To Love and Run

The roar of the engine was the only sound inside the car as Nina sped down the highway. Miel sat in the backseat, her hand gripping the duffel bag of cash tightly, while Jasmine kept a wary eye on their unexpected ally. Maxwell lay at their feet, his head resting on Miel's lap, the tension in the air palpable even to him.

Nina's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, meeting Miel's gaze. "We need to lay low for a while," she said, her voice clipped. "I've got a place we can use. It's out of the way, no one will think to look for you there."

Miel exchanged a glance with Jasmine, who gave a small nod. They didn't have many options, and while they still weren't sure they could trust Nina, they had little choice but to go along with her plan for now.

"Where is this place?" Jasmine asked, her tone cautious.

"About an hour from here," Nina replied, her eyes fixed on the road. "It's a small cabin, off the grid. We'll be safe there for a few days while we figure out our next move."

Miel settled back into her seat, her thoughts racing. They had been through so much already—escaping the police, hiding the money, constantly looking over their shoulders. But now, with Nina's sudden reappearance, everything felt even more precarious. Trusting her was a leap of faith, one Miel wasn't sure she was ready to take. Yet, they had no other options. The police were closing in, and they needed a safe haven to regroup.

As they drove in silence, the landscape outside the car window shifted from the dense forest to open fields and winding country roads. The sun had fully risen, casting a golden hue over the world, but it brought little comfort. Every passing car, every stray figure on the side of the road, made Miel's heart jump. The fear of being recognized, of having their escape cut short, gnawed at her.

Nina took a sharp turn off the main road, the sedan bumping along a narrow dirt path that wound through a thick copse of trees. "We're almost there," she muttered, more to herself than to the others.

The path eventually opened up to a small clearing where an old, weathered cabin stood. It was similar in structure to the one they had just left behind, but more isolated, surrounded by trees on all sides with no sign of civilization for miles.

Nina parked the car and turned to face Miel and Jasmine. "This place is safe, but we can't stay long. We need to change your appearances again, find new IDs, and get a new vehicle. But for now, let's get inside and lay low for a bit."

Miel and Jasmine nodded, stepping out of the car with Maxwell following closely behind. The cabin looked as though it hadn't been used in years, but that was precisely why it might work to their advantage. They could blend into the surroundings, stay hidden while they plotted their next move.

Inside, the cabin was sparse—just a few pieces of old furniture, dusty and worn from years of disuse. The windows were covered with thick curtains, blocking out the sunlight, adding to the sense of isolation. Miel felt a chill run down her spine as she looked around, the reality of their situation settling heavily on her shoulders.

Jasmine set down her bag and walked over to the small kitchen area, checking the cupboards. "There's some canned food here," she said, her voice hollow. "It'll hold us over for a few days, I guess."

"Better than nothing," Miel replied, though her mind was elsewhere. They couldn't stay here long. As safe as the cabin seemed, it was just another temporary refuge, and the clock was ticking.

Nina dropped her own bag on the floor and began rifling through it. "I have some supplies—hair dye, scissors, a few sets of clothes. We'll need to change your appearances as soon as possible. If the police have any leads on you, you'll need to look completely different."

Miel looked at Jasmine, who was already pulling her long hair out of its ponytail. "What do you think?" she asked softly, knowing that they had already crossed this bridge once before.

Jasmine sighed, running a hand through her hair. "We don't have a choice. We have to do whatever it takes to stay under the radar."

Maxwell let out a small whine, as if sensing the tension in the room. Miel knelt down beside him, rubbing his ears. "We'll be okay, boy," she whispered, more to reassure herself than the dog. "We'll get through this."

Nina handed them the supplies—a box of dark hair dye for Miel, and a pair of scissors for Jasmine. "I'll help you," she offered, her tone more pragmatic than kind. "We need to make it look natural, like you've always looked this way."

They set to work in the small bathroom, the sound of running water and snipping scissors filling the silence. Miel watched in the mirror as her honey-blonde hair turned into a deep chestnut brown, erasing yet another part of her old self. Jasmine's hair, once cascading down her back, was now cut short, framing her face in a way that made her look almost like a different person.

When they were finished, Miel barely recognized the woman staring back at her in the mirror. She looked harder, more determined, but also worn out, the stress of their situation evident in her eyes. Jasmine looked equally transformed, her sharp features now softened by the shorter haircut.

Nina studied them both, nodding in approval. "That'll do," she said. "Now, about the vehicle. The sedan we came in will stand out too much. We need something that blends in, something inconspicuous."

Miel considered this. "There was a car graveyard near the highway, back when we first entered town. We could see if there's anything useful there."

Jasmine frowned. "That's risky. What if someone sees us? We can't afford to get caught."

Nina shook her head. "It's a chance we have to take. I'll go check it out myself. You two stay here and lay low until I get back. If anything happens, don't wait for me—take the money and run."

Miel's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why are you helping us, Nina? Really?"

Nina met her gaze evenly. "Let's just say I have my reasons. We all have our secrets, Miel."

With that, she grabbed her keys and headed for the door, leaving Miel and Jasmine alone with their thoughts. The cabin felt even smaller now, the walls closing in as they realized just how far they'd fallen, how much they'd sacrificed to get to this point.

Jasmine sank down onto one of the old chairs, burying her face in her hands. "How did we end up here?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "I just wanted a better life. I didn't think it would be like this."

Miel sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We're in this together, Jasmine. We'll figure it out. We always do."

Jasmine leaned into Miel, the warmth of her touch a small comfort in the midst of the chaos. They stayed like that for a while, the weight of their decisions pressing down on them.

Maxwell curled up at their feet, his soft snores the only sound in the room. For a moment, it was almost peaceful, as if they were just two ordinary people living an ordinary life. But they both knew better.

Hours passed, the tension in the cabin building with each minute that Nina was gone. Miel kept glancing at the clock, her anxiety growing as the sun began to dip below the horizon. They were running out of time, and they knew it.

When Nina finally returned, it was well after dark. She was covered in dirt and sweat, but there was a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "I found us a car," she said, her voice low but urgent. "It's not pretty, but it'll get the job done. We need to leave tonight."

Miel and Jasmine didn't hesitate. They grabbed the duffel bag of cash and their meager belongings, making sure Maxwell was close by as they followed Nina out of the cabin. The new vehicle was an old station wagon, rusty but reliable, parked just out of sight of the main road.

Nina handed Miel the keys. "You drive. I'll give directions."

Without a word, Miel started the engine, the rumble of the car feeling both foreign and familiar under her hands. Jasmine sat beside her, the tension in her posture mirroring Miel's own. Maxwell hopped into the backseat, curling up on the worn upholstery.

As they drove away from the cabin, leaving yet another hideout behind, Miel couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of places to run. The road stretched out before them, dark and winding, leading them into an uncertain future.

But for now, they had each other, and they had a plan. And as long as they kept moving, there was still hope.

"Where to?" Miel asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

Nina's eyes gleamed in the rearview mirror. "I know a place. Just keep driving."

And so, they drove into the night, the stars overhead their only witnesses as they fled from the past, toward whatever fate awaited them.