But I didn’t dare look back.
If I looked back, I’d stop running. And if I stopped running—
“No,” I whispered to myself, forcing my legs to move faster. “You cannot think about this. Keep going.”
The road curved sharply, revealing an old gas station that appeared half-abandoned, with only one flickering light buzzing over the awning. In front of it, tucked beside the ice machine, was a payphone.
My knees nearly gave out.
I reached it in a sprint, slamming my palm against the cold metal and grabbing the receiver like it was oxygen. This was my only chance to contact one of my brothers; someone had to be home to pick up this call. I dialed the number for the house in Miami, but the call refused to go through. I quickly changed numbers and dialed the country code for Russia with trembling fingers.
It didn’t work.
I tried again, but there was only static in my ears.
The world tilted. Tears pricked my eyes but refused to fall. “Come on, come on…”
I tried to collect call, but it immediately asked for coins. And of course I didn’t have any on me.
“Please…” I whispered into the phone as if begging would make it work. “Please, please—“
Thunder rolled in the distance as the sky darkened above me to a kind of gray that promised another storm. None of it made sense. If I were unable to call my brothers, this running would be for nothing. I had no idea where I was, and running back home was clearly out of the question. The moment Avgust found out I was gone, he would come after me. I hardly had any time left.
My hands shook as I dialed my eldest brother’s number from memory.
It rang. A harsh beep cut through my ear before the call suddenly dropped.
“No.” My voice cracked. “No, please. Pick up. Kliment, pick up—“
I dialed Nico. Jarek. Fyodor.
Every single one rang into silence before the harsh beep cut it off, reminding me that I might be outside, but the outside world was still just as inaccessible to me as before. Did they even know I was missing? Were they looking for me? Avgust had revealed that they weren’t, or else they would have definitely gone to the police.
Was this a nightmare they were unaware of, living their lives while I tried to stay alive?
A sob clawed at my throat, but I swallowed it, gripping the receiver harder in my clammy palms.
“Please,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to the metal casing. “Please. Somebody answer.”
Nothing.
The phone felt like a dead thing in my hand. I dropped it, the clatter echoing in the empty station. My breathing grew shallow, but I could not stop here. Not when Avgust might already be out somewhere looking for me. I turned around, desperately scanning the road that lay ahead.
Just at the far end of the parking lot stood a man in a brown jacket. From where I was standing, I could not see his face properly, but he looked fairly young. Maybe in his mid-thirties. He appeared normal, but none of that mattered to me. He was human, alive, and he had something in his hand that strongly resembled a phone. I needed to make a call. Just one simple phone call.
“Sir!” I called out, running towards him. I crossed the parking lot to go nearer, but he had heard my shout. “Please, I need help! Can I borrow your—”
He turned around slowly. I could only imagine what I might look like to him in my frantic, not-so-elegant state, but he did not look confused or startled. In fact, from what I could tell, he seemed to be assessing me. Something cold slithered down my spine as his gaze met mine.
“Phone?” His voice was too calm. “Sure. Come closer.”
I hesitated and took a step back.
Something in his smile was wrong. Very, very wrong.
“You look familiar,” he said, keeping the phone in his hand back inside his pocket as he turned all his attention towards me.
My stomach twisted.
