The Crash

Marcus didn't like the conversation. He lunged.

The fight was brutal and ugly. Marcus swung the tire iron, aiming for Liam’s head. Liam ducked, taking the blow on his shoulder. The sound of metal hitting bone cracked through the clearing.

Liam tackled Marcus into the mud. They rolled, trading punches. Liam was big, but Marcus was armed and fueled by a sociopathic rage. He gouged at Liam’s eyes, bit his ear. He brought the tire iron down again, smashing it into Liam’s ribs.

Liam grunted and collapsed, gasping for air.

Marcus stood up, wiping blood from his lip. He turned toward Chloe.

"Time to go, sweetheart," Marcus said, walking toward her. "We have a long drive."

Chloe looked at Liam. He was trying to push himself up, but his body was failing him. He looked at her, mouthing one word: *Run.*

Chloe didn't run.

She looked at the black SUV. The engine was still running.

She scrambled toward it.

"Hey!" Marcus shouted, breaking into a run.

Chloe threw herself into the driver’s seat. Her broken leg screamed in protest as she jammed it against the brake pedal. She threw the gearshift into reverse.

Marcus was ten feet away, raising the tire iron.

Chloe slammed her good foot onto the gas.

The SUV shot backward. It caught Marcus in the chest. He didn't have time to scream. The heavy vehicle slammed into him, pinning him against a large pine tree with a sickening crunch.

Silence returned to the forest, broken only by the hiss of the radiator.

Chloe sat in the driver’s seat, shaking uncontrollably. She looked in the rearview mirror. Marcus wasn't moving.

She opened the door and fell out into the mud. She crawled toward Liam.

He was lying on his back, staring up at the rain. His face was a mess of blood and bruises.

"Liam," she sobbed, reaching him. She cradled his head in her lap.

He blinked, focusing on her. A crooked smile touched his lips. "You... you drive pretty well for someone with a broken leg."

"You idiot," she cried, stroking his wet hair. "You should have told me. You should have told me everything."

"I wanted to be the guy," he wheezed. "The guy on the dating profile. The guy who keeps you safe. Not the kidnapper."

"You are," she whispered. "You are that guy."