Now I Drive Alone Past Your Street Novels & Stories

—AVERY— The drive to the address felt endless. My hands were shaking on the steering wheel the whole time. I kept checking the message over and over again, as if the words “If you want the boy, come alone would change.” They didn’t. Finally, I reached the location. A deserted road. Dead silent.

The night air hit my face. Cold and sharp. Like the end of everything. --- I walked to my car without looking back. Started the engine. Drove away from the only home I'd ever known. In my rearview mirror, I saw Alessandro standing in the doorway. Watching me leave. Then he was gone. The house disappeared into darkness. And I was alone. --- I drove through the city streets without thinking. Muscle memory guided me to the apartment I'd bought a year ago. My safe house.

“Bye, Papi.” “Gia—Gianna! Gianna, come on, talk to me.” I call her again and again, but she doesn’t respond. After a few minutes of silence, I grunt and back off. I’d hoped she’d calm down by now or at least hear me out. I sigh and turn to head back to my car. I slip in, start the engine, and drive off. I don’t know where to go now. I guess I’ll head home; even if it’s lonely, it’s better than driving around aimlessly. Plus, I might have to get used to being alone—a thought that brings me immense pain.

KANE I got back behind the wheel and shut the door harder than I had meant to. The sound echoed too loudly in the quiet meadow. Sharp as thoughts rattled round in my skull. I just sat there for a moment hands resting on the steering wheel. Staring straight ahead without really seeing anything. Then i started up the engine and pulled away. I drove slowly. Very slowly. The city slid past me in muted blurs. As streetlights bleed into one another. No traffic, I felt alone. Like I was the only one left.

I cleared my throat as he looked at me in fright. “Luna, Nora, are you going anywhere?” he said to me after bowing as I shook my head sideways. “Do not worry. Today is one of those days where I just want to take a long drive to relieve myself from all the stress, and I plan on doing it alone without anybody following me. So don’t stress yourself and don’t worry too much because I would be able to do everything by myself. Be at rest assured,” I said to the driver.

I run past them, straight into my car. And Drove Away.

What was I even doing anymore? Was this who I was now — the kid everyone expected to crash and burn? Maybe I was just making good on it. I finally threw the car into gear and pulled out, headlights cutting across the dark street. The sun was sinking low, painting the sky in burning streaks of orange and pink — beautiful, distant, untouchable. The world outside looked calm. I didn’t. I drove without direction — past familiar streets, past the part of town where noise hummed and laughter leaked out of open windows. My hands moved on instinct, steering until city lights faded into quiet roads and open space.

Two of my men followed behind me on the main road as I drove to the shadier part of town. I tried to harden my face and ignore the raging storm of emotion flowing through me. That would serve me no good where I was going. I drove faster than necessary, unintentionally making it difficult for my men to keep up with me. I kept on the streets and avoided the freeways, paying close attention to properties I owned. The streets seemed quiet. It was dark and dismal out. Even the street lights seemed to flicker and fail.

With that, I get back into the car, slam the door, and start the engine. "Don't you dare come back here after midnight or you'll regret it!" He yells, the words swallowed by the roar of the engine as I speed away, leaving him standing there alone, in the harsh glare of the rear lights. ~~~~~~~~~ "Pick up, you bastards." I tap my phone screen a million times. Nothing. Just dead air, matching the empty feeling in my stomach. My hands are shaking, every tap a desperate shout into the void. I've pulled over onto some dark, quiet street corner, the engine still humming, but my brain is totally fried, just replaying everything with Odin.

Because I am my father’s son. And anyone who gets close to me… Is doomed. I drove off. Alone.