Aquatic sunshine and oceanic air made her sleepy. A serenity of soft snores fell from the backseat and I smiled because for the first time in a long time I felt true peace.
Everly was healthy.
Did it take a lot to get here? Sure.
But right now, today, she was just as perfectly happy and healthy as any other four year old.
Two years ago I never thought we would get these moments, golden sand squishing beneath our toes as we raced through the lacy waves, a collection of seashells weighing down our pockets and a warm sun dotting our faces with angel-kiss freckles.
Following the natural curves and bends of the empty cliff-side road with wind bellowing through my hair and low volume music playing out on the radio. I felt fullness.
Like my heart was full.
My life was running on the right track.
I had no regrets.
The small alert flashed up on the gas meter, the dial hovering over the red and I rolled my eyes at the minor annoyance it caused me.
Waking Everly up just to get gas was a hassle I would have rather done without. I pulled into the side, taking my eyes off the road to redirect the sat nav towards the closest gas station.
When I threw my concentration back to the road I noticed another car, a black SUV parked up a few meters behind me.
My brows furrowed, I hadn't seen another car in miles, we were in a small sea-side town in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but cliffs, sand and water surrounding us.
I guess it wasn't all that suspicious, given it was still broad daylight, I just had this strange feeling I couldn't shake. I couldn't exactly decipher what that feeling was but something about this car appearing out of nowhere and parking up a few feet away from me put me on high alert.
Ignoring that feeling, I set the car back in motion, more attentive now towards the car behind me rather than the road up ahead. It didn't have a license plate and I couldn't see through the windows for an idea on who was driving.
I just know when I set my car to drive, the SUV also resumed his drive.
"In one hundred yards, take the next left." The sat nav scared the absolute shit out of me, my heart pounding like the feet of a thousand elephants.
I turned left. The SUV turned left.
"What the fuck?" I whispered.
That intuitive feeling screamed something was wrong, it only intensified with every corner I turned around.
I drove faster. The SUV drove faster.
I've been here before. Suspicious cars following me around, dangerous men stalking my every move. I guess that's what happens when you owe bad people a lot of money.
"To arrive at your destination, take the next right." I pressed my foot down on the gas, driving faster as I approached the gas station. In the last second I hurriedly swerved right and turned in.
SUV fell for the trick and carried on driving at a high speed straight ahead.
"Baby?" I tapped her leg and she grumbled softly, still sound asleep. "Everly?"
"No momma." She complained, rubbing her eyes.
"Come on baby, we have to get gas." I reached over and unbuckled her car seat. Sleepy eyes with threads of blue looked up at me and then searched her whereabouts from out of the windows.
I was still shaken up, my body was trembling like it had been overdosed on shots of adrenaline but I couldn't let that show to my daughter so I helped her out of the car and gripped her small hand tightly with my own.
The putrid stench of burning rubber and gasoline was all I could smell. My tires had left marks in the road from how quickly I turned in, I knew they would. I heard the screech.
The gas pump seemed to take an eternity, paranoia settling over me like a cloud of dust. My eyes were roaming everywhere, analysing every single car that pulled in.
Everly watched the numbers climb on the gas pump, nodding each time the dial rolled. Her slick black hair bounced each time she moved her head. I think in her mind, she had magical powers and was telepathically making the machine numbers roll.
"Come on Everly." I pulled her along, forever keeping her glued to my side.
Air conditioning swept me up the second I stepped inside the store. I was going to maybe approach the worker and ask for help but the girl on the cash register looked about fourteen. She had a mouth full of metal and acne lining her jaw, I couldn't involve her in this.
"You need to use the bathroom?" She shook her head animatedly and I smiled.
"As soon as we get back on the road you'll need to use the bathroom. Let's make a quick Pitt stop."
I forced her into the grubby restroom, making sure she didn't touch anything because it was pretty much filth riddled and smelly.
"I thought you didn't need it?" I teased and she wiggled her bum on the seat. Once she got done washing her hands I lowered myself to her level and swooped back a lock of ebony hair. "We're going to be really quick in here, okay? You must keep tight hold of my hand."
"Okay." On the way out I loaded up on some snacks, a fire lighter and a pocket knife.
The girl at the register had earphones in, her music playing so loudly I could hear the buzz of it. She didn't smile, she seemed completely miserable to be doing her job on such a beautifully sun shining day.
"Will that be all?" She asked.
"You have any SUV's come through here today?" She chewed gum like a horse and shrugged her shoulder. I wasn't actually convinced she heard what I said due to her music.
Getting nowhere, I sighed. "That is all." I answered, pushing my money forward.
The coast seemed to be clear when I walked back towards my car. There was a silver sports car parked at the jet wash bay. A man leaned lazily against it, a headset attached to his ear and words were spoken from his lips but I was too far away to hear.
Nether-the-less I felt safer with him here but that didn't stop me from walking fast and hyperventilating inside.
"Nana is thinking about getting a cat." My vision shot to her, she merrily skipped along beside me. I couldn't fully register what she said because I was too focused on my surroundings. "A fat one and I'm going to call him Moonshine and feed him a gazillion prawns. Sienna has a cat. Murphy too."
The sound of a camera shutter came from sports car guy and I almost snapped my neck turning to look at him. He was staring right at us, still talking on his phone.
Maybe I was being paranoid.
He abandoned his car, slowly walking in our direction and I picked up the pace until I froze on the spot.
My feet halted on the gravel as the SUV from earlier pulled up directly in front of me. I received a tug on my hand from Everly, clearly she was just as startled as me.
She wasn't stupid, she knew these men emitted bad vibes. The engine continued to rumble but the car door flew open wide and two feet jumped down, proceeding to walk towards me.
I turned around, ready to run back the way I had came but sports car guy was locking me in.
"Mildred Barnes." My blood ran cold as he pulled the jacket of his suit a few inches to the side, revealing a black gun.
"Momma?" Everly questioned, the fear in her eyes speaking unmissable volumes.
I smiled down at her, calmness flowing through me. "It's okay baby. We're going to do whatever these men want."
"Well in that case, get in the car." He demanded, pointing his chin at Everly. "The kid and all."
