“You are driving too close to the edge,” she whispered. Hugh answered by putting his right hand on her thigh. “The car is too fast…”

Hugh knew that he was speeding and that the car was too close to the edge of the road. He pushed the gas pedal harder. Thick black tree branches closed in an arch point over the road. Smaller branches whipped against the metal of the vehicle. The branches either bent as the car passed or broke into pieces, crushed under the car tires. Tiny little glowing eyes reflected back the headlights from the dark woods surrounding the road; they scattered and disappeared as a blink. Nadine pressed herself back in her seat to disappear into fake leather upholstery and foam. Her left hand held Hugh’s hand in her lap; her right held the door handle in a white knuckle grip on the sharp turns. She knew the roads in the area well, but Hugh was driving as if chased by devils or cops. Dying together was a slim consolation; she would still be dead.

“No cars are following us anymore, Hugh. Do you hear me? We can slow down.” Nadine had seen no lights in her passenger seat rear view mirror for nearly thirty minutes or at all. She had definitely not seen the flashing blue and red lights that had caused Hugh to drive faster. Nothing was behind them and she could not see anything in front.

Double yellow lines slimmed down to a single yellow line, and in turn the single yellow line up and disappeared into unmarked black asphalt across. Hugh steered roughly as the road slipped and turned farther down and farther away.

“This road should take us all the way to the border. We lay low a few weeks then come back to collect our things if we can.”

“Why? What did you do? Where are we going, Hugh? I don’t even know what road we’re on anymore. Stop the car…”

“Nadine, you love me, right? Just trust me and follow me. We’re going to have a lot of fun, right? Is that duffel still in the back seat?” Nadine nodded. “You want to know what’s in the bag? It’s not important.”

Nadine leaned over to kiss Hugh on the cheek. His lips met her lips for a second or less. Nadine pulled herself back to her seat and whispered, “You have to watch the road. We’ll lose the way…”

“Baby, there ain’t no right way. We’re just going and we’ll get there when we do. Say you love me and close your eyes.”

Nadine said those words and turned her head to look out the window. Hugh was looking straight ahead driving the car; she looked out her passenger window into the black night and black trees. He drove the car closer to the edge.