Chapter 1

SASHA'S POV

The night sure is a stressful one. Right here in my car, driving along the almost lonely road at ten thirty on the dot. I came across some kind of hold up on my way home. Found so many cars parked ahead of me.

"What is going on now? This shouldn't be happening by this time," I groaned, finding this displeasing.

I gently pulled up behind the last car on the queue, waiting patiently for the cars to start moving.

Getting home early was my main goal, and I wasn't prepared for a sleepover right on the road, with all these creepy trees at both sides. "Damn this," I cursed. Turning off the engine and relaxing.

I had to, since the cars weren't moving yet and I wasn't ready to run out of fuel before getting to my residence.

My elbow resting on the window of my car, I placed my head on my back hand, staring right at the car in front of me. My mind drifted off from the traffic jam in front of me, straight to my father. The only family I have.

I sighed, thinking about him and the condition he's currently in. How I really wish I could do something to help him out.

Before coming face to face with this jam before me, I was at the hospital, paying a visit to my father. He got admitted some weeks ago, due to an illness he's suffering from. I never knew he had such when the doctor ran a test on him to confirm it. Honestly, I felt devastated by the report.

My daily routine, or let's call it my evening routine now, is to visit my father before going home. I couldn't stay a day without looking at his face and that smile of his. Want to give him that assurance that I'm with him always in his struggles.

It's from the hospital I'm coming from. On my way home. Hoping to get back early, relax after a warm bath, before going to bed. But...

"What the hell?" My eyes fell on my wristwatch. "This is almost thirty minutes since I got here. Why aren't these cars moving?" I got annoyed immediately.

I wasn't prepared for this, nor will I spend the night on this silent road.

I turned on my engine. Thinking of a way to pass these cars and make my way out of these jams.

I made a reverse and attempted to move forward through the space I saw by the right side of these vehicles. But my car can't fit in through. This got me upset, that I had to reverse back and parked right behind the last car on the queue.

"This is so messed up," I commented on the situation.

This is the only fast route to my place. If I chose to take the high bridge by this time, the security wouldn't let me through, since the bridge is raised by eleven.

"If I had known that this is how this road was going to be, I would have made my way through the bridge. By now I'll be half way home," I groaned, getting frustrated.

Funny enough, no one came out of their cars to check out what's wrong. Are they that patient with situations like this? I don't think I can stay patient that long.

"Seems they're all waiting for someone to be the Big dog. Well, I'll go check myself," I decided. Making up my mind.

Turning off the engine, I got out of my car, shut the door behind and made my way forward to the car in front of me.

"Hey, buddy! Aren't you going to say anything about the jam? It's getting late out here and I believe none of us are ready to spend the night on the road," I said out loudly, getting to the driver's side.

I haven't even lowered my head lightly to look at the driver, when I realized the car was empty. There's no driver inside or passenger. "What the hell?" I stepped back.

"So, no one was inside? Could it be that he went forward to check?" I wondered, navigating my attention to the front, which I couldn't see.

"Like this dude, left his car running for thirty minutes straight. Maybe even more. Why didn't he turn off the freaking engine?" I found this outrageous for someone to do. Unless he's staying close by or has a spare battery, then that's fine.

Not wanting to delay any further, I walked ahead and found out that every car I passed had no driver or passenger in it. It felt strange to me. Like there's some kind of an apocalypse or something. "Seems everyone got tired of waiting in their..."

THUD! I heard something coming from the trees on my right side.

I stayed at the other side of one of the cars, staring hard into the woods. Was hoping the lights from the cars would give me a clear view, but...

"No, please!" I heard someone crying. A male voice.

I felt my heart pounding suddenly, the moment I recollected the words I just heard from this unidentified voice.

The rustling of bushes came in, almost giving me a jump scare. But that's when I saw a man falling to the ground, out on the road from the bush.

I gasped when I saw this. Wanted to step out to help this fellow, but something held me down immediately. The sight of two huge men, stepping out from the woods, struck me to the core. They had guns in their hands.

"What's going on here?" I whispered rhetorically to myself. Gazing hard at this.

Trying to understand what was really unfolding before my very eyes, more men stepped out of the woods. All holding weapons in their hands. My heart sank with fear.

This fellow kept begging them to spare him, but all these men did was gaze and surround him. His cries were eating me up, as I felt my breathe seizing.

"This is bad Sasha. Why did you have to end up in this kind of situation at this hour?" I found myself panicking. Almost like I should burst out.

The next thing I hear is the sound of something clicking. Noticed one of those huge men lifting his left hand up in the dark and...

BANG! BANG!

"Jesus!" I screamed out in terror. That sound was freaking loud, that I had to shut my ears and eyes.

"Who was that?"

"You heard that too?"

"Someone's here."

"The sound came from over there."

I heard these men questioning and talking to themselves. I accidentally screamed out in fear, forgetting the situation I was currently in. I've gone and messed things up for myself, because I can see these men coming towards my point. Oh shit!

I thought I could sneak away, but one of the men spotted me immediately. "Over there!" He yelled out immediately, pointing right at my point.

Without hesitating, I immediately made a run for it. My life's in danger. I needed to escape or end up like that man.

As I ran with speed, I could hear the loud pace of these men gaining up to mine. My heart quivered heavily that I had to increase my speed. No matter what, I can't let them get me.

I ran fast and somehow got to my car. Turning back to see my distance between these men, I noticed they were getting closer.

There was no time to get into my car. It'll just be a waste of time and effort to me. There won't be enough time to unlock the door and start the car. They would have probably grabbed me before I could even get in. "Damn it!" I yelled. Abandoning my car and racing straight into the woods.

I zoomed in, not caring about the darkness. Anything that can keep me away from those men, should please save me.

"She's heading this way!" I heard their voices in the distance. The rustling of dry leaves could be heard. They're coming after me.

"Oh God! Please, help me, I beg of you," I panicked in my heart, praying for a miracle to take place immediately.

As I ran deep into the woods, I grew weaker by the minute. The rustling sounds from those men kept coming closer to my point. I panted, stopping close to a tree. Noticed flashes of lights, lingering around the woods. They're desperate to find me.

I just witnessed a terrible nightmare with my two eyes. They'll want to eliminate me before their secret is out. I can't let them find me no matter what. My life is at stake here.

With determination in my heart, I continued to run deeper into the woods. Staying far away from these killers will give me the chance to find somewhere to hide, before they can...

BANG! A gun was shot in my direction. My heart quivered.