Chapter 1

517words2026-02-26 05:58

On Thanksgiving, driving to my boyfriend Jason's family dinner, another car hit mine on a deserted road.
Doors jammed shut, gasoline scent filled the air-the car was about to explode.
I grabbed for the life hammer in the console, but found a pink toy hammer instead.

Panicking, I called Jason.
His ringtone blared from the other car.
Jason stepped out, arm around his childhood sweetheart Chloe, who fake-cried about her poor driving.
He glared at me.
"She did it on purpose."
I screamed,

"The life hammer was switched! Get me out!"
Chloe grinned.
"That was me! Cute, right?"
Jason sneered,

"Just a bump. Get out yourself."
Smoke choked the cabin.
I begged as Chloe giggled,
"Cooking in there, sis? Baby's hungry. Let's go, Jason."
He walked off, saying,
"Stop the drama. My parents are waiting."
With my last strength, I hit the emergency button.
That button was my lifeline.
It instantly sent my exact location and a live audio feed of the situation directly to my brother, Ryan.
The moment I pressed it, a piercing alarm blared from the car's system.
Jason and Chloe, who had already walked a few yards away, spun around.
Jason stormed back to my car, his face a mask of fury.
He slammed his fists against the glass.
"What the hell are you playing at, Emma? When does it end?"
"It's just a little smoke! You hit the emergency button for that? Do you think the whole city's emergency services are your personal beck and call? Stop making a big deal out of nothing!"
Chloe covered her mouth, but a snicker escaped.
"Jason, honey, don't be mad at Emma,"
she cooed.
"It's all my fault."
She pulled a small, matchbox-sized black device from her pocket and waved it triumphantly.
"The last time you gave me a ride, I bought this smoke simulator and planted it in her car. I just thought it would be a funny prank, you know? To mess with her a little."
"See? You just press this button, and poof! Smoke! It's harmless, no toxins or anything. Just for fun!"
Jason's face grew even darker with rage.
"Did you hear that, Emma? It's fake! It's a joke!"
he roared.
"Have you lost your mind? Or do you just expect everyone to drop everything and cater to your every whim, just like I have to, twenty-four-seven?"
I was trembling with a fury so intense it burned hotter than the smoke.
They were the ones who had been fooling around in their car, Chloe deliberately yanking the wheel and swerving into me.
But there was no time to argue.
I pointed a shaky finger at the hood, where the smoke was growing thicker, blacker.
"Jason, the engine is actually smoking! It's real!"
"The doors are locked from the inside! You have to open them from the outside! Get me out!"
Jason just sneered.
"You're getting more and more pathetic, trying to one-up Chloe. You really think I'm going to fall for that again?"
I stopped wasting my breath on them.
Every second of arguing was a second of precious oxygen lost.