Chapter 8
The headlights of Arthur’s sedan cut sharp beams through the dense fog rolling down from the hills. The winding two-lane road leading toward Agent Miller’s residence was flanked by towering pine trees that cast grotesque, writhing shadows across the asphalt.
Rebecca kept one hand on the baby carrier in the back seat, her eyes darting constantly to the side mirrors. "Dad, check the rearview mirror. There’s a vehicle three car lengths back that hasn't turned off its high beams since we left the subdivision."
Arthur glanced up, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the reflection in the glass. A large, dark SUV loomed in the haze, its grille reflecting the red glow of their taillights like the eyes of a predator.
"Could be a neighbor," Arthur said, though his tone betrayed his doubt.
"No," Rebecca whispered, her voice tightening. "Look at the way it mirrors every turn. When you slowed down for the hairpin curve by the reservoir, it didn't pass us. It stayed right on our bumper."
Julian’s words echoed in Rebecca’s mind: Secrets take seconds to spill. Julian hadn't just stayed behind on Elm Street; he had anticipated their escape route, deploying someone to track their movements the moment they left the house.
"Hold on," Arthur muttered, pressing his foot down harder on the accelerator. The older sedan surged forward, its engine whining as they climbed the steep incline toward the ridge.
The SUV behind them accelerated in response, closing the distance rapidly. The high beams flickered once, twice—a blinding flash of white light that flooded the interior of Arthur’s car, forcing him to squint against the glare in the rearview mirror.
"Dad, watch out!" Rebecca cried out as a deer darted across the wet road ahead.
Arthur wrenched the steering wheel to the left, the tires screeching against the damp pavement as the sedan fishtailed dangerously close to the rocky embankment before righting itself with a violent shudder. In the back seat, Leo let out a sharp, startled cry, his small voice piercing the tension of the cabin.
"We're okay, sweetie, we're okay," Rebecca chanted softly, turning her body as much as the straps allowed to soothe her baby, while her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
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The SUV slowed its pace slightly after the near-accident, dropping back to a safer distance, but it didn't turn off. It remained a persistent, shadowy ghost haunting their rear bumper, a constant reminder that they were running out of time and road.
Arthur gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned chalk white. "We're five minutes from Miller’s gate," he said through gritted teeth. "If they try to force us off the road, I'll ram their barricade if I have to."
