Chapter 5: The Speed in the Storm.

Charles gripped the steering wheel tightly, his hands steady, as the car sped through the rainy night. The engine roared loudly, and broken glass from the back window sparkled on the seats. Helena was curled up, her hands over her head, and her cries shook her small body.

The storm was loud outside, with wind blowing through the broken window like a whistle. Cold water sprayed inside, wetting Charles's coat and Helena's hair. The car chasing them had bright lights in the mirror, getting closer fast. Its horn screamed loudly over the thunder. 

"Hold on!" Charles yelled, his voice brave and big, turning the wheel quick to miss another loud bang that flew by, hitting a tree near the road with a crack. He wasn't afraid—not of the noise, not of the fast chase, not of anything but losing her, his special girl. 

"They can't catch us—I'm too quick for them, way too fast."

Helena looked up a little, her eyes big and red, all from crying, her breath fast and scared. "They'll hurt us," she said, her voice small and shaking with every word she tried to say. "I can't do this, Charles—I'm so tired, so empty inside. You broke me, and now they're here, chasing us." Her hands shook as she held her wet coat, her fingers cold from the rain.

"They won't get you," he said, loud and strong, as he made the car go faster, the tires making sound on the wet road, leaving little marks. "I'm not afraid—I'll push them away if I have to, no problem. You're mine, Helena, and I'll keep you safe, always."

She curled up more, her knees high, her hands shaking as she held her wet coat tighter, water dripping off the ends. 

"I trusted you," she cried, her voice breaking as she talked. "I gave you everything—my heart, my dreams—and now I'm falling apart, all shaky and scared. I can't feel anything but this big, bad fear." Her tears mixed with the rain coming in. 

Charles looked at her quick, his heart feeling bad for her, but his face stayed tough, his bravery big and bright. "I'll make it better," he said, his voice like a big promise, loud over the storm. 

"I was wrong not telling you—I know that now, I messed up—but I'm here, and I'm not running from them. Only for you, my Helena." The road stretched out long and dark ahead, wet and shiny. 

The chasing car bumped them from behind, a big noise shaking everything, the seats shaking under them, and Helena screamed, hiding lower, her hands grabbing the seat so tight her knuckles turned red. Charles made a mad sound with the car, turning the wheel fast, the tires slipping a little on the wet, but he kept it going, brave, making the car speed up more, the wind rushing past. The road turned a lot ahead. 

"They're too near!" Helena cried, her voice all rough and loud, her face white under her wet hair, it was very pale. "I can't take this—I'm nothing now, just a big mess because of you, all sad and lost." She hugged herself, moving back and forth like a rocking chair, her cries loud over the car's noise, her eyes sad and far away, like she couldn't see anything good.

"You're everything," Charles shouted, his voice big over the storm, strong, filling the car with his sureness. "I'm not afraid—let them try me, they'll see. I'll get us out of this." He turned the wheel hard, taking a quick turn onto a muddy road, water splashing under the tires, mud sticking to the sides. The chasing car followed, its lights bright in the dark, another bang coming loud, hitting the side mirror, breaking it into bits that flew away into the night. 

Charles laughed, a big, brave laugh, his hands steady on the wheel, not shaking one bit. "They can't aim right," he said, loud and happy, his voice bouncing in the car. "I've got this, Helena—believe me now, just a little." He made the car go faster, the road all blurry with wet and dark, the storm was so strong matching his heart. 

Helena made a scared sound, her hands over her ears, her body shaking a lot, her wet shoe dropping water on the floor. "I can't believe anymore," she said, her voice gone soft and quiet. "You didn't tell me, and now I'm breaking—I don't know who I am, just a sad girl." Her tears wet her coat more, her breath was so fast, every word full of hurt. 

The road went down fast, a steep hill covered in wet grass, and Charles pushed the car hard. He turned quick, brave, missing a big branch on the road, his eyes sharp, seeing a bridge ahead—old wood, skinny, moving in the wind like it was dancing.

"Get ready!" he yelled, his voice big and loud, driving onto the bridge, the tires hitting the wood with a loud bump that shook them. Helena screamed, curling up small like a ball, her cries sharp as the bridge shook under them. The chasing car followed, its lights jumping up and down, getting closer, someone leaning out, pointing something shiny in the dark.It was a Gun. 

The bridge ended quick, the car bouncing onto hard ground with a jolt, and Charles turned sharp, going into a thick forest, trees all around them like a big wall. The chasing car slowed a little, but kept coming, its lights shining through the branches like sneaky eyes. Charles smiled, brave and wild, his heart beating fast but steady, not afraid—only Helena mattered, her sad cries his only weak spot, tugging at him inside.

Ahead, the road split—left to a big road with lights far off, right to a dark path in the woods full of shadows. Charles picked right, brave, going deeper into the trees, the car bumping over rocks, shaking them a little. Helena rocked harder, her voice gone, just little breaths now, her face in her hands, tears dripping through her fingers. "They'll catch us," she said, so quiet, her spirit all broken, her words lost. 

"They won't," Charles said, his voice loud, brave and steady, cutting through the wind. "I'm not afraid—I'll lose them here, easy." The chasing car's lights blinked behind, having trouble on the bumpy path, but still coming, not giving up. Then a big noise came—not a bang, something huge—a tree falling fast, crashing down toward them, blocking the road with wood and leaves, its branches shaking the ground.