AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I verge onto a road that’s completely deserted. There are large warehouses all around that are probably used as storage facilities because there're no signs on them.
“Ava, there’s nowhere else to go,” Dad states.
“I know. We have to hide.”
I park up by the corner of the furthest warehouse, and we get out. We’re parked practically in an alleyway. It’s dark enough to keep close to the shadows and not be seen. Someone can see us though if they’re looking hard enough.
We keep close to the shadows and run. It’s Dad who’s pulling me now, holding my hand like that terrified girl I was so long ago who needed him.
It seems like the ride sobered him up. He doesn’t seem so stoned. There’s an air of the man he used to be taking over as he runs with me, protecting me.
We get to the end of the road, and my heart freezes when I hear it.
A motorcycle engine.
Dad tightens his grip on me. Holding my hand like he never wants to let me go.
We turn to the right then to the left looking for an escape, but we’re stuck. The road is a dead end, and there’s nowhere to go besides back where we came or climb up the side of the warehouse.
The sound of the motorcycle is getting closer.
Dad looks up at the side of the warehouse, flicks his gaze to me, and takes my shoulders.
“Ava, please go. It’s me they want.”
I’m shaking my head before he can even finish the words. “No. You want me to just leave you here so they can kill you?” Tears blind my eyes.
I don’t know what to do and where to go. I don’t know what the hell to do. How could I just leave? I can’t.
“I promised her… your mother. I promised her I’d look after you.” He nods, and my soul shivers at the mention of my mother.
I don’t think he knew that promise was going to be his curse. Although I think he would have still made the promise, even after everything that’s happened.
He would have still done everything the same.
“I loved her so much. Please, go. Let me keep my promise one last time.”
“No, Dad—”
“Don’t,” he cuts me off. “Don’t call me that. It’s not true… and I hate it. I hate that it’s not true, because you should have been mine.”
My mouth falls open. I don’t know what feels worse—his painfilled words or the situation.
It brings the past right back to the forefront of my mind, along with helplessness.
He’s never said that to me before. I’m certain he wouldn’t if he were himself. We don’t talk about the truth, ever. Not ever. And we can’t talk about it now.
He’s my father, no matter what. No matter the truth. The truth of the past that I can’t think of now. Neither of us can, so just like every time when the past attempts to haunt me, I push it away. I push it right to the back of my mind and focus on the present. The here and now, where we’re in danger.
“Come with me, please,” I beg, but he pushes me away.
Dred fills me when he starts walking back the way we came, toward the sound of the oncoming motorcycles. I rush after him, grabbing his arm.
“Dad, no,” I wail.
His words are stolen when a motorcycle leaps over one of the warehouses and lands a few feet away from us. Whoever is on it is some daredevil. The other cyclist speeds around the corner along with the Ferrari.
We never stood any chance.
