Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Help me!” She slammed her hands down on the hood of my car, staring at me through the windshield.
Every instinct I had urged me to leap out and assist her, shield her from whatever horrors had done this, but outside wasn't just dark; it was treacherous. Whispered tales of people lured into traps by anguished cries flashed in my mind. Judging from the way she looked and the pure terror in her pleas, this wasn’t the case. I reached for the door, but it didn’t open.
The Seraph’s security system had synced with the vehicle’s environment. If I wanted out, I would have to manually bypass it. I wasn’t sure how smart that would be. What if by trying to be a savior, I plunged myself and Amalthea into danger? The woman began making her way around the car, stumbling on bare feet.
Indecision warred within me. Apart from that one moment in the woods all those years ago, the brutalities of the night had always been distant spectacles. I'd driven past the occasional skirmish between vagrants or witnessed the ruthless efficiency of the Enforcers in action, but they never directly entangled me.
Now, the safety of distance and detachment had evaporated. I glanced around, trying to see who this woman was fleeing from as I reached for the door again. Thea chose that moment to jump forward. She barked and landed in the passenger seat, the sheer force making the car’s interior vibrate.
“What is it?”
I followed her stare to an alleyway, grabbing the steering wheel again as two masked men emerged. One had his face concealed with a garish clown mask, while the other opted for a more understated balaclava. Before I could process the sight, the terrified woman screeched and began to sprint away. The man in the clown mask exhibited surprising speed, quickly closing the gap between them.
He grabbed her by the hair and swung her around as if she weighed nothing. Feeling the need to do something, I slammed my foot down on the accelerator and aimed the car just right to clip him, overriding the braking mechanism. I couldn't get out to save the woman without endangering myself, but maybe this small act might give her a chance.
“Hang on, Thea!”
The impact jolted through the vehicle. I gripped the steering wheel tightly as the Seraph self-navigated. In my peripheral vision, I saw him lose his grip.
Thankfully, he seemed to have taken the brunt of the hit. His body rolled a few feet away, while the woman, though disoriented, tried to crawl to safety. The Seraph's collision sensors immediately reported the impact. I checked over the vehicle diagnostics, relieved the car's reinforced front panel only had a minor dent where it had made contact. The damage would be mostly superficial and barely noticeable.
The roar of an engine reached my ears, and I quickly pulled to the side of the road, granting passage to an oncoming Enforcer vehicle that seemed to emerge out of nowhere. The large utility SUV zoomed past, and the unmistakable crack of gunfire shattered the air. The suddenness of it sent a fresh burst of adrenaline pumping through my veins. I dared a glance in the rearview mirror and was met with a chilling sight. The Enforcers executed both men with brutal precision, their bodies crumpling to the ground.
My heart dropped when they turned their weapons on the woman.
She raised her arms in a desperate gesture of surrender, but it changed nothing. They gunned her down without hesitation. She collapsed beside her assailants, her body lying still and lifeless on the pavement. I jerked the Seraph away from the curb and took off before I became their next target, a sick feeling settling in my stomach. The streets of this city held no mercy for anyone.
I could barely breathe until I finally passed through the barrier gates of my community. I pulled into my driveway, the familiar sight of home bringing a small semblance of comfort. Parked safely, the glow from the city's towering skyscrapers painted distant, silhouetted horizons.
Ophelia’s Pulse sat in front of me, its familiar boxy shape oddly bringing another level of comfort. I shut the Seraph down, the gentle hum of its engine transitioning to silence. It felt as if I had been sucked into some twisted dream. The rhythm of my heart was the only tangible evidence of my existence at this moment until Thea nudged my arm, her warmth cementing me in reality.
A sad laugh bubbled up from my chest.
"What a night,” I whispered, stroking her soft white fur. Taking a deep breath, I finally pushed open the door, the cool night air wrapping around me like a shroud. I crept inside with Thea, not wanting to rouse anyone from sleep. The lights in our home were dimmed, a silent testament to the lateness of the hour. I tiptoed up the stairs and was almost past Ophelia’s room when the door creaked open, revealing her sleep-messed auburn hair, the tight ringlets in a disarrayed mess.