Page 40 of Mastered By Bliss

“Everyone had the same idea as us.”

Normally, I’d suggest we wait, but I want to get home.I need to see Gage.He’s finally ready to talk, and every minute away from him physically pains me.“What about going back, then around the Rossi Nature Preserve?”

“It’s probably almost as slow as this.”He considers the traffic in front of us.“You know what?Screw it, let’s go.At least we won’t be sitting still.”

He maneuvers the car into an empty lot to turn around, pointing us in the opposite direction.Another car seems to have the same idea.Hopefully we came up with the idea early, and we’ll beat anyone else attempting our long-way-around detour.

It takes five minutes to leave the bustle of Dorado Heights and loop around to the deserted back roads of the nature preserve.Street lights are few and far between.Traffic is almost nonexistent—so far, the only other vehicle is the one that turned around before we reached Caro.

I clench my phone in my hand.I need to call Gage back, let him know I’m coming home, that we can fix everything that went wrong.As long as he’s there, as long as he’s finally talking to me, we can solve things.

This route is completely deserted, and we’re traveling along a hillside.The guardrail and the road are the only things visible in the headlights.

I dial Gage.No answer.I guess we’re playing phone tag.This is getting ridiculous.His message service beeps.

I say, “Gage, it’s me.I’m on my way home.I’ve missed you, too.”

Brody’s gaze flicks to the rearview mirror and he frowns.“I don’t like how close they’re following us.”

I need to wrap up the voicemail.This is all a conversation Gage and I should have in person.“I’ll see you soon?—”

Bright lights fill the car suddenly.A loud crash follows.

The impact is jarring, sending us forward.

My phone flies out of my hand.

“Shit, shit, shit.”Brody mutters to himself and jams the gas pedal.

Our engine revs and we pull ahead.I grip the edge of my seat as the car swerves.Fear bands around my chest, pulling everything tight.I can’t speak.I can barely breathe.

“It’s going to be okay.”Brody sounds calm, but even I can see the seriousness in his eyes.He’s one of those people that become calmer and more controlled the worse things get.“I’ll get us out of this, no matter what.Tap the call button for me.”

I try to touch the car’s navigation panel, but the car behind rams us again.A chiming alarm sounds over the car’s speakers.Something about impact and course correction before the robotic voice goes silent.The navigation panel goes dark.

The other car has on its brights.They’re blinding.Even through the tinted windows, I bet they can make out our silhouettes.It makes me angry that they can see us but we can’t see them.

A tight curve is coming up.

“I’m going to have to slow down.”Brody’s voice is tight.“Brace yourself, because they’ll hit us again.”

No, no.I can’t.Terror is holding me rigid in my seat.How can I brace myself?Why are they doing this?

We get closer and closer to the curve.Brody eases up on the gas.Dread pulses through my veins.

Bam.It sounds like my skull is being ripped apart as we smash into the guardrail.The flimsy strip of metal and the short wooden braces are no match for the force of our car.We crash past it.The world spins, headlights illuminating trees and ground.

Brody shouts, “Cover your head!”

I try, I really do.But my arms are flailing.I don’t know which way is up.It’s impossible to think, and the force of our movement sends my arms and legs and head this way and that.I’m like a dog toy, shaken back and forth.

More deafening crashes.Our car?But we aren’t moving anymore.I’m upside down.At least, I think I am.I can’t make sense of the world around me.Maybe I’m right-side up, and everything else is wrong.

Everything is wrong.

Lights beyond our car spin like a distorted ferris wheel.A giant shape crunches down the hill after us.The other car.

It slams into ours.

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