lips as I turn my head slightly, trying to push away the pain. The voices grow closer, clearer.
I try to understand what’s happening, but my mind is a tangle of disconnected thoughts.
What happened? Why can’t I remember? Everything feels so blurry.
I feel my body being lifted by slow and methodical movements. The touch of hands is firm. Then, I’m laid down on something hard and cold.
“Will she be okay?”, a deep male voice asks, full of concern.
“Yes.", another voice responds, almost comforting.
And then silence returns, pulling me back into the darkness.
When I come to, the bright light makes me blink repeatedly.
My mouth is dry, and I feel a familiar warmth in my hand.
“Josh...”, my voice is weak, a whisper.
“You woke up, my love...”, his voice overflows with relief.
He’s beside me, holding my hand tightly, as if afraid of losing me again.
“What... what happened?”
“You were in an accident, Zoe. Your car flipped. When I found out... My God, I thought I lost you.”
“I... I don’t remember everything.”
Josh lowers his eyes, squeezes my hand tighter.
“I feel so guilty. The argument... If I hadn’t insisted, you wouldn’t have gotten distracted. You wouldn’t have...”
“No, Josh.", I interrupt, shaking my head slowly.
“It wasn’t your fault. I was trying to drive carefully. I...”
“I saw something on the road.”
His eyes narrow.
“What did you see?”
“It was... it was a wolf. Really big. And there was someone... a person standing in the middle of the road. I tried to swerve, but the car skidded...”
“That area is isolated. There must be wolves around there. Maybe you got scared.”
“No. The eyes. They were red. They glowed in the dark.", I whisper, feeling the chill again.
“It could have been just the headlights reflecting. You were tired, Zoe. Maybe your mind played tricks on you.”
Before I can respond, the door opens and the doctor enters.
“Good to see you awake, Zoe.", he says, checking a clipboard.
“You suffered a concussion and a deep cut on your right leg. Fortunately, the bleeding was controlled, and your recovery is going well. With a few days of rest, I believe you’ll be ready to go home.”
“Thank you, doctor.", Josh says, squeezing my hand.
“Maybe this accident is a sign. You need some time away from everything. You’re still grieving the loss of your parents. Maybe traveling with me this weekend and meeting my dad will help you heal.”
I hesitate, but I know he’s right.
I need a fresh start, even if it’s just temporary.
“Okay, Josh. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for me.”
He smiles, visibly relieved, and kisses my hand.
“I promise it will be.”
I spent two days in the hospital before being discharged.
With Josh's help, I return to my apartment, still walking with difficulty because of my bandaged leg.
At night, my dreams are filled with images of the road.
I see the red eyes in the darkness again, the giant shadow that crossed my path, and the motionless figure in the middle of the road.
The nightmares make me wake up in a cold sweat, my heart racing.
I try to focus on the trip with Josh, packing my things and trying not to think too much about the fact that I will meet his father.
The thought makes me nervous, but I need to believe this could help me move forward.
On the eve of the trip, I look out the apartment window. The city shines under the starry night, but something about that road still haunts me.
With a sigh, I close the suitcase and get ready.
- Writer
