“Akram, I think I see Vivian in the car behind us!”

The familiar dirty blonde mane glared under the streetlights - My worst nightmares peeking through the windshield of a bleak Ford vehicle. She made herself comfortable on the passenger seat, but I couldn't recognize the driver.

Akram stiffened and glanced at the rear window. “Are you sure it's her?”

Instinctively, I turned to double-check, trying to zero in on the face. It could be my exhausted mind playing tricks on me. That witch had assaulted my sleep and imprinted her vipery face on my brain cells, I might as well see her every time I blinked.

This time, the cobra smiled…

I shook my head rapidly, making myself dizzy. “It's her! It's Vivian!”

“Hello” was the only word I recognized, before Laila bursted into a cryptic conversation in Arabic.

“Laila?!” Akram called out. He leaned in, gripping the back of the driver's seat.

“I'm on it,” Laila replied calmly, steering with one hand. Her right hand tinkered with an object next to her. That's when I realized she had a wireless earpiece plugged into her ear.

Akram's arms suddenly looped around my waist and shoulder. Unsure of what he was doing, I surrendered myself to  the warmth that enveloped me for a short time.

“Let me help with the seatbelt?” Akram smiled faintly.

I nodded in a daze.

He fastened mine, then his, and straightened back in his seat. It was normal to buckle up, but in this moment, my heart rate doubled. The reality of the moment started to sink in.

Vivian is chasing us! It's not a dream this time!

A sudden Buzz rattled against my side.

I flinched, startled by the vibration of the phone in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the caller ID. ‘Unknown’ flickered across the screen in big letters.

My breath quickened. The timing and the blocked number gave me an inkling of who it might be, but I couldn't resist the urge to answer. I pressed the green button and listened…

“Wasn't so hard for Lynda to find you, was it?”

A sweet and venomous voice rang on the other end.

I whipped my head to the rear window. The witch in the SUV held a cellphone to her ear. She wiggled her fingers at me and her smile stretched into a pythonic grin.

“She's been my favorite gal, ya know.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” I exclaimed.

The serpent's laugh pierced my ear. “You know what it means, hon.”

“What's wrong, Mel?” Akram tensed.

“Aw! Your man boy is worried,” she cooed.

“Leave us alone!” I spat and ended the call. I slung the phone at the seat and pressed my hands on my temples.

So does it mean…? No! No! It can't be true! I mean… they're together?! The whole time?! But... Akram! He believed her, didn't he? Of course he did! He believed Vivian before! God, does it mean we've been set up? Oh, Akram! What have I done to you! What the hell should I do now? This is on me! I swear it's all on me! I have to do something!

“What is it?” Akram urged, eyes round.

Blood rushed to my head and I didn't answer. My ears whistled as I whirled around, glaring at Laila.

“So, Laila. How did you find us?” I hissed.

Laila glanced sideways in the mirror and averted her eyes back on the road.

I clenched my teeth, balling my hands into fists. “You really wanted that DVD, didn’t you?”

“What's going on?” Akram asked.

Leaning in as far as the seatbelt allowed, I snapped at her, “you've been fooling us all along, haven't you?!”

Laila's forehead puckered, but she didn't flinch. She pressed her lips and increased the speed, focusing on the road.

“What are you talking about?” Akram squeezed my hand.

“Don't you see?” I yanked my hand and pointed to the back. “She set us up! How else could Vivian find us?”

Akram's forehead creased and he shook his head. “It's not what you th---”

“You're just too trusting, Akram!” I screeched. “I told you not to trust her, remember? This can't be a coincidence. How can't you see this? How can you be so… so...” The words slipped away from my mind, while the bubble of anxiety kicked in.

Akram's eyes narrowed. “Melody, what exactly happened?”

Another short buzz interrupted the conversation. This time a text message.

[Tell Lynda I said hi]

“This is what happened!” I held up the phone to his face, panting. “She's with Vivian!”

“She texted you?!” Akram's expression darkened.

“After she called to rub it in!” I shrieked and turned toward Laila. “You have anything to say? Laila? Or whatever the hell your name is?”

“Discard your phone,” Laila replied, her tone as steady as her hands on the steering wheel.

“Yeah, right!” I retorted, folding my arms.

“Give me the phone,” Akram demanded.

“What? You still believe her?” I gawked at him in disbelief.

“Give me your cell phone, Melody.” His tone was compelling, holding out his open palm.

I fumbled for the phone and handed it to him. He grabbed the phone and split it open. I watched in astonishment as he removed the battery, rolled down the window and tossed it outside.

“Why did you…?” My jaw dropped in shock.

“Laila’s right.” He affirmed. “If I can track your phone, so can Vivian.”

“Are you crazy?!” I pressed my head between my hands. “What if she's kidnapping us? What if she doesn't want us to call the police? The phone was the only way!”

Akram pinched his nose bridge and exhaled. “Listen…”

“It's all because of me!” I curled up, hugging myself tightly, my lungs compressed under the pressure of the seatbelt. “I told you... I'm not a good person. See what I've gotten you into? All I do is get you in trouble. You... don't deser…”

“Melody, please!”

