(Myra’s POV)
"Excuse , sir. We are going on the wrong route. This is not the way to Red Stone University," I spoke calmly.
The cab driver, politely, told , "Ma’am, there has been an accident on that road, so it is jamd. It will take quite a while to open up. Don’t worry, this is a long way route for Red Stone, many don’t know about. I am an experienced driver, working for about ten plus years. I know every single road like the back of my hand. This is the correct path."
Listening to his boasting words, I should have felt reassured, but this inexplicably odd feeling inside said otherwise.
We had now entered a desolate road in the middle of a dense, dark forest. Tall, majestic, endless, deep green trees on either side of it. There was no other vehicle in sight. Forget about transportation; there was no human in sight as well.
Maybe that’s why I was feeling this jittery uneasiness. Although I have been in Esteria for about a year, I haven’t gone out of the campus grounds much. So, I wasn’t aware of the roads here.
Still, I kept my guard up and decided to stay alert in case I noticed sothing fishy.
For a while, the driver kept chatting, asking about random stuff. Whether I was a student there or going to et soone else. What I was studying and all. I kept my answers vague and short. Just curt enough to soothe his curiosity.
Up ahead, a heavy layer of sothing like mist could be seen. I beca instantly nervous. Fog in this weather wasn’t sothing unusual, but it was rather uncommon, especially in this area. And the visibility was almost zero. Nothing could be seen, even after I narrowed my eyes. It was that hazy.
To , it seed unnatural as well.
Alarm bells started flaring inside my head as I clenched my dress and said, "Sir, we should take a U-turn. I prefer to take the regular route. It is dangerous to drive in such dense fog for you as well." I quickly added, "Don’t worry, I will pay extra for it." I suggested, as composedly as possible.
"Miss, don’t worry. I will~ ... take you to your destination safely. This much fog, it is just for show~ .... it will disperse soon. I have driven on rocky mountain roads as well as topsy-turvy, bumpy roads. This is just a piece of cake for soone as experienced as . We are ten minutes away from the university," he said casually. There was no sign he was going to turn around.
I swallowed hard, a hunch, filled with antsy creeping inside my flesh and bones.
Rummaging inside my brain, I think of so excuse and blurt out, "Actually~ .... I just recalled I have an appointnt with a friend. Please turn around and take to the downtown area." I tried to sound confident and relaxed.
He said, "Miss, are you frightened because of the mist or because of ? Let tell you. I have an impeccably clean record," and kept on driving. With no slowing down, no turning around.
This confird my suspicion. I wasn’t being sensitive or paranoid. This person~ ... he definitely has an ulterior motive. Because why else will he keep blabbering and not do what I say?
After taking a deep breath, I tried to stay calm and collected, though my body was shivering slightly.
My left hand was inside the bag, on the stun gun. I had purchased it for safety purposes; no one in my family knew about it. And another one was tapping the phone screen, trying to make a call. My eyes stayed glued to the back of the cab driver’s head as I tried to observe his actions closely.
Thankfully, the call was answered within seconds. I cleared my throat and, without looking at whom I had called, uttered, "Hello~ ... ohh~ ...Fabian~ .... did you arrive already? Hmm~ .... I was on my way to the uni.~ .... Uhh~ ... no~ ... no~ it won’t be a hassle. I will be there soon~ ...," then I pretended and said to the driver, "Sir, turn the car around and take to the downtown area, please."
He kept mum, making brim with anxiety. Though the car was gradually slowing down.
I was on the verge of hitting my panic mode on. But an unfamiliarly familiar aloof voice caught unprepared, "Hahh~ .... what are you rambling about? I am not ... Fabian Stephens~ .... Have you been drinking or sothing?" My eyes went wide in sheer confusion as I checked the number quickly. In hindsight, I have dialled the unknown contact I received a call from. I didn’t know it belonged to Alaric Everests.
I was about to reply, but I couldn’t as the car ca to an abrupt, unexpected halt. I asked, "Sir, what happened? Why did you stop the car? I told you to take a U-turn." An apprehensive feeling was descending in my heart.
"Tskkkk~ .... you are such a handful, huhh. Give this old man a break, will you, young lady?" he spoke in a tone that made my skin crawl. "I said we are just about to arrive~ .... so, what’s the problem? Uhhh?"
"Sir, I need to~ ..." I spoke again, but he cut in, "Shut up, before I sew that mouth of yours. Tskkk ..."
I was horrified. Just when I was about to take out the stun gun. Out of the blue, a click sound was heard as the rear doors unlatched from either side. Two masked n entered the vehicle.
"What are you doing? What is the aning of this?" I questioned, my voice trembling.
"Nothing much~ ..." the person on my right muttered, while snatching my phone away and disconnecting the call. "Just trying to make a living. For now, if you want to keep your organs safe, keep quiet and just listen to us."
"Why are you doing this to ?" I spat. "What did I do wrong?"
The one on my left burst into hysterical laughter, "You~ .... you have done sothing sinful. Gravelly sinful."
To Be Continued . . . . . . . .
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