~SIX: ABYSS

~Arya~

“They’ll come back here to take you to the OR soon,” she muttered, snapping the straps off me. “If you don’t leave, you’ll die here.” Helping me up, she slid a purse into my hands. “There’s a car in the garage.” She gestured to the purse. “There’s also a phone in there just in case you need to call the cops for help. Don’t worry about the security, I've distracted them, but you have to be quick.”

I grasped her wrists, gaping at her in awe. “Why are you helping me?”

She brushed my hand away from hers. “There’s no time to ask questions, Miss Manchester. You need to get going.”

Again. She was using my maiden name again. Just as I tried to process that, she blurted out directions to the garage and dashed out of the ward. I sat on the bed for what could have been a full minute, trying to wrap my head around the situation. In a space of a few days, my life did a full three sixty. Just when I had lost all hope, light suddenly appeared at the end of the tunnel. All I could think about was my freedom. 

Clutching the purse, I made my way to the door and stepped into the hallway. The place was a mess. People in scrubs ran around in confusion. From a distance, I could hear Edgar barking out orders. He was way too focused on trying to save Lina that he didn’t notice that I was about to slip out. I padded down the corridor and slipped into an emergency stairwell. The nurse was right. There was no guard stationed around. With shaky legs, I scurried to the cars parked in the garage and pressed down on the key she had given me. The headlights of a black SUV blinked, eliciting a deep sigh of relief from me.

I just had to make it to civilization before anyone noticed that I was gone. The hospital was in the middle of nowhere. The only way out was a dirt road with a thick dusty fog. I revved the car through the sand, eager to leave. As I swerved the wheel over bumps, I could only think about Edgar. The things I'd do to him if I escaped successfully, the way I'd make him regret ever messing with me.

The loud horn of a car broke into my thoughts. I flinched, glancing in the rearview mirror. Edgar was chasing after me, driving at the speed of light. The relief I felt gave way to desperation. I stepped on the gas pedal and reared the car into motion. How did he find me so fast?

His vehicle rammed into mine, deliberately. A  faint scream left my lips as I lurched forward and slammed my head against the wheel. The rusty smell of blooded wafted into my nostrils, but I kept my  eyes  on the road ahead of me. I knew I had to get away from him. He’d make me die a painful death if he dragged me back to that horrible hospital again.

“Arya,” I heard him yell at the top of his voice. Another glance into the mirror showed him sticking his head out of the window. “Get back here.”

I was going up a bridge. Edgar’s car hit mine again. This time, with intent to kill. Seeing my life flash before my eyes gave me the adrenaline push I needed. I fished around for the phone the nurse had given me and punched in random digits into the dial. There was only one person I knew that would help me. I had his contact etched into my brain, and I could only hope that he hadn’t changed it. He was a man I hadn't spoken to in years. Lucien Vale.

He picked on the first ring, as if he had been waiting for my call all along. 

“Lucien,” I whimpered as Edgar drove his car into mine a third time. “I need your help.”

“I’m on my way.” Straight to the point. No unnecessary inquiries about how I got his contact. No pleasantries or trying to catch up. No hatred for me, something I clearly deserved for dumping him without thinking twice three years ago. Just concern and urgency in his tone.

I glanced around. There were no cars in sight.  If Edgar tried to get rid of me here, he’d succeed without leaving any loose ends

“You won’t even ask me where I am?”

If he heard my question, he made no indication that he did. “Hang on for me, Arya.”

Clutching the wheel, I felt hot tears spill out of my lids. “I think I'm going to die, Lucien. I’m so scared."

“I’ll come to you.” A promise, one I was tempted to believe because right from our childhood, Lucien never defected on his promises. But he was probably in another country right now, and I was on the verge of death. “Arya, promise me you’ll hang on till I find you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words never made it out. Another hit from Edgar's car forced mine into the guardrails of the bridge. The bars broke apart. The windshield of my car shattered, the hood was bashed in. I was thrown over the wheel, held back by nothing but my seatbelt. The car teetered over the edge of the bridge. It would take a little push to send it flying into the water.

I could hear Lucien yell my name, but it sounded so far away that I wasn't certain about it. My clothes were soaked with blood. The sound of waves lapping over each other was way too loud in my ears. Taking in laboured breaths, I fought to keep my eyes open. I was blacking out, could barely move.

A silhouette appeared in front of me. Edgar’s. He had parked his car behind mine and was now standing by my window, staring down at me. He was going to kill me now. There was no way to escape anymore.

“The kidneys,” he cried, punching the air and screaming at the top of his voice. “What’s going to happen to the kidneys now?” 

A bitter chuckle flew past my throat, causing my ribs to ache. Even in this situation, he was only thinking about my kidneys so he could give them to the woman he cheated on me with.

He shrieked loudly, slamming his hand against the roof of the car. The action caused the vehicle to move a few inches down the bridge.

“Please,” I pleaded, channeling all my strength into forming a few coherent words. “Help… help me out of this car.”

He didn’t seem to hear me. He was fuming, pacing the floor by the car as he raked his hand through his hair. Suddenly, he stopped and thrust a finger in my direction. “If anything happens to Lina because of this stupid stunt you pulled, I'll never forgive you.”

That said, he stormed to the back of the car and gave it a violent kick. That was all it took. The car went flying down the bridge, plunging into the water. I could barely even move, let alone rescue myself. The world above me vanished as the water gnawed at my lungs. I tasted salt, and blood.

And my impending death.

Lucien had promised, I recited in my head. Lucien promised to save me. 

But seconds ticked by. I forced myself to stay awake, hoping that he’d magically appear. He didn’t. Even after the abyss claimed me completely.