I went on, rocking back and forth. “No! No! Akram, I let this happen to you! I let them hurt you! God, I wish I didn't exist. I…I...ahh!”

My breath faltered and it got too difficult to draw in enough oxygen.

“Melody. Stop!” Akram quickly unhooked my strangling seatbelt. He grabbed my curled shoulders, turning me around to meet his gaze. “Breathe!”

Staring into his genuinely concerned eyes convinced me to comply. I took in a huge gulp of air, held it in, and let out a low wheeze.

Akram palmed my face lightly. “Thank you.”

In the background, Laila engaged in another short conversation. At the same time, Akram turned to scan the road behind us.

“Look!” He pressed my hand once.

Automatically, I twisted my head to watch.

Vivian's car still followed us, but another white vehicle, a few cars behind it, caught my attention. It swiftly snaked between cars, gliding on the asphalt as if traffic laws didn't exist. Loud horns barked in protest, until the white car took up the middle lane, right next to Viv’s black SUV.

“See that white Toyota?” Akram motioned with his chin.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Is it…?”

“It's with us.”

“H-how?!” I rasped.

“Laila called for backup once she spotted a car tailing us.”

“But.. but, it could be just…”

Akram shook his head slowly, his lips rolled in.

“How do you know?!”

“I know...” Akram tipped his head and lifted his eyebrows. His gaze intensified, eyes unwavering, wordlessly willing me to believe him.

Laila revved up once again, widening the distance between us and Vivian. She mumbled a bunch of Arabic words. Immediately, the white Toyota veered to the right, occupying the space behind us.

At this moment, it suddenly hit me how ignorant I was. Akram understood Laila's every word. They both spoke Arabic. So did the Toyota driver, who was clearly on the phone with Laila. I was the only one in the dark.

For the first time, I shifted my attention away from Vivian to the guy driving the Toyota. He had an oddly familiar presence, even with the mirrored sunglasses hiding most of his face. His overall poise reminded me of someone. My mind was too frazzled to figure out whom.

The Toyota driver started to slow down, forcing Vivian's car to lag behind. Angry horns sounded one more time. Both cars grew smaller as we moved ahead.

“He's blocking them,” Akram murmured.

“Oh,” I let out a short sigh.

“Just think about it, Mel, ” Akram added. “Would you really trust Vivian?”

I could've pulled the stubborn face and argued thoughtlessly, but his rhetorical question stopped me cold. A shower of guilt submerged my thoughts, realizing what my tantrum must have implied to him. I'd never meant that I didn't trust him. He was the only man I trusted in my whole life.

My face heated up. I averted my eyes and stuttered. “Akram… I'm sorry... I…”

“No. I'm sorry I didn't explain anything.” Akram stroked my hair once.

“Was she…”  I swallowed a dry lump. “tracking my phone the whole time? Is it why she found us?”

Akram's expression softened. “It doesn't matter now.”

I gulped and turned my eyes back on the road. My overloaded mind lost its fight as well as its vocabulary. I couldn't turn to face Akram for an obvious reason - Shame... I was ashamed of myself for lashing out at him. I regretted not showing him the trust he deserved. I regretted that I even existed. Watching the road was less embarrassing than my stupid meltdown.

Fixing my eyes on the rear window, I glimpsed Vivian's car trying to divert its course. It curved to the adjacent lane to avoid being slowed down. The Toyota swung back to the left, once again, blocking Vivian. The black SUV skidded and shoved the back of the Toyota, causing it to leap forward.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, watching the two cars playing tag in the middle of the highway.

Peeking at the front, the robust structure of the George Washington bridge erected from a distance - High and magnificent like the Eiffel tower - promising a steel limbo between the concrete Manhattan and the unknown realm of New Jersey.

Whipping my head back, the two cars were out of sight. The black SUV then emerged from behind a large truck, the white Toyota’s fender almost touching its side, both cars racing to gain ground.

Vivian's car sped up, zooming past the giant truck and scratching the side of the Toyota. It switched to take our lane, grazing another random car in the process.

The random car swayed and almost lost control, changing lanes at the last minute, only to collide with another and slide to the side of the road.

I gasped and held my breath, my heartbeat going faster than the car's speedometer. The cobra was deathly persistent. She didn't mind taking a few lives before dinnertime.

As if she read my thoughts, her poisonous grin invaded my vision for a second, then I lost sight of her face. Next thing, she was standing up over the passenger seat, her upper body popping up from the sunroof, blonde locks flapping in the air.

A muffled scream escaped my throat when I recognized a gun in her hand. She stretched her arm, aiming at us.

Out of the blue, the Toyota steered sharply and slammed against the back side of the SUV, causing it to skid and spin out…

BANG!

The echo of a gunshot made me freeze in my spot.

