DEAREST

PART 3: IRREALITY, Ch. 7

7

After leaving, I even hesitate a moment before moving my arms around her waist to support myself. She has not even caught her breath, and we are already out of the warehouses area, heading to where the demonic presence calls us at great speed.

"What's wrong?" She asks, noticing that my hug is not so firm.

"I'm worried... about you," I confess, putting a hand up to her cheek to brush away the strands of hair that run across her face as she drives.

"Why, exactly?"

"She was the woman you loved. But at the same time..."

"The woman who was there wasn't her. I understand what you mean."

This must be very difficult for her, but all we can do is kill this demon. It's the only way I can think of to help Luciana.

Luciana turns her head over her shoulder. I can only see her profile, half covered because of these rebellious strands of hair that escape from her bun and frame her face, but her face is surprisingly serene. In fact, there is a half-smile on her lips.

"You are by my side," she says quietly. "You told me it was an illusion."

She is trusting me. She has always done it, but now I hear it so clearly...

"We're being persecuted," I warn her. "Be careful."

"Understood."

Luciana speeds up and then I'm forced to hold her firmly by the waist so as not to lose balance. I let go a horrified whimper when I think that, no matter who the driver is, riding a motorcycle at such a speed and not having the safety of the deck and floor of a car is disturbing and distressing to me.

"Ma—Odette, now we'll do something risky. Are you ready to shoot a machine gun?"

I suppose a machine gun is the easiest thing she can give me at this moment, considering that she knows about my aversion to weapons in general. I understand that, in a certain way, it's risky to make me shoot, but under these circumstances...

"What do you mean by 'something risky'?" I'm looking for her face through the strands of her hair, but her angle makes it difficult. I'm confused for a second.

"I drive, you shoot."

The idea takes a little time to be processed. After that, I try to hold an imminent scream.

"It won't be difficult?" I ask. "I mean, I can do it, but you have better aim. Also, can I really do it in this position?"

Turning on the torso to try to shoot is dangerous and could also make me lose balance easily. I know it's a point in favor, but at this, Luciana suggests another idea:

"You gave me a motorcycle that has enough space for both of us to sit on it."

"But..."

"There's a drawbridge at the other end of Vadena," Luciana reminds me. "They'll follow us if we pass it. As much as I want to kill them all, it'd be very exhausting, they're just..."

«...too many» the both of us say in unison.

"Then it'll be faster if we shoot while driving," I conclude, now pondering the idea. "What about the Inquisitor?"

"If he really wants us, he'll follow us after the bridge. Oh, Odette, this is getting more interesting every minute!"

This outburst of enthusiasm ends up convincing me, and then I lift my neck over Luciana's shoulder to look at the path in front of us. The bridge is lifting up, while the cars, slowing down, are left behind us at a terrifying speed. I release another sharp gasp, and this time Luciana laughs at me. A soft laugh with a perverse touch due to the emotion of the moment.