Never really a Coincidence{23}

As I left the cafe, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The conversation I had just had with the mysterious woman had left me feeling unnerved and on edge. The shocking revelation that there were evil forces out to get Ashley, my best friend, had shaken me to the core.

I walked slowly, my steps heavy with the weight of the information I had just received. The once bustling street felt eerily quiet as I found myself completely absorbed in my thoughts. The sounds of cars passing by and people chattering became mere background noise, as my mind replayed the conversation over and over again.

Lost in my own world, I barely noticed as I approached the busy intersection. The traffic lights changed from red to green, signaling for pedestrians to cross the road. I absentmindedly stepped onto the crosswalk, completely unaware of the danger that lay just moments away.

Suddenly, a piercing screech echoed through the air, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a sound I had heard before, a sound that brought with it a rush of adrenaline and fear. The smell of burnt rubber filled my nostrils, assaulting my senses and making my heart race.

I turned my head frantically, my eyes widening with horror as I realized the near catastrophe that had just occurred. A gleaming Mercedes had come hurtling towards me, its tires screeching against the asphalt as the driver desperately slammed on the brakes.

Time seemed to stand still as the car came to a stop just inches away from me. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath labored as I tried to regain my composure. My legs felt weak, as if they could no longer support my trembling body.

The driver, a middle-aged man with a panicked expression, rolled down the window and peered at me through his glasses. His face was flushed, and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. Are you hurt?"

I could only manage a nod, my throat dry and my voice caught in my chest. A million thoughts raced through my mind, the near-death experience sending shockwaves through my already frazzled nerves.

As the realization of what had almost transpired sank in, I felt a mix of gratitude, relief, and an overwhelming sense of unease. How close I had come to being flattened to the ground, my life forever altered in a blink of an eye.

The driver, still visibly shaken, urged me to step away from the road and onto the sidewalk. I did as he instructed, my legs wobbly as I moved away from the now stationary Mercedes. The once familiar bustle of the city seemed alien and distant, as if I had been transported to another world.

As the shock began to wear off, a deep sense of foreboding settled within me. I couldn't shake the feeling that this near-miss was no mere coincidence. It was as if some unseen force had interceded, saving my life for a reason.

I took a deep breath, attempting to steady my racing heart. The image of the Mercedes, its tires screeching and the driver's panicked expression, replayed in my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that this incident was somehow connected to the conversation I had just had.

I turned my head to look at the car again when I saw a pair of piercing green eyes staring at me from the slightly lowered window of the backseat. Those cold eyes seemed to pierce my soul, sending a chilling cold through my heart.

The middle-aged man apologized once more, gave me a shiny black business card with a contact information on it and told me to reach out to him should I discover later on that I was injured. Taking the card in my shaking hand, I turned my eyes back to the tinted window but it had been rolled up, fully shut, obscuring my view of those cold orbs.

My thoughts returned to the mysterious woman in the cafe, her cryptic words about evil forces and the dire threat to Ashley's life. Could she be right? Was there really something sinister at play?

Shaking off any remnants of disbelief, I decided to head to the hospital to check on Ashley.

I quickened my pace, the adrenaline from the near-accident fueling my determination. I could feel the eyes of the pedestrians around me, their curious glances and murmurs underscoring the gravity of what had just happened.

As I reached the hospital entrance, my heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and anticipation coursing through my veins. I pushed open the heavy doors, my senses heightened as I stepped into the sterile, clinical environment.

Walking briskly down the hallway, I took the elevator up to the VIP wards. Taking a deep breath, I knocked lightly on the door to Ashley's room before pushing it open.

I approached the bed, my eyes welling with tears as I took in his pale face. His features were contorted with pain, the lines etched deeply into his forehead and around his eyes. I gently reached out and took his hand in mine, the touch providing a momentary source of comfort amidst the chaos. He was having a bad dream again.

"Hey, Ash," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm here. I'll always be here." But my words didn't get to him. Ashley has always been a light sleeper.

