In My Dreams

Chapter Forty-Seven

Ada

"Oh Jaxon, thank god." I say panicked, weaving my way in and out of people dawdling