3

Friday morning dawned cold and gray in Chicago. The sky seemed to be covered in a thick blanket of heavy clouds, and a fine mist drifted through the streets, making the atmosphere even more melancholy. Mia woke up feeling a heaviness in her chest, a strange sensation that something was about to happen. She couldn't explain it, but a shiver ran down her spine when she opened her eyes. Perhaps it was just nerves, after all, this was a special day.

Trying to ignore the bad feeling, Mia got out of bed and walked to the closet. Her best outfit had been sorted since the night before: black jeans and a wool sweater in the same color. It was cold and she didn't want to risk spending the afternoon shivering. She tied her long white hair into a high ponytail, leaving a few strands loose around her face. Mia didn't usually bother with make-up, but that day she decided to apply a little mascara and a discreet gloss to her lips. She didn't want to look overdressed, but she didn't want to look completely sloppy either. Liam deserved a minimum of effort.

Liam Neville was the first boy Mia had really been interested in. A mischievous smile, honey-colored eyes and a relaxed manner that made her feel at ease. He had asked her out a few weeks earlier, but Mia had refused, fearing her mother's reaction. However, the night before, when he suggested that they kill their last two classes and watch a movie at his house instead of going to the cinema, Mia finally gave in. Deep down, she knew that if Elisa found out, she would be furious, but she could no longer live as a prisoner of her mother's paranoia.

As she went downstairs to the kitchen, she was greeted by the loving gaze of her grandparents. João was sitting at the table with a cup of strong coffee between his calloused hands, while Tereza, a gray-haired lady with her hair in a bun, was finishing frying eggs for breakfast.

“Good morning, dear,” said her grandmother with a sweet smile, but Mia just nodded and sat down at the table. At first, she adored her grandparents, but over time she came to blame them for her mother's madness. It was as if the three of them shared a collective paranoia of which Mia was not a part. They always seemed to be on the alert, always on the lookout for any movement around the house, as if they were expecting something terrible to happen at any moment. It was suffocating.

Silence prevailed at breakfast. Elisa appeared quickly, kissed Mia on the forehead and left for work. When she had finished eating, Mia got up to leave, but João snorted and said:

“Let's give you a lift. Your grandmother and I are going shopping.”

Mia just nodded again. She knew the ride wasn't just for convenience. It was another way of monitoring her, of making sure she got to school without any unexpected detours. She picked up her backpack and followed her grandparents to the old truck they had been driving for years. The drive was silent, and Mia spent the time looking out of the window, anxious for the day to pass soon.

When the truck stopped in front of the school, her grandfather held her hand before she got out. João was a tall man, with weathered skin, tired eyes, but full of tenderness. He squeezed Mia's fingers firmly and said:

“The important thing is that we love you, never doubt that.”

Her grandmother, Tereza, looked at her with the same affection as always.

“Darling, don't hate us. One day you'll see that we did everything we could to protect you.”

Mia sighed. She could see the sincerity in her grandparents' eyes, and that stopped her from simply ignoring them. She hugged them quickly and said:

“I love you too. Now I have to go or I'll be late.”

She got out of the truck and ran to the school entrance without looking back. She was so focused on the day ahead that she didn't notice the black van parked across the street. As soon as she got out of the truck, the vehicle turned on its headlights and began to move discreetly, as if it were following her grandparents.

Mia had no idea that something much bigger was about to happen.

As soon as the truck turned the corner and drove away from the school, João took a quick glance in the rearview mirror. His wrinkled, weather-beaten face contorted into a worried expression as he noticed the black van rounding the corner behind them, keeping a calculated distance. Her heart raced.

“Honey, hang on. I think they've found us,” he said, his voice firm but fraught with tension.

Tereza, standing next to him, widened her eyes and immediately turned to look out of the rear window. The black van looked like a malicious shadow following them through the gray, wet streets of Chicago. The cold morning wind blew against the truck's windows, causing the vehicle to shudder slightly.

Without hesitation, John pressed his foot on the accelerator. The old truck creaked in protest, its engine letting out a harsh roar as it was pushed further than it normally could. The vehicle jolted as it went over a pothole, but João kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

Tereza reached into her handbag shakily, reaching for her cell phone.

“We have to warn Elisa! She needs to pick Mia up from school before it's too late!”

Before she could dial her daughter's number, a violent impact hit them from behind. The black van hit them hard, throwing Tereza against the dashboard. She screamed with fright, her hands desperately clutching the dashboard to avoid being thrown forward.

João felt the steering wheel twist in his hands, and the truck skidded for an instant before he managed to get it back.

“Damn them! They've never done this before!” he growled through clenched teeth.

This time, whoever was inside that car wasn't just following them, they were hunting them.

The van backed up for a brief moment, only to accelerate again and slam into the back of the truck with even more force. The vehicle shook violently, and João had to fight to keep it on the road. Tereza let out a sob, her trembling fingers finally managing to unlock the phone. But before she could dial, a third impact made her drop the handset, which fell to the floor of the car.

“Damn it!” she shouted, trying to bend down to pick it up, but the seat belt prevented her from reaching the phone.

João narrowed his eyes, feeling an icy chill run up his spine. If they continued at this pace, they wouldn't stand a chance. He glanced quickly to the side of the road. The streets on the outskirts of Chicago were relatively empty that morning, which was both a relief and a problem. There would be no one to witness what would happen if they were cornered.

“We have to lose them!” Tereza exclaimed, grabbing her husband's arm. “If we can get to a busy area, maybe they'll give up!”

João nodded, feeling cold sweat trickle down his forehead. He turned the steering wheel sharply, turning into a less busy side street, hoping to lose the van. The truck's engine groaned, but obeyed the command. For a brief moment, it seemed that they had managed to gain some distance.

But then the van appeared again, rounding the corner at an absurd speed. They weren't going to give up that easily.

João's heart was hammering against his chest. He knew the old truck wouldn't last much longer. Tereza pressed her lips together, her eyes watering with fear.

“João... what if it's the end?” she murmured, her voice trembling.

He didn't answer. He just held her hand tightly as he made a decision.

If this was the end, at least they would fight until the last moment.