Want to support CHYOA?
Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)

Chapter 7 by EyesCollector EyesCollector

Do they have a smooth return home?

No, they have a lot of problems. (Raceplay/White Supremacy)

As they stepped out of the mall, the afternoon sunbathed the parking lot in a golden glow. Mary held Alex's hand tightly, her fingers gently caressing his. Her other hand gripped the handle of the shopping cart, laden with bags of all shapes and sizes. Among the plain brown bags stood out some bright red ones adorned with a purple bow, their contents unknown to Alex. "Come along, Alex," Mary said, her voice a gentle yet firm command. "We don't want to be out here any longer than necessary."

Alex, for his part, played along, his eyes wide and innocent as he looked up at his mother. "Yes, mom," he replied, his voice soft and obedient as he followed meekly beside his mother. His steps were small, matching her pace, and his eyes were wide with wonder. He looked up at her, his gaze filled with admiration and love.

"Mom, can we please stop for ice cream?" Alex asked, his voice sweet and innocent.

Mary smiled down at him, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Of course, sweetheart. Anything you want.”

Alex eagerly nodded and reached for one of the bags in an attempt to help. But Mary quickly scolded him with a gentle but firm tone.

"No, no, no. Let me carry them. You're such a silly little thing, always forgetting your own strength," she said, her voice dripping with affection.

Alex pouted but didn't argue. His mother always knew better after all.

As they walked to the car, Mary chatted animatedly about their purchases, pointing out the new clothes she had bought for herself and the toy she had bought for Alex. Alex listened with rapt attention; she never mentioned the colorful bags with the purple bows.

When they finally reached the car, Mary began to load the bags into the trunk with ease, Alex stepped aside and watched his mother do all the hard work.

"Mom, you're so strong," he said, his voice filled with admiration.

Mary smiled, her eyes softening with love. "And you're so sweet. Now, let's go get that ice cream."

Was at that moment that Mary was lifting a heavy shopping bag. The bag handle tightened as she felt the strain on her arm. It was loaded with cans of soup and glass jars of pasta sauce. Mary struggled to keep the bag up in the air while holding open the trunk of the car.

But just as she was about to place the bag inside, the bottom of the bag gave out, Mary didn’t have time to react.

Alex gasped in shock and stepped back, instinctively putting his hands over his mouth.

"Oh, dear, it seems like I've made a mess.” Mary said, her tone a mix of annoyance and resignation. "Alex, darling, why don't you wait for me in the car? It'll just take a moment."

Alex nodded; his eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure you don't need my help, mom?"

Mary smiled, her expression was both loving and condescending. "No, no, I've got this. You just go on ahead and make yourself comfortable."

As Alex obeyed, Mary bent down to pick up the fallen items. She took her time, making sure to straighten out the crumpled bag and rearrange the contents just so. Finally, she stood up and went ont the way to the driver's seat.

When she opened the door she gave Alex a knowing smile. "Well, young man, are you ready to head for your ice cream?" she asked. Alex sighed, but couldn't help but return her smile.

"I wish I could've helped more out there, Mom," he said, looking down at the ground.

Mary chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Oh, I know, sweetheart," she said, her voice dripping with warmth. "But sometimes it's just easier if I do it myself. You would have just slowed me down. Just leave mommy take care of everything, you just have to focus on looking pretty and behaving." She said with a playful smile.

Alex stuck out his tongue in response, but Mary only laughed and pinched his cheeks affectionately. "Come on now, let's go have some fun with that ice cream," she said, playfully tugging at his seatbelt before starting the car.”

As they drove home, Mary and Alex were still happily chatting about the things Mary bought for her and Alex at the mall. Then all the sudden, something changed. Mary began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. As if something really bad was about to happen.

The winter night had descended upon the road, bringing with it a cold that seeped through the car's windows and intensified Mary's sense of discomfort. She then stopped talking and focused on driving.

Meanwhile, Alex was too engrossed in his new action figure to notice his surroundings. He excitedly prattled on about every detail of the character's backstory and history, while Mary half-listened, preparing for any potential threats.

Mary listened with half an ear, getting ready for anything that could happen. But she knew how much it meant to Alex to have her attention, so she smiled and nodded along.

When they reached a particularly dark street, Mary looked in the rearview mirror. Behind them, the headlights of a car were coming very close. She frowned and squinted, trying to make out the silhouette in the distance. The fog was beginning to blanket everything with a damp chill that limited her visibility.

"Just a moment, Alex," she said, her voice sharper than she had intended. "Let me concentrate for a moment."

But Alex was too caught up in his toy to notice his mother's sudden tension. He continued to chatter on, his voice growing louder as he tried to make himself heard over the wind.

The car behind was now practically on her heels. The light from its headlights flooded Mary's car. And when she stepped aside to let it pass, the car stepped aside too, to follow behind her. What was he trying to do?

As Alex kept talking, Mary's patience was wearing thin "Alex, please, I need a moment of silence to think," she implored, her voice tinged with urgency, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I need to concentrate."

But Alex didn't listen. He kept on talking, his words tumbling out in a rush as he described the latest battle his action figure had won.

With a growl of frustration, Mary turned around to face her son. "Alejandro!" she barked, her voice cutting through the wind like a knife. "I said let me see!"

At that moment, the car behind came closer than ever, its lights dazzling Mary a little, and it began to honk its horn as it swerved around her and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Mary couldn't see who was driving, but at least he was gone. She feared it was some stranger man who wanted to do something to them.

She breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes for a second to let her thoughts calm down.

Then she passed a stop and the car careened towards a busy intersection She could hear the sound of screeching tires and honking horns, but it was all drowned out by the pounding of her heart in her ears. With lightning-fast reflexes, she slammed on the brakes just as she was about to collide with another car. But it was too late.

The impact sent both cars crashing into each other, metal twisting and glass shattering. In the aftermath, there was only deafening silence, broken only by the hum of the engine and the howling wind outside.

Mary's head was spinning as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. And then, she remembered Alex in the back seat. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to see him slumped over and unresponsive. Panic washed over her, but she knew she had to keep her wits about her. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to check on him, praying that he was okay.

With trembling hands, she reached out to her son, gently but firmly grasping his chin. She began to lightly slap his cheeks, willing him to wake up, to assure her that he was alright.

"Alex, honey, can you hear me?" she called out, her voice wavering. But there was no response. The fear that had been knotting her stomach began to spiral, and she slapped his cheeks a bit harder.

"Alex, please, wake up. Please, baby, answer me," she pleaded, her voice escalating with each word. She could feel her control slipping away, replaced by a **** panic. She slapped him again, this time harder than before.

Finally, her efforts were rewarded. Alex's eyes fluttered open, dazed and confused. Mary's relief was so profound that she felt light-headed. She cradled his face in her hands, her thumbs gently stroking his cheeks.

"Alex, are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion. Alex blinked, trying to focus on his mother's face.

"I'm okay, Mommy. Just a bit dizzy," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. Mary let out a shaky breath, her whole body sagging with relief.

As the adrenaline of the moment slowly faded, Mary was left with a heavy and sobering reality. Her body, still trembling from the shock, began to ache all over. It was a deep, bone-deep fatigue that seemed to seep into every muscle and joint, leaving her feeling drained and exhausted. She let out a heavy sigh, giving in to the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

She was tired, so terribly tired. But despite her exhaustion, she **** herself to stay upright and alert. She needed to stay strong for Alex, to make sure he was safe.

The car that had crashed into them sat motionless in front of them, a crumpled mess where they had collided. For a moment, everything was still and eerily quiet. Then, with a slow creaking sound, the window of the other car began to roll down, revealing a striking woman with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

Who is she?

Want to support CHYOA?
Disable your Ad Blocker! Thanks :)