The rain did not fall that night. It attacked the road. Sheets of water crashed from the sky, drumming violently against the lonely stretch of asphalt on the outskirts of the city. Thunder rolled like an angry drum in the heavens, and lightning split the darkness into brief, blinding flashes.
The world felt empty, abandoned—as though even hope had taken shelter from the storm. Then a figure burst from the shadows. Lena stumbled out from a narrow dirt path, her bare feet slipping on wet stones, her thin dress torn at the hem and clinging to her skin while mud streaked her legs.
Rain plastered her hair to her face. A dark bruise bloomed on her cheek, fresh and angry, and her breathing came in sharp, broken sob-filled gasps. She ran not toward safety, not toward light, but simply because behind her something far worse was coming. She glanced back, her eyes wide with terror, her chest heaving violently. “No, no, no,” she whispered, her voice almost swallowed by the roaring storm.
A flash of lightning revealed the dirt path behind her. For a split second, the world stood still. Then she saw it: a shadow moving, a shape emerging from the relentless rain. Lena gasped, her strength failing her. “Please, God, please,” she cried as she staggered forward, desperate for any chance at survival.
That was when the headlights appeared. Two sharp beams of brilliant white light cut through the curtain of rain, rushing toward her on the lonely stretch of road. The low, deep hum of a powerful engine grew louder by the second. The car was fast—far too fast for the wet conditions. Lena froze in the middle of the road, her heart slamming against her ribs. “No, no, stop, stop!” she screamed, throwing her hands up in utter panic.
Inside the sleek black luxury car, the driver swore under his breath. “Sir, someone’s on the road!” The car screeched violently as the brakes were slammed to the floor. Tires screamed against wet asphalt as the heavy vehicle skidded sideways and came to a sudden stop barely a few feet from Lena’s trembling body.
For a second, everything was silent except the pounding rain. Lena stood there, shaking from head to toe, her eyes locked on the darkened window of the passenger seat. Then her knees gave way and she stumbled forward, pressing both wet palms desperately against the cool glass.
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