Chapter 2

The car kept speeding up along the dark road.

I yanked at the door with everything I had, but it wouldn't budge.

"Let me out! This is kidnapping!"

The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"Vanessa told me you're blind. Even if I dump you out in the middle of nowhere, you'll never find your way home."

"She wants me to teach you a lesson. Show you what being scared really means."

Vanessa's pranks had never had any limits, and Lucas's indulgence only gave her more nerve.

I fumbled for the window button and pressed it.

To my surprise, the window slid halfway down, and cold air rushed in. Just then, a sharp curve came up ahead, and the car slowed.

I immediately reached out, found the outside door handle, and pulled hard. The door swung open.

Shielding my head, I let the momentum carry me out of the car. The asphalt tore through my jacket, and pain shot through my knees and elbows as I rolled over several times before landing in the grass by the roadside.

Brakes shrieked.

The driver walked back with a flashlight, cursing. "You stupid bitch, do you want to die?"

The beam swept across the grass. I held my breath and curled up, fighting the pain. My night blindness left me nearly blind out here, and I could only track him by sound.

His footsteps came closer and closer, until they nearly brushed past my ear.

After a moment, the driver muttered, "Lucky you," and turned away. Only when the engine faded into the distance did I go limp.

Cold sweat soaked my clothes. My wounds stuck to the fabric, stinging in the wind.

I pulled out my phone and called Lucas.

It rang for a long time before he finally picked up.

"Lucas, I'm on the abandoned highway on the city outskirts. The driver locked me in the car, and I jumped out..."

Loud music came through the line, along with the clink of glasses.

There was a smile in Lucas's voice. "Playing this game again? Nessa said you got home safe ages ago."

My heart sank.

"I'm not home! I'm hurt all over, I can't see the road, it's so dark out here..."

Vanessa's sweet, soft voice came through clearly. "Lucas, you have to drink this one. To make up for missing three of my birthdays."

Lucas laughed softly. "Be a good girl, stop it. It's Nessa's birthday, and I'm having a few drinks with her. If you're really scared, turn on the lights at home. I'll be back soon."

He didn't even ask how badly I was hurt before moving to hang up.

"Lucas!" I sobbed. "If I died out here tonight, you wouldn't care, would you?"

Two seconds of silence on the other end. Then his voice turned cold.

"Lena, when did you get so unreasonable? I told you I'd come back once I'm done here!"

The call went dead.

I listened to the dial tone and slowly lowered my hand. Suddenly, several bright beams swept over me, along with the roar of motorcycles.

A few bleached-blond punks pulled up in front of me on their bikes.

"Well, well. A pretty girl lying out here in the middle of the night."

The harsh light hit me full in the face. My fragile retinas burned, my vision went white, and tears spilled from my eyes.

"Don't shine that at me!"

I covered my eyes and groped for my cane, trying to get up. One of the thugs stepped forward and kicked it away.

"A blind one, too? Perfect. You can have some fun with us boys."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet. I kicked and hit with everything I had, screaming hoarsely for help.

Another thug laughed and reached for my face.

A piercing siren suddenly split the night, and red and blue lights closed in fast.

The thugs let go of me at once, jumped on their bikes, and fled.

I sank to the ground, watching the officers step out of the patrol car, every last bit of strength gone.