“Get down!” Akram rumbled. I heard a faint click and he pulled me down, shielding me with his body. I screwed my eyes shut. The roar of the engine and Akram's quick heartbeat drilled into my brain in this balled up, fetal position.

“Seat belts!” Laila shouted.

“Not now!” Akram growled.

She gibbered something frantically in a high-pitched tone and stepped on the gas. Tires scraped against the road as she weaved and slinked at a higher speed, my body swinging back and forth in Akram's arms.

“You Okay?” he breathed.

I opened my eyes wide and nodded. Even though the tension and the insane speed wrenched my stomach. I tasted acid down my throat and it made me want to vomit my guts out.

Akram loosened his hold on me, keeping an arm securely around my shoulders. His head snapped to the back, a worried frown crumpled his forehead.

Gasping for air, the smell of diesel burned my nose. We'd already entered the bridge, sinking into the flux of cars and massive trucks. The steel towers loomed in the horizon and big trucks blocked the back view.

This time, the Toyota appeared with a broken headlight, gliding next to a gigantic trailer truck.

Akram exhaled, sweeping his hand over his hair.

A second later, Vivian appeared on its tail, her figure still visible on top of the SUV, creepy smile gone. Her face contorted in a vicious expression, like a cobra bent out of shape and about to spring at someone's neck.  

She aimed her weapon at the Toyota and fired - Bang!

"God!” I shuddered and covered my mouth.

Akram's arm tensed on my shoulder. He pulled me closer, watching in alarm.

The Toyota squealed and swung left. Vivian's car followed suit, hunting it.

The Toyota's driver zigzagged his course in the middle of the road, distracting Vivian's aim.

“Stay down!” Laila hollered, but I ignored her. My fingers clung like ivy to the back of the seat, all else blurring around me, except the chase and Akram's protective arm.

Bang!

Akram muttered something and pressed my shoulders down. I didn't budge.

The Toyota angled off sharply, avoiding collision with another random car and pulled to the right, disappearing in the wake of the huge trailer-truck.

“Get down, Melody! Please get down!” Akram nudged me down, folding me in his arms. He mumbled something against my hair in a hushed voice. It sounded like a prayer, although I didn't understand a single word.

All of a sudden, a long, deafening honk bellowed in the back and an ear-splitting smash boomed like a thunderbolt.

A cacophony of earth-shattering noises blared simultaneously, swirling around in the space: Brakes screaming… metal groaning… glass scrunching… horns blustering - a complete symphony of destruction.

Everything ended in seconds, then silence took over the world...

We were slowing down. The road went too quiet, it didn't make any sense.

I pushed myself up to watch what had happened. The Toyota had pulled over, bearing more damage than before. All the moving cars seemed to slow down as well, as if life started moving in slow motion.

I thought I'd lost my hearing, until I heard Akram speaking.

“Laila, is he… is he…?” his voice trembled as he gaped at the back in horror.

There was a quiet moment, before Laila heaved a deep sigh. “He's fine.Thank God. He's fine.”

The Toyota started moving closer. The driver waved his hand once. He pulled around our car and hit the road, revealing the full backdrop...

My whole body convulsed, my stomach churned, and I couldn't avert my eyes. I knew that I should, but I just couldn't stop staring...

A loose tire rolled aimlessly across the road. Shards of shiny sprinkles spread out over a wide area.

At a short distance, the huge trailer truck had stopped at a critical angle, its front angled toward the concrete road divider. A lump of black metal was squashed between the concrete wall and the truck, almost flattened - smeared against the cement.

But that was nothing compared to the brutal details.

On the driver's side of the wreckage, an eerie red blotch splattered across the fender- or what was left of it. On top of the mangled metal, a blanket of blonde hair kneaded with blood fanned out across the crushed windshield. A limp body dangled from the top, unnaturally crooked, one arm still holding on to the gun, the other non-existent...

“She's gone?!” I murmured to myself.

“Mel, don't look!”

“She's gone…” I repeated in a low, matter-of-fact tone.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” Akram cradled my face in his hands, gently moving it away from the sight. “Just look at me!”

Too late... The image permanently scarred my brain.

“She's gone…”

“Laila, please move on,” Akram pleaded.

Sirens wailed from afar while Akram futilely tried to convince me to turn away. My fingers clawed the back of the seat, staring blankly at the road as the scene disappeared in the distance.

She's gone!

Vivian is dead!

*******

Hello dear ones!

Yeah! I know! I'm back with an update in less than a month! YAY! XD
No! Wait! Is it a month already? Darn! 😳

I really hope you enjoyed the action in this chapter. I would love to know your thoughts about it...

*Any theories on what's going on?

*what do you think Akram knows but couldn't explain to Mel?

*What do you think about the chase? Is it realistic enough?

*How will this accident affect Melody in your opinion??

*What do you think will happen next? Will they arrive safely? Will Mel stay at Akram family's home? Will things be better after the cobra is gone?

Ok I can't think of more questions. I just love to hear from you, guys, so hit me with your lovely feedback XD

Much love

Most_bay