Chapter 72: Chapter 72

I hyperventilated for air, breathing heavily when I woke up, looking around the area to see where I was. I felt a drop of water gush down to my forehead. I raised my hand, then touched it. What is this? I jerked when I heard chirps coming from the birds. I looked up and saw them flying across the atmosphere. The sky was so clear, and I even saw a rainbow from where I was positioned.

I couldn't understand anything since I had just woken up and was still trying to process things when I suddenly recollected what had happened. I remember my dream, and I was supposed to die since Ethan attacked me. I also heard the footsteps of someone who would help us, but it was just my hallucinations. However, no one was around the area but for me when I looked down. Hysteria started to invade my system when I heard footsteps coming from my behind.

"Ethan..." I called his name when our eyes locked for a moment. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me awake. My eyes followed down on his hands, seeing he was holding Bobby and some fruits I have no idea where he got. There was also a backpack he was carrying on his back.

"Natasha..." he suddenly crossed the space between us, then knelt down to clutch me. He was breathing laboriously in my neck, sniffing my scent.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was starting to get worried. I woke up and saw both of us passed out. I tried to pump your heart, but you didn't respond. I started to look for something to help you."

"Ethan." I stopped him since he was panicking.

"I'm okay, just a little bit dizzy and cold." I tried to hide it by smiling, but he didn't grab it. He raised his hand and then leaned the back of his palm against my forehead. He traveled it down to my neck. His face is getting severe every second.

"You have a fever. We need to get some help and immediately get out of this place," Ethan exclaimed. He stood up and then carried me without squandering any time.

Bobby barked while wiggling his tail. I patted his head, but I stopped mid-air when I felt a strong pang of pain hit my temples. Ethan noticed it, and he hurriedly stormed away from that place. I could hear his heartbeat throbbing so clangorous and quickly. Even if he was carrying us all, he didn't falter that easily.

Ethan was screaming and begging for someone to help us for minutes, even if it was impossible since no one was around. I noticed we were in the middle of the highway, anticipating for a vehicle to stop and help us.

I rested my head on his chest, suddenly carrying a heavy hindrance. How did we end up like this? All we had ever asked for was to live daily life. However, everything fucked up when shreds of evidence surfaced in the media. Now they have traces of pictures of Ethan and me.

If we just stayed in that house, none of this wouldn't happened. But we're already here, and there is nothing we can do. We just need to accept our fortune.

I heard a loud horn and the screeching tires of the wheel. I opened my eyes to see the fuss when I noticed a truck stopped in front. Ethan quickly went to the driver's side and then tapped the window. It rolled down, and I saw a middle-aged man looking worried when his eyes glanced at our situation.

Ethan talked to him, but I couldn't understand any words due to my headache. I think the driver agreed since Ethan went to the passenger's seat, and we drove away from the place. Bobby was placed on Ethan's feet, and I was placed on the back of the truck.

"T-thank you, sir." I could hear the hesitation in Ethan's voice, not knowing how to properly deliver it. I smiled and wanted to pat him on the back because it isn't harmful to be shy when you thank someone, especially Ethan, who grew up differently.

"May I know what is wrong, sir?" the middle-aged man asked carefully while driving. I couldn't see where we were heading, but I noticed we were moving oppositely, away from the woods and towards another place.

"M-my wife here has a fever, and we were kicked out of our house. We have no choice but to live in the streets."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. What can I do to help you both?" the man offered, and I couldn't help but feel flattered because it's rare to meet someone like this fellow.

Ethan waved off his hands, dismissing the offer.

"It's okay. I can take care of my family. For now, we need a ride to find a new place to stay-"

The radio of the truck suddenly played, and a voice echoed. Ethan finished his sentence and then stopped talking, probably going to listen to the radio. It was a reporter. I didn't mind it at first, thinking it was just something about another person, when the reporter explained vividly what was the situation.

"Police officers from the city of Cabe were looking for two missing persons and a dog seen on the loose. Police reported the couple was last seen in the middle of the woods until they disappeared."

My whole body went still suddenly when the reporter from the radio continued to discuss the situation Ethan and I was facing. I felt all the color of my face drained and slowly looked at Ethan from the passenger seat, gritting his jaw and clenching his hands.

The report was still on the line on the radio when the middle-aged man suddenly turned it off. A long, deafening silence echoed throughout the whole ride. I swallowed the lump in my throat, anticipating what would happen next when the man spoke.

"May I ask where did you two come from?"

I suddenly got up from the backseat, swallowing and not knowing how to react after what he asked. I slowly drifted my attention to Ethan, faint, but his eyes were fixated on his feet. The driver was waiting for our answer when Bobby barked.

"We came from another city," Ethan grumbled, trying not to sound discourteous. I didn't realize I was holding my breath, hyperventilating inside. The driver looked at the rearview mirror then our eyes locked for a moment, sending chills all over my system.

"From what city then?" The driver asked, taking his time to interview us. I think the driver was leading us to something. I noticed he was fishing for something under his pockets and something gleamed in his hands. I squinted my eyes, and suddenly, the pain in my head subsided.

It's a phone.

Ethan didn't answer him this time. Instead, he clenched his fist and then told Bobby to be quiet. Everything felt so heavy and intense all of a sudden. I closed my eyes, praying that the driver wouldn't do something or that he needed to know our side first before calling the authorities.

"I am asking you one last time." he threatened us, and the moment I opened my eyes, he was already dialing someone on his phone.

"S-sir, please, it's not what you think..." I tried to explain to him, but we received yells and panics instead. I couldn't blame him for acting like this, but he needs to listen!

"Stay back! I don't know who the fuck you are, but I don't trust someone like you who is being chased by the authorities!"

"Hello, emergency call what-"

Ethan took the phone from his hands and then smashed it against his palms, the pieces scattered on the floor. The driver suddenly went berserk and the truck he was driving swayed on the road. I held tight to my seat as my heart was palpitating. One wrong move from the steering wheel, and all of us will get killed!

The driver fought Ethan as he punched and tried to kick him. Ethan was doing his best to avoid his attacks. Ethan took his foot and then pinned it down.

"Sir, you need to calm down. We are not-" Ethan went still as a rock when the driver suddenly took something from the compartment. My eyes enlarged in monstrosity when I saw what it was. The truck was swaying and almost lost its balance, but the man was scared of dying in an accident since he managed to drive it with only one hand.

"Let go of me! Or I will shoot you!" the man hollered while looking back and forth to Ethan and the road.

Ethan didn't know what to do since his life was on the line. The man got impatient then he pulled the trigger. I screamed when a loud window crash shattered, and the blow from the bullet rang in my ears. I have to do something! That almost took Ethan away!

Ethan has no other choice but to fight back. He kicked the driver in his chest and then took the gun away from him. However, the grasp from the driver tightened, not wanting to let Ethan take control of the weapon.

I roamed my eyes around the truck. Bobby was barking and trying to help Ethan when my eyes glanced at the door. An idea popped out of my head when I leaned my body on it and tried to open the handle.

"Natasha!"

The man elbowed my side head which caused a loud thud because my head bumped into the window. I was beginning to lose consciousness when I heard another ring of bullet, which triggered me to push myself. I yelled when I unlocked the door, forcing it to open wide enough while the truck was moving.

"Ethan, now!"

Ethan kicked the driver out of the truck then he grabbed my arm before I could fall. Ethan helped me get back inside, and he took over the driver's seat.

When Ethan clutched the steering wheel, we didn't say a word, driving off to the highway.

"So, what now?" I asked, then took Bobby, who was looking scared. I stroked his fur, then glanced at Ethan from the rear view mirror, watching me with his menacing eyes.

"We will start a new journey right here."