n impact on her mother, who had been hidden. Meanwhile, Kathlyn, her mother, had overloaded Izalea's phone with calls and unsettling messag

soon as I fastened my seatbelt, memories of the evening my mum took me and fled from my father

or. Initially, it appeared harmless, just another car on the road, but as he drove on, something seemed off. He made a right at the fir

that car is tailing u

he SUV was consistently there, maintaining a constant distance while never shifting course. With a pounding heart, I whispere

y grasp; my fingers shook as I tapped the buttons, but I put it on hold, my mind bursting

e one of your fans".

ia going crazy about th

atic interest or curiosity. 'Why this now?' I thought to

ay slow us down and delay us from going forward; please

ique assuredly replied, "I

e through the traffic, attempting to blend in, but the SUV remained immovable. The SUV maneuvered through the congestion with alarming precision

a small town in Georgia, where we once lived with my father, driving for hours on end until we reached the bustli

tainty of that night. I had feared for myself and my mother, recalling the horr

e seatbelt, I'd be a human projectile through the wind

pebble on the uneven road, each jolt bringing me back to that night, the recollection of my mot

f a sudden, I found myself back fifteen years, my recollections erratic and vivid. The long, uncomfortable hours in the car that night, broken by

ow to voice. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I forced them out with a sq

from her. The silence stretched, each tick of the second hand on the dashboard echoing in

my mind as Dominique stopped at another light. Back then, it had seemed like an impossib

believe what she told me. But my mother met my gaze with a lo

y from your father. A place far away from his troubles. And I promise, we'll

t. I didn't believe her, but I held onto he

the present as we moved forward. 'Oh mum, I'm so sor

eet. I had scanned the rows of identical houses, searching for the safety my mother promised. The memory of the stale, suffocating smell as

the present-day car, Dominique asked, "Ma'am, are you okay back there? "I can't see the strange car an

heating from the speed drive," he added again,

anor contrasted sharply with my mother's frantic movements that night. My mother had grabbed my shoulders, comforting me. "This is our new home now,

hat night. I had accepted my new name and the life that came with it, embracing it as a new beginning. Now, I was h

d unconsciously, "Dom, I can't breathe; take me

ay with me, ma'am). With a panicked shout, Dominique turned arou