8:40 PM. At a rest area.
"God, I'm stuffed. At least that'll hold me over until we reach the villa," Dita said, patting her stomach.
"This is the last rest area before we hit the hills, right, Fan?" Frans asked, drawing on a cigarette.
"Yeah. I think we've still got about two hours to go," Fani replied, checking her watch.
"Let's get moving then. My whole body is aching. You guys ready?" Mira chimed in, stubbing out her nearly finished cigarette in an ashtray.
"Rian's still in the restroom, I think," Toni noted, scanning the group gathered around the outdoor table.
"Right here, let's go," Rian suddenly interjected from behind Toni. A second later, droplets of rain began to speckle the asphalt—a light drizzle at first, but enough to soak through clothes if they lingered.
"Ugh, why is it raining now? We're almost there," Dita groaned.
"Do you want to wait it out, or should we just make a break for the car?" Frans asked. Their SUV was parked less than a hundred yards away.
"Let's just go. It's not that heavy yet," Erika decided, and the others nodded in agreement.
The seven of them moved quickly toward the parking lot, shielding their heads with their hands or handbags. Frans, leading the pack, broke into a light jog to unlock the doors so the others could pile in quickly.
"AH!"
A girl's sharp cry cut through the sound of the rain. Frans spun around to see Mira sprawled face-down on the asphalt. Fani was already crouching beside her, frantic to help her up.
"That car, Frans!" Erika screamed, pointing at a black van speeding toward them. It was clear the van had clipped Mira, sending her tumbling.
"Hey! Stop!" Rian yelled.
There was no sound of screeching tires, no sign of braking.
Frans braced himself as the van swerved past him. With a burst of adrenaline, he swung his hand out and slammed it against the front passenger window.
THUD!
"HEY! STOP THE CAR!" Frans roared.
The van continued for a several yards before finally slowing to a crawl and stopping. Its red taillights glowed ominously through the thickening rain, casting a bloody hue on the wet pavement.
The van sat there, idling. No one moved to get out.
"Take some responsibility! At least apologize! Who drives like that in this weather?!" Frans shouted, hoping the driver would step out and settle things. But the van—plastered with plumbing service advertisements on its sides—remained motionless, almost as if it were baiting Frans to come closer.
"Damn it—!" Frans hissed, stepping forward.
"Don't, Frans! Just leave it!" Erika snapped, grabbing his arm to hold him back.
"Yeah, don't bother. I'm okay, just rattled," Mira added, brushing off her wet, grimy sweater. The rest of the group had gathered around her now.
"But your elbow is scraped, Mir," Fani growled. "Where the hell is he going anyway, driving like a blind man in a storm?"
The red brake lights finally flickered off, replaced by the roar of an engine as the van lurched forward and disappeared into the rainy dark, leaving the seven friends behind.
***
"Damn, it's coming down even harder now," Frans muttered. The windshield wipers were working at full speed, rhythmic and frantic.
"Just take it slow. We're not in a race," Fani whispered.
"I know, but it's pitch black out there. I can't see a thing," Dita added. From the middle row, she leaned forward, squinting through the windshield.
"Careful, Frans. I'm pretty sure there's a ravine to our left, hidden by the trees and brush," Fani warned, her voice uncertain.
"Seriously? Just keep it slow, Frans." Erika gasped. She reached out and turned down the music, as if the silence would help him focus. The sound of the rain thudding against the roof became a deafening, metallic roar.
"Are we close, Fan?" Frans asked.
"I... I'm not sure. Not when it's this dark. It's been ages since I've been up here," Fani admitted, her voice trembling with guilt.
The rhythmic tick-tick of the hazard lights filled the cabin as Frans pulled the car to a halt.
"Why are we stopping?" Erika asked.
"Look ahead. It's a fork in the road. Do we go left or right?"
"Fani?" Erika turned back, her eyes searching Fani's.
"Wait... Damn it, there's no signal. The GPS is dead. Do any of you have a bar?" Fani asked the group.
One by one, they checked their phones. The answer was a unanimous silence.
"There's no light coming from either direction," Frans noted. "Shouldn't there be other villas nearby? Especially on a weekend."
"That's the thing. My uncle's place is isolated. It's not part of a complex. It's up a steep incline, the only house around. Just trees everywhere. God... is it left or right..." Fani looked frantic now, the weight of their situation pressing down on her.
"This wouldn't be happening if we hadn't left so late," Mira grumbled. She was dabbing at her scraped elbow with a crumpled tissue, the sting of the wound matching her mood.
"Is it still hurting, Mir? Did the side mirror hit you hard?" Dita asked softly.
"Not really, just stings. My arm feels stiff, though. I just want to get there and lie down," Mira sighed.
"Why don't we just pick one?" Toni suggested. "Maybe something will look familiar once we're moving. If the road doesn't start climbing, we'll just turn back."
"Sounds like a plan," Rian agreed.
"Let's just go for it," Frans said. "Staying here isn't getting us any closer."
"Okay. Let's try. Just remember—if we see another villa, we've definitely taken the wrong turn," Fani said.
"Left or right first?" Frans asked one last time.
"Left," Erika chose.
"Left it is. Fingers crossed." Frans killed the hazard lights and eased the car forward into the unknown.
***
They had been driving for fifteen minutes, and still, there wasn't a single glimmer of light ahead.
"It's dead quiet out here. I think we're on the right track, though. The incline is getting steeper," Frans said, breaking the heavy silence. The tension in the car was palpable.
"Yeah, if there were other houses, we'd at least see a streetlamp or something. Your uncle picked a weird spot for a villa, Fan," Rian remarked.
"Hehe, well, it's not a rental. It's for retreats, family gatherings—that kind of thing. That's why it's so secluded," Fani explained.
"Wait... if this is really the only road to your uncle's place..." Frans's voice trailed off as his eyes locked onto the rearview mirror. "...then where the hell is that car behind us going??"