Page 75 of Not This Way

She was woken, her head throbbing, by the jostle of the moving vehicle. She blinked, white-hot lances of pain shooting through her skull. The relentless hum of the car’s engine filled Rachel’s ears as she sat in the backseat, her hands bound tightly in front of her. The worn leather beneath her seemed to echo the groans of the victims who had been here before her. Her heart pounded against her chest, each beat whispering a silent prayer for survival.

“Can’t you see?” the killer was saying, his voice tinged with both arrogance and sadness. “I’m saving the world, Rachel. I have to do this.”

His words were like icy daggers in the stifling heat of the Texas sun. The rain had vanished, it was daylight, and now the bright sun beamed through the windows.

At her side, she felt a warm body shift. She blinked again, ignoring the pain, and glanced over to see the lawyer was recovering as well.

The woman was holding a bloody rag to her throat. Her eyes kept fluttering, and the loss of blood was clearly taxing her.

Rachel felt shivers running down her spine despite the stale warmth of the car.

“Feeding the earth in the oil fields, it’s my destiny,” he continued, his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. “These women become one with the land, giving life to the black gold that sustains us all.”

Rachel clenched her teeth, anger and fear mingling together in a storm within her. Glancing at the rearview mirror, she met his gaze for a moment.

He sighed, almost mournfully. “I know how it must look to you, but I promise, this is my purpose. It’s a necessary evil.”

As they sped along the dusty roads, surrounded by the sprawling expanse of the barren landscape, Rachel couldn’t help but think of Aunt Sarah. The only family she really had left. Her aunt blamed her for the failure to solve her parents’ case.

And now…

Rachel might never get the chance to make it right.

The killer’s expression flickered with something akin to regret, but his conviction remained unshaken. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” he murmured, his voice barely audible above the drone of the engine. “But I must continue my work.”

As they drove further into the desolate wasteland, Rachel knew she was running out of time. If she couldn’t find a way to break free and overcome this madman, she would become just another forgotten soul in the unforgiving embrace of the oil fields.

She could feel the lawyer shifting again at her side. Neither of them had much time left.

Rachel’s breathing grew shallow as she glanced over at the lawyer, her battered body slumped against the car door. The woman’s eyes were glazed with pain, the blood-soaked rag still pressed against her throat. Rachel could only imagine the agony she was experiencing.

“Can you… remember who you’ve taken?” Rachel asked the killer, trying to keep him engaged in conversation while subtly maneuvering her bound hands toward the brim of her hat.

“Of course,” he replied, his voice tinged with sorrow and a hint of pride. “Each one was special. Each one had a purpose.”

“Tell me about them,” Rachel urged, her fingers finally reaching the feather tucked into the hatband—a small memento, adorned with a hidden metal nub.

She pulled the feather free, hiding it along the length of her wrist as she lowered her hands again.

His eyes glanced in the mirror, like searchlights, but missed the motion.

He was still too drunk on the sound of his own voice.

With every word he spoke, she carefully sawed at the ropes binding her wrists, the sharp edge gradually fraying the fibers.

The landscape outside the car began to shift. Distant silhouettes of machinery rose against the horizon like mechanical monsters, heralding their approach to an oil field. Rachel’s breath hitched; she knew what awaited her there—death, darkness, and an eternity buried beneath the earth.

“I’m sorry I have to do this to you,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. “But it’s for the greater good.”

With a final, desperate tug, the rope snapped apart, freeing her hands. She steadied her breathing, strategizing her next move. She needed to act fast, catch him off guard. And above all, she needed to survive.

The car jolted to a stop, sending clouds of dust billowing around them. The harsh sunlight outlined the desolate landscape, casting long shadows across the barren desert floor. Rachel’s heart pounded in her chest as she glanced around, searching for any signs of civilization or help. There was nothing but endless stretches of sun-scorched earth and the occasional skeletal remains of a long-dead tree.

“Here we are,” the killer said softly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the idling engine. “I’m so sorry for this.”

He had such plain features. Eyes that might’ve been described as kind in any other setting.

Rachel clenched her fists, feeling the sweat on her palms mix with the dirt from the torn ropes. She took a deep breath, steadying herself for the confrontation that would follow.

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