Gabriel & Athena, Book One: Fate (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CHAPTER 10: THE CHASE

Chapter Soundtrack - Chapter 10: "Friction" by Imagine Dragons

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            "They're getting closer, Gabe," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.  The vehicle following us was gaining momentum.  I tried to make out the face of the driver, but the front headlights were so bright I could barely see a silhouette of the person in the driver's seat.  "Maybe we should just stop?  Whoever this is, maybe they just want to tell us something?" I suggested, the shock of what was happening causing me to suddenly become naïve.

            "Athena, if someone just wanted to tell us something they would have honked their horn or flashed their lights.  They wouldn't be following us at dangerous speeds through town.  We're not stopping," he said, his tone letting me know he wasn't negotiating.  He made another abrupt turn, ignoring the stop sign. 

            The tires screeched as my body swerved with the car.  I turned my head around to see the truck following suit.  "Why would someone be following us?" I asked him.  "What do you think they want?"

           Gabe didn't say a word.  His eyes kept darting back and forth from the rearview mirror to the front windshield.  "They just won't let up," he muttered to himself.  There was an edge to his voice that caused my nerves to go into overdrive.  He glanced over at me, probably sensing my increasing fear.  "Don't be afraid.  I promise nothing is going to happen to you." he said, his voice trying to sound reassuring.

            But it didn't work as my anxiousness only increased with each passing second.  This was Sparrow, North Carolina.  Car chases only existed here on the movie screen.  Until now.

            "I can't believe they would actually follow us down here," Gabe whispered, starting to accelerate.

           I looked at the speedometer.  We were at eighty miles per hour, well over the speed limit.  "Gabe, what are you talking about?" I asked, my voice shaky.

            "What do you mean?" he responded, his attention still on trying to shake our tail.

            "You just said that you couldn't believe they would follow us down here.  Who are they?  And why would they follow us anywhere?"  My confusion was a welcome distraction to the trepidation building inside me.  I held onto the hand grip above me as we made another turn.  Just a little further and the street would turn to gravel, leading into a wooded area where people went to hike and camp out.

            "This probably isn't the best time to talk about this.  I'm a little busy," he said, giving me a haphazard look.

            "If you're not going to stop, then I want to know why?  What did you mean by what you just said?" I demanded.

            He glanced at me again, frustrated, but finally answered my question.  "When I said us, I didn't mean you and me, Athena.  I meant me and my mother."

            I was still as confused as ever.  "You think whoever is chasing us now followed you and your mom to Sparrow?  But who would..."  I stopped, the light suddenly switching on in my brain.  "Oh," I whispered.  Gabe suspected the car chasing us was someone trying to get to him.  Someone from his father's world.

            He glanced over at me again and sighed when he saw the panicked expression on my face.  "I told you before that nothing is going to happen to you.  I promise.  Do you trust me?"

            I looked at him, wanting to believe his promise, but how could he guarantee nothing was going to happen to us?  After all, he wasn't stopping for a reason, and that reason was because he probably thought whoever was chasing us was dangerous.