Silence hung heavily in the air as I sat by his side, my mind still reeling from the events that had just unfolded. The conversation with the mysterious woman, the near-accident, and now Ashley's frail condition all seemed connected, part of a sinister puzzle that I was desperate to solve.

Furrowing my brows slightly, I tapped on his arms to wake him up but he still didn't budge. I was starting to panick again.

"Ash wake up," I said tapping on his face but he still didn't show any signs of waking up.

I willed my frantic heart to calm down and placed my left hand on his heart and the middle and thumb fingers of my right hand on his temple. Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes. I was going to see what held Ashley captive.

What I first saw was a blazing moon in daylight. Lilies littered the ground in small patches with wild flowers covering most of the place. Birds were chirping and little animals, some of which, I was sure I had never seen before in my life, moved around frantically, like they were running away from something. Then I heard a noise from afar.

I turned on my heels, running towards the noise. I'm almost a hundred percent sure that Ashley would be close to the source of that noise.

Breaking free from the tree lines of the forest I had run out from, my eyes widden at the sight in front of me.

It was a battle field.

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Jessica stumbled out of the dense forest, her body covered in scratches. Her heart pounded in her chest as she emerged onto the battlefield, the scene before her taking her breath away. The ground was littered with torn body parts, the air thick with the coppery smell of blood and the stench of decaying corpses. The sound of clashing swords and battle cries filled the air, the intensity of the fight still raging on fiercely.

She turned around, ready to search for Ashley, her best friend and the reason she had ended up here. But something caught her eye, causing her heart to skip a beat. There, at the center of the battlefield, stood a very tall man in dark bloodied robes. His presence radiated power and cruelty, a sadistic smirk playing on his lips and a deranged look in his eyes. But that wasn't what caught her attention.

No, what made her blood run cold was the sight that greeted her. In the man's right hand, a sword was held firmly against Ashley's throat, his white hair gripped tightly by his left. Ashley's once pristine white robes were now dyed red with blood, the color seeping and spreading like a macabre river.

A cry caught in Jessica's throat as she watched in horror. Within seconds, her world shattered as the man in the dark robes dragged his sword across Ashley's throat. Time slowed down as dark gold blood spilled out, gushing like water from a broken dam. Jessica's vision blurred with tears, a gut-wrenching pain radiating through her entire being. Every fiber of her being screamed in agony as she witnessed the life drain from Ashley's eyes.

With a primal scream, Jessica's voice pierced through the chaos of the battlefield. The man in the dark robes turned his head towards her, his piercing green eyes locking onto hers. A sadistic smile played on his lips, a sick pleasure gleaming in his gaze.

Blood dripped from Jessica's trembling lips as she spat out a mouthful, her eyes now covered in crimson. Ignoring the pain and the chaos around her, she took a step forward, her entire being consumed by rage and grief.

In the distance, a bloodied Ethan ran towards them, his face etched with determination and anger. But before he could reach them, the man in the dark robes moved with lightning speed. With a swift motion, he dragged his sword across Ashley's throat, severing the last thread of life that held him. Dark gold blood spurted from the wound, staining the already blood-soaked ground.

Jessica's scream of anguish echoed through the battlefield, cutting through the sounds of battle. The man in the dark robes turned his attention back to her, his gaze now filled with sadistic satisfaction. The sight of him, his tall and imposing figure, standing amidst the carnage, sent shivers down her spine.

With a jolt Jessica fell from Ashley's bed in the hospital room. Her shirt dyed red from the blood that had leaked from her lips. Her heart pounding and her throat constricting, she dragged her weakened form from the ground back unto the bed.

She had seen something she was not supposed to, and at that realization, the image of those piercing green eyes flashed in her mind's eyes.

She couldn't help but shudder at the gory scene she had witnessed. Then the near-accident scene flashed in her mind again. Those cold greens eyes that had stared at her from the tinted window.

It couldn't be a coincidence.