Street Signs

Chapter 34

BRIELLE

With my heart beating fast, I drove my car in haste. It was still raining and really cold, yet I was sweating terribly. I barely looked at the inside rear-view mirror to check on my back, and fortunately, the men were not there anymore. I did not want to be complacent though because I knew they were just around. As I turned my gaze again on the road, I immediately pushed the break because there was someone who displayed himself at the center of the way.

My brow folded in great madness, but even though I wanted to shout, I could not because the men might hear me. Instead, I just gave the man a signal to get away because I was in rush and I did not want to kill him if ever he was planning to end up his life.

When the man moved out of the way, I was about to continue driving when he went to me and knocked on the mirror of my car. When he drew his face closer, that was the time I realized that he was Cheveyo. He was uttering something outside but I wasn't able to understand it. But with his face that seemed to be in rush as well, I opened it. He got in the car in haste as he said, "Let me drive for you."

I was like a robot who willingly followed him. I went to the other seat and let him drive. "What happened to you?" I asked him. "Where have you been?"

Cheveyo was so wet but I did not mind it. He might be feeling cold now since he showered himself to the rain, but I didn't have an extra cloth to offer to him. With the kind of reaction that he had, I could tell that something wrong was going on.

"Where is your house?" Cheveyo asked me even without answering yet my question. "I'll take you there."

"No, it's fine. You should drive to your home and later on, I'll drive for myse-" I wasn't able to continue speaking when all of a sudden, Cheveyo made it to the highest speed. I did not stop him nevertheless, because when I looked at my back, the men were already there, riding in their horses while chasing us.

"Fasten your seatbelt," Cheveyo told me. "I can make it even faster."

I was stunned to experience the real highest speed that my car could do with Cheveyo's driving. All the hair in my skin felt like standing and it was like I was flying. I could not even speak, that no matter how I'd like to tell Cheveyo to be very careful, I wasn't able. I could not see the road anymore because of the heavy rain, so I wonder how Cheveyo could know where to go.

While running away, I did not take my gaze away at the inside rear-view mirror so I could know if the group of men were still there. I could smell the stench of fear in me as I watched them getting closer to us.

In the first place, how did these men know that I was in this car?

A few minutes after running away from the men, I didn't see them again at our back. I thought we just made it, that we were able to be lost from their eyes, not until I looked in front and saw them there blocked our way. A shout coming from me arose in the car not because they caught us but because Cheveyo forcedly turned the car on the left side of the road, which fortunately avoided the group of men and their horses. I didn't know he was this good at driving!

However, even though how much we ran away from the men, they would always be able to come to our chosen path. It was a battle of chasing each other until it turned midnight already. The rain did not still subside, so the group of men used that opportunity to throw arrows at us because those were hard to see at this moment; nevertheless, Cheveyo could avoid them.

I stared at Cheveyo while still running away from the men. I could see the calmness on his face no matter how intense the situation was. I could not even smell fear in him, it was like he was full of confidence that after a few more minutes, we would be totally lost from the eyes of those chasers. I wasn't mistaken though, because when the rain slowly stopped, the speed of the car slowed down as well.

"You're safe now," Cheveyo told me. "I will now drive to your home."

I looked around first and made sure that the men were not there anymore. I could not see them now, but I wasn't still certain if they were lost because they might be just hiding from somewhere I could not find. "Are you sure they are not here anymore?" I asked Cheveyo.

"I'm more than sure about it," he answered without looking at me. "Do you know why they are following you?"

I swallowed my saliva. Should I tell him about it or not?

"Well, I'm not forcing you to tell," Cheveyo told me before I could even speak. "Where is your house?"

Before telling him my location, I asked him first where would he go after taking me home, because if he would walk, I would not let him take me home. Instead, I told him we should go first to his house and I will just drive for myself after it. Besides, the men were not around anymore; if ever they were there, I would know now what to do.

"I'm not letting you go home alone," Cheveyo said.

I puckered my brow. "Are you my father?" I chuckled, and speaking of Dad, I knew he was worried now. "I can handle myself, Cheveyo. I'm thankful you saved me this time but I want you to know that I can also save myself. You should not underestimate an independent woman."

"I'm not trying to belittle you," he looked at me. "Do you know well those men who were chasing you?"

I shook my head.

"That's my point. Until the night did not surpass yet, they will not leave here."

My mind stuttered at that moment. I wanted to ask Cheveyo how sure was he about what he was saying, but I just eagerly accepted his offer to take me home. After a few minutes that I was finally in my location, Cheveyo got out of the car and told me that he would wait until I finally entered the house. I thought I wouldn't do anything anymore about it, so I changed my seat and drove the car going to our garage. When done, I gave a signal to Cheveyo who was outside, that he could finally leave. However, I was worried about his safety. I was about to run to him to thank him when my dad went out of the house.

"Brielle," Daddy Sy spoke worriedly as he walked towards me, "why are you so late? I was so worried about you. You're not even answering my texts and calls."

I hugged my dad. "I'm so sorry, I was just busy driving. I waited for the rain to subside, so I haven't got home as early as you expected. But you don't have to worry about me, Dad. Look, I'm safe and healthy."

Dad took out a deep breath and said. "Okay, I won't be mad at you this time."

"There's no reason to be mad, after all," I chuckled, trying to make the situation cool.

I invited him to go inside then because I was afraid the group of men could still find me here. But before I with Dad could get inside, I looked back first to see if Cheveyo was still there, but none anymore. I had planned to go to the room so I could take my rest now, but my dad pulled me going through the kitchen and told me to eat first because he knew that I had not yet taken my food since I left the house this morning. No matter how I convinced him that I had eaten the sandwich I made, he would not be satisfied unless I'd mention rice.

"Akie was so tired waiting for you, so he ended up sleeping," Daddy said as he prepared food for me. "I took him to his room already. I just noticed something different to him on this day."

I creased my brow. "What is it, Dad?"

"He seemed worried. When I fetch him in the school, he wasn't talking. I asked him what was wrong, but he didn't answer me. I touched his forehead and his skin to know if he's sick, but he's cold. I don't know what's wrong, so I'm glad he had taken his rest not. Maybe he was just tired in school."

My heart started beating swiftly even though I had not heard yet the reason for it, but I could sense there was something wrong. So, I had eaten rapidly the food that Dad prepared for me so I could check on Akie. When done, I proceeded to my little brother's room, while my dad went to his room all ready to sleep.

I slowly opened the door and switched on the light so I could see Akie. My eyes caught him sleeping peacefully but when I came closer to him, I had noticed his body was not pale, but red. I touched his forehead to know if he was sick, but as Dad had told me, he wasn't. Nonetheless, I could say that he had a fever through the redness of his skin. So, I planned to go to his bathroom to get a towel and the alcohol, but in time, he woke up.

"Brielle, you're here now," Akie said, trying to get up; but I told him to just lay down, so he did.

"What happened to my little boy?" I asked. "Your face and skin are so red. Is there anything wrong that happened to you?" I went straight to the point.

Akie's tears started to fall through his cheeks. "A while ago when I was waiting for Daddy Sy to fetch me, a group of men approached me. They wanted to take me, so I ran away and went back to the building."

The moment I heard that my eyes widened and for some time, I wasn't able to speak. My mind stuttered thinking of the group of men Akie was referring to. I had a stench of fear now but since I did not want him to smell it, I hid it immediately. I tried to be calm so he could not panic.

Those men... could they be the same group of men who were chasing me?