Prologue
Three blocks.
He had been following her for three blocks. She had noticed the gray sedan tailing her since she had turned left onto Lancaster Avenue.
It’s okay, Alex. You’re just being paranoid. She had been repeating it out loud. She was doing a bad job of convincing herself.
He had been careful and stayed behind, but she had seen his car since she had left the hospital. She hadn’t given much thought to the car parked outside the garage. But when she saw it behind her, she could have sworn she recognized the driver. He had been in the clinic.
The clinic. She rubbed her stomach and looked through the rear view mirror again. She was coming from a late appointment, her ob/gyn offering evening hours for those workingwomen. She now wished she had come earlier.
She made a sudden move and made a left onto Broom Street. She took the turn too sharply and felt her body swerve towards the car door. She held onto the steering wheel for dear life. Her tummy rumbled and moved.
“Sorry.” She whispered as she rubbed her swelled stomach. She checked the rearview mirror and watched as the gray sedan made the left.
She knew it.
She felt her blood rush as her heartbeat quickened. This was not good for the baby. She grabbed the wheel with one and began fishing in her bag for her cell phone. She accelerated and roared down Broom Street, passing traffic and running a red light.
The car was still behind her. She merged with Maryland Avenue and finally found her cell phone. She pressed speed dial 2.
“C’mon.” The phone rang with no answer. Then the familiar voicemail.
“Chad, its me.” She said after the beep. “Someone is following me. They’ve been following me since I left the hospital,” she attempted to keep composure but couldn’t any longer. She began to cry. “I’m scared and you’re not answering your phone. Where are you?”
She flipped the phone closed and again checked her rearview mirror. The gray sedan was gone. Her breathing came in rapidly and she placed her hand on her chest. Perhaps she had been paranoid. She needed to make sure. She pulled into Banning Park and parked the car facing the street. She would only wait a few minutes. She needed to recollect her nerves before driving again anyway.
She placed her head on the steering wheel and tried to control her breathing. She was eight months along, and she couldn’t afford to have her baby tonight.
She closed her eyes and began her breathing technique. In and out, in and out. She felt the oxygen revitalize her. Feeling better she pulled the car into drive.
That’s when she saw it.
The gray sedan at the edge of the lot. He was staring at her. She reached for her phone again, but he suddenly turned into the lot. She pressed the gas, hoping to fly by him into the street.
She got closer and closer, but just when she was going to go by him, he swerved. At least that’s what she thought he did. She yanked the steering wheel right and suddenly left, but she lost control. She fished out into Maryland Avenue against oncoming traffic.
The first car hit her on the driver’s side, raining glass and metal onto her. The car swerved into the other lane and came in contact with an SUV. It finally rested against the median.
She groggily lifted her head and watched the gray sedan turn into traffic. She heard people yelling and running and she thought about her baby.
Oh god her baby. She would tell them. Whoever came to help. They needed to know she was pregnant. She tried her best to sit up, but couldn’t. She felt wet and suddenly cold.
Oh no.
She fought it with no success. They would see it. Her belly, her baby.
The sounds drowned and everything became a blur, and then total darkness.