Chapter 3 - The Icy Abyss
The heavy armored car accelerated uncontrollably toward the edge of the cliff.
"Hold on!" Daniel roared, throwing his entire body weight into the steering wheel.
He intentionally scraped the side of the car against the rocky mountain wall to slow their momentum.
Sparks flew wildly into the blizzard as metal ground against solid stone.
The vehicle violently spun out, smashing into a thick snowbank just inches from the deadly drop.
The airbags deployed with a deafening crack, filling the cabin with white powder.
Daniel punched his airbag away and immediately turned to the backseat.
"Are you hurt?" Daniel asked frantically.
Grace was clutching Maya tightly, her face pale but resolute.
"We are okay," Grace gasped, checking her daughter for injuries.
Daniel kicked his jammed door open and stumbled out into the freezing wind.
"Robert tampered with the brakes before the party," Daniel realized, his blood running cold.
"He planned to kill me tonight regardless of the teddy bear."
The sound of roaring engines echoed from the top of the mountain road.
Two black SUVs with high-beam spotlights were speeding down the icy asphalt toward their crash site.
"We have to move into the woods right now," Daniel ordered, grabbing a survival bag from the trunk.
He scooped Maya into his arms to help them move faster through the deep, waist-high snow.
They hiked for an agonizing hour through the dense, freezing pine forest.
Daniel's shoulder throbbed where the bullet had grazed him, his blood freezing against his torn shirt.
They finally reached an old, off-the-grid hunting cabin that Daniel's grandfather used to own.
Daniel kicked the wooden door open and quickly secured the heavy deadbolt behind them.
He lit a small fire in the hearth to keep Maya from freezing to death.
Grace took a first-aid kit from the survival bag and began cleaning the blood from Daniel's shoulder.
Her gentle fingers sent an unexpected jolt of electricity straight through his chest.
"Marcus always said you were a good man," Grace whispered, looking deeply into his eyes.
"I should have looked closer into his death, Grace," Daniel replied, overwhelmed with guilt.
May you like
"I will never let anyone hurt you or Maya ever again."
Suddenly, the heavy wooden door of the cabin exploded inward in a shower of splinters.
