The midnight ride

It was a dark night, one of those without any stars to look at and a dark moon. Not even the Universe was interested in what was about to happen. There was no spotlight over me nor a guiding light to help me escape. As I ran to my car, one of my heels broke, and I twisted my ankle. I took out the shoes and limped to the door while looking for the keys in my purse. Damn big fancy bags. This whole scenario would have been much easier with jeans and sneakers, but that was not something I could change, and dreaming about better times would not help me either.

My hands were trembling, and I was about to empty the bag when I touched the furry pom-pom I had attached to my keychain days before. I took out the keys, opened the door, and once I was inside, I locked the car. The street was empty; no one was screaming my name or running after me, and I took a deep breath before starting the motor.

When I passed the campus gates, I felt light and smiled. I was free, and I felt happy. Before entering the highway, I stopped at the last traffic light and adjusted the mirror. I could not even remember the last time I touched it, and then, when I lowered it, I saw them smiling at me and waving.

I tried to open the door; I wanted to jump out, but Amir moved his arm to my neck and pinned me to my seat. Ezra moved to the front slowly while I struggled to move or breathe. Suddenly, everything hurt, and I did the only thing I could. I pushed the gas pedal with my foot, and my ankle cracked, making the pain even worse.

Ezra took the wheel while I tried to free myself from the strangling arm, but Amir whispered in my ear:

"This will happen whether you like it or not. I gave you the choice."

His teeth sank into my neck, and as the pressure increased in my skin and the wound started to burn, I felt my life running away from me. The blood spilt over my white dress, forming stains that seemed broken rose petals, and shortly after, my head fell on Ezra's lap, and the car stopped in the middle of the highway.

"Move her," said Amir, and Ezra grabbed my body and threw it to the back seat like I was weightless. Amir sat in the driver's seat, and once Ezra sat by his side, the car started again.

I could barely breathe. The only thought in my mind was how much blood I had lost and how much more was now running down the leather I was lying in. I had no more pain, but I was starting to feel cold, and although I wanted desperately to scream and cry, I just couldn't.

He betrayed me, I thought. He's helping him.

I heard the sound of the radio buzzing and then the music, Sympathy for the Devil.

Really? I thought, and I felt like laughing, though I couldn't. Would he now take the end of his sleeves and take them out of his jacket? What would the sixteen-year-old me have done in this situation? I should have been given an option and not forced into this.

The Sun was rising when I woke up. Everything around me was flooded with orange light, and I felt the warmth as the first rays touched my skin. I did not want to open my eyes fully, but I understood I was not gone-- at least not completely-- which meant I still had the right to see the Sun again. It burned at first, though. Everything hurt, but I did not mind. It was like something else was pushing for me, and my body did not belong to me anymore. I was still in the back of the car, and my dress and the seat were drenched in red—my blood.

How had I lost so much blood? Why was I awake?

I raised my head, and my neck cracked. I never liked that sound, but that day, it was scarier than ever. The light passing through the front window blinded me for a second, but when I got used to it, I saw someone sitting in the passenger seat.

I opened my mouth, but the words did not come out.

"Ezra," I thought, convinced that I still had that power on me, that he would listen to my thoughts, that he would attend my command if Amir were far away from us.

"Ezra, please," but he did not turn.

I moved my arm, I wanted to sit, but I couldn't. My limbs failed me, and the only thing I managed was to grab his arm and fall to the car floor. He moved then, but not the way I expected. I was still holding his sleeve when I saw the blood crossing his arm, the wound in his neck, and his eyes opened, lost, lifeless. Then, someone opened the door, grabbed me by the ankles, and dragged me out of the car. I felt the pain once more, like someone was stabbing me with those expensive shoes I had bought weeks before. When my head hit the floor, I closed my eyes. I did not want to see what was about to happen.

"You complain too much," said Amir, though I knew I was the only one who could hear him. There he was, again, inside my head.

"You are such a romantic," he continued. "He was not helpful, no matter how much you tried to make him. He was not worthy."

"He helped you," I thought.

"He was just a pretty puppet... and the puppets are good to play."

I still had my eyes closed and felt a tear running down my face.

"He'll kill me; this all will pass," I thought.

"Don't be ridiculous," I heard. "We have work to do. I don't like to waste talent, time, or blood. You should know that about me already."

After getting rid of Ezra, he lifted my body as if I were a little rag doll and sat me in the passenger seat. The leather was sticky and smelled funny but sweet.

"You'll recover soon, don't worry. You'll be buying new shoes in no time," he said as he started the car and put on his sunglasses.

The car moved away, and as the sunlight warmed my face, I knew I'd have to come up with a better plan to leave that life, that work, and that man.