Chapter 2

Celina walked fast down the cracked sidewalk toward the trailer park. The sky above her turned a bruised, angry purple. Low thunder rumbled in the distance, vibrating against the soles of her worn-out sneakers.

Behind her, the heavy tires of the Bentley crunched over the gravel and mud.

The car was forced to stop at the edge of the dirt road leading into the park. Gary gripped the steering wheel, muttering curses under his breath as mud splattered against the pristine black paint.

Elvie sat in the back seat. She looked out the tinted window at the rusted metal siding of the trailers. Her stomach twisted. This place reminded her of the life she had clawed her way out of. She rubbed her temples, a sharp headache forming behind her eyes.

Celina stepped into her drafty, cramped trailer. The door squeaked on its hinges.

She didn't open any drawers. She didn't pack any clothes. She walked straight to the small bedside table, opened the top drawer, and pulled out a single, faded photograph of her grandmother.

She slid the photo carefully into her empty backpack.

Then, Celina sat down on the sagging mattress. She crossed her arms and stared at the cheap plastic clock hanging on the wall.

The second hand ticked. Her palms began to sweat. She wiped them on her jeans. The time of the fatal crash from her past life was approaching. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

Outside, Elvie lost her patience.

"Honk the horn," Elvie ordered.

Gary pressed his palm against the steering wheel. A loud, aggressive blare echoed through the trailer park.

A few teenagers hanging around a rusted pickup truck turned and pointed at the Bentley, laughing and shouting obscenities.

Panic flared in Elvie's chest. She hated being looked at by these people. She snatched her phone from her purse and dialed Celina's number.

Inside the trailer, Celina's cheap phone buzzed on the mattress. She looked at the screen, saw Elvie's name, and pressed the red button to decline the call. She tossed the phone back onto the bed.

Suddenly, the sky broke open.

A massive sheet of rain slammed into the metal roof of the trailer. The noise was deafening, completely drowning out the sound of the Bentley's horn.

Gary pushed his door open, intending to run to the trailer. The wind caught the door, nearly ripping it from his grip. A wall of water hit him in the face, soaking his expensive suit jacket instantly. He cursed loudly and slammed the door shut.

"That ungrateful little brat!" Elvie screamed inside the car, her voice shrill. "She belongs in the garbage!"

Celina stood by the small window of the trailer. She watched the Bentley sitting in the mud, trapped by the storm.

Thirty minutes passed.

Celina looked at the clock. The time of the crash had come and gone. The tight knot in her shoulders finally uncoiled. She let out a long, shaky breath.

She picked up her flat backpack, grabbed a broken umbrella by the door, and stepped out into the pouring rain.

She walked to the Bentley and pulled open the heavy rear door.

Celina slid onto the leather seat. She brought a rush of freezing air, wet mud, and the smell of rain into the pristine cabin.

Elvie shrieked and pressed herself against the opposite door.

"You're ruining the leather!" Elvie yelled, her eyes wide with horror.

Celina didn't blink. She shook the water from her jacket. "I'm done packing. We can go."

Gary slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The tires spun in the mud before catching traction. He sped out of the trailer park, desperate to leave the town behind.

The rain was blinding. The windshield wipers slapped back and forth at maximum speed, but visibility was near zero.

Suddenly, the smooth jazz playing on the car radio cut out. A sharp beep filled the cabin.

"Emergency traffic alert," the radio announcer said, his voice tense. "A massive twelve-car pileup has just occurred on Interstate 80. The highway is completely shut down. Multiple fatalities reported."

The color drained from Elvie's face. Her skin turned the color of chalk.

Gary slammed on the brakes. The Bentley fishtailed on the wet asphalt before coming to a hard stop on the shoulder of the road.

If Celina hadn't delayed them by packing her bags, they would have been exactly on that stretch of Interstate 80.

Elvie's hands shook violently. She pressed her palm against her chest, her breathing shallow and rapid. The anger she felt toward Celina vanished, replaced by a cold, paralyzing terror.

Celina leaned back against the leather seat. She turned her head to look out the rain-streaked window. A tiny, imperceptible smirk touched her lips.

"Ma'am," Gary stammered, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. "The highway is closed. We can't make it to New York tonight."

Elvie closed her eyes. The thought of sleeping in this town made her physically sick, but the fear of the crash was stronger.

Celina pulled a pair of cheap wired earphones from her pocket and put them in her ears, shutting out the sound of Elvie's ragged breathing. She had survived step one.