Chapter 1- Escape

P.O.V #1

I glanced at my precious passenger on the seat beside me. I knew it was not safe to have a baby capsule on the front passenger seat but I needed her there, my little angel. She was sleeping so peacefully an absolute contrast to panicked escape. I stroked her soft brown hair, my darling, my 18 month old daughter who has changed my world. I could have watched her sleeping longer but I had been distracted from the wet road for long enough, it was to dangerous not to pay attention. Thankfully the road ahead was empty. I glanced behind to have my fears confirmed, there he was, speeding up and closing the gap. Terror tore through me, while he might grudgingly let me go, he would never let my daughter leave without a fight and she was so oblivious tiny fists curled up under her chin. That one second glance at my daughter, my life, that distraction was all it took to cross lanes and slide on the wet road.

P.O.V #2

It was luck for, in a twisted way that I got home early in time to read the note. A wave of pure terror, horror and anguish raced through me, before I collected myself and raced to the car. While I knew she was unhappy living here, even more so since the loss of her parents while her father had died four years previously, the death of her mother last year just before the birth of our daughter hit her hard. A small town was no place for her but I thought she would adjust instead I was wrong, instead she had run. While I would hate to let her go I could not live with the worry each day she would flee with my child. I had to get my daughter, my reason for living back, I would make it work regardless I could be a single father. I speed out of town, faced with an overwhelming sense of urgency. I wondered against my will if I would ever see my daughter again. She was my pride and my joy, my 18 month old daughter, beautiful, soft brown curls and deep brown eyes, flawless skin and when she smiled my world collapsed. I could not go without seeing here again my life depended on me bringing her home. I raced, it wasn't long til I was out the town and on the highway south. Time seemed distorted the constant rain and now present mist just made all my fears more pressing. I knew there was a chance I could catch her now. She had complained only yesterday about needing to drive into town to re-fill the car with petrol. I knew her well, but apparently not well enough. I never knew she would try to cut my heart out by stealing away my daughter. However, I knew that filling up with petrol is something that she would have forgotten til well down the road.

I drove and I drove dangerously after the first hour I began to worry and this only increased as the time passed. I began to worry I had lost them, maybe she had decided to trick me and headed north instead. The idea of her driving north was hard to believe but if she was desperate to leave, yes she would head north, rather then chasing the sun down south which she missed. As the next hours passed my demons were eating me alive. It was just as I was contemplating what options I saw her ahead. I speed up more, it was then I saw the oncoming truck. I saw her serve across lanes, I let out a strangled cry as my body froze, I could not hit the brakes in time, I was swallowed whole by fear, but that fear was cut short, I slammed on the brakes but I was way to late. I smashed into the back of her car…

P.O.V #1

The truck. Where had it come from? I dazed, in pain and feeling lost. My angel's screaming cry kept me from losing my grip on consciousness. A second collision occurred as he hit the back of my car. The truck driver and his passenger rushed out of the cabin to my car and me the other to his car and him. Despite the pain I had to know that she was ok. I screamed at the driver "Get my girl, tell me she is alright" I yelled and pleaded "please let her be ok, please." he raced around to the other side of the truck and I waited anxiously as he ran to the other to other side of the car and pulled her capsule out. I then watched with worried eyes as my daughter was carried around to my side. "hold her up, hold her to me, show me that she ok" I was so worried. He gently unbuckled her capsule he cradled her in his arms. As he held her up her cries began to settle to shuddering sobs and the tears stoped. I felt relief that should have not existed, considering the pain I was in but because she unharmed I thought things would be alright. He placed her back in the capsule, but he did not buckle her in, his attention was focused solely on me and the bleeding from head. "Ironic" I laughed hysterically "she was safest on the passenger seat, the seat where baby capsule's are not supposed to go. If she were in the back of the car she would have been crushed" my laughter was cut short, replaced by with coughing which I noticed with mild interest was tinged with blood.

"Where are we?" I asked the truckie, I needed to know I had reached freedom that my escape had not been in vain.

"Not far outside Seattle ma'm"

"I almost had freedom, we almost had freedom"

"The ambulance is on it's way" the driver attempted to keep me here, calm and positive. The other guy came up behind and was talking to the driver.

"He didn't make it, the injuries were to extensive" he went on to say more but my hearing was failing me like my vision was now. I could barely see and barely here everything was blurred everything was fading.

"Take care of her" I then shut my eyes I knew I was free.