Kimberly gripped the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road ahead as the silence inside the car grew heavy.
The woman beside her, who claimed to be her mother had been quiet the entire ride.
Kimberly was lost in her own thoughts.
*Everything is moving too fast… Derrick, Mona, Katherina, the fortification rites… Is there even a break coming?*
Suddenly, the woman's hand shot out and grabbed the dashboard.
"Stop the vehicle now!" she said sharply, her voice tight with urgency.
Kimberly blinked, startled. "What?" she gasped, her heart skipping.
But when she saw the terror in the woman's eyes, she didn't argue. She scanned for a safe spot and quickly pulled over by the side of the road.
Once the car was parked, Kimberly turned to her with confusion. "What's happening? Why did you ask me to stop?"
The woman didn't speak right away. She stared ahead, her face pale, then slowly turned to Kimberly.
