Chapter 4: The Voice in the Dark
Cole kept the phone pressed against his ear long after the call ended.
The gas station continued moving around him.
A truck pulled away from the pumps.
A door slammed near the convenience store entrance.
A radio played somewhere inside.
But none of it reached him.
All he could hear was that one word.
Dad.
A word he had not heard in years.
A word he had convinced himself he would never hear again.
Bear watched him carefully.
“Cole.””
No response.
“Cole.””
Slowly, Cole lowered the phone.
His face looked different.
Not angry.
Not confused.
Broken.
Eli stood near the payphone, watching the man who had suddenly become afraid.
“Was that her?”” Eli asked quietly.
Cole looked at him.
The question was too simple.
Too innocent.
And somehow that made it harder.
“I don’t know,” Cole whispered.
Bear stepped closer.
“What did she say?””
Cole looked down at the phone.
“She said not to trust his mother.””
The words hung in the air.
Eli immediately looked down.
His small hands tightened around the rag.
“My mom isn’t bad.””
Nobody answered.
Because nobody had accused her.
But the fear in Eli’s face showed he had already heard the accusation.
Cole noticed.
He softened his voice.
“I didn’t say she was.””
Eli looked up.
“But you think it.””
Cole opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Because the boy was right.
He did think it.
Not because of logic.
Because Nia had warned him.
And Nia was never careless with her words.
Bear glanced toward the parked car.
“We need to check on his mother.””
Cole nodded.
They crossed the lot together.
Eli followed close behind.
The car sat beneath the bright afternoon sun.
Nothing about it looked dangerous.
That was what made it worse.
The passenger window was slightly open.
The engine was off.
Inside, a woman sat slumped against the seat.
Eli immediately moved forward.
“Mom!””
Bear held out an arm.
“Slow down.””
The boy stopped.
Cole looked through the window.
The woman appeared unconscious.
But alive.
Her chest moved.
Barely.
Bear reached for the door handle.
Locked.
Cole knocked on the glass.
“Ma’am?””
Nothing.
He knocked again.
“Ma’am, can you hear me?””
The woman didn’t move.
Eli started breathing faster.
“She always wakes up.””
Cole looked at him.
“What?””
“She always wakes up when I say her name.””
The boy stepped forward.
“Mom?””
Still nothing.
Cole looked at Bear.
They didn’t need words.
Bear turned away slightly and called emergency services.
Cole stayed with Eli.
“Did your mom know Nia for a long time?””
Eli stared at the car.
“I don’t know.””
“You said she helped you.””
Eli nodded.
“She said Nia saved us.””
Cole’s eyes narrowed.
“Saved you from what?””
The boy’s expression changed.
Like he had accidentally opened a door he wasn’t supposed to.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it.””
Cole crouched down.
“Eli.””
The boy looked at him.
“I need you to tell me the truth.””
Eli’s eyes filled with fear.
“My mom said if anyone asked questions, I should say I don’t know.””
Cole felt a chill move through him.
“Anyone?””
Eli nodded.
“She said especially people on motorcycles.””
The words hit harder than expected.
Bear returned from the call.
“What did he say?””
Cole looked at him.
“He said his mother warned him about bikers.””
Bear’s expression hardened.
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
A sudden sound came from the car.
A small movement.
The woman inside shifted.
Eli gasped.
“Mom?””
Cole stepped back.
The woman slowly opened her eyes.
For one second, everyone froze.
Then she looked through the glass.
Her eyes went straight to Cole.
Not Bear.
Not Eli.
Cole.
And her face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Fear.
She lifted a shaking hand.
Pointing at him.
Cole stepped closer.
“What?””
The woman’s lips moved.
The window blocked the sound.
Cole leaned closer.
“What are you saying?””
Her mouth formed three words.
Three words that made his blood run cold.
Before she could say them again, her eyes rolled back.
She collapsed.
And in the reflection of the car window, Cole saw something else.
A second person standing behind them.
Watching.
May you like
When he turned around—
Nobody was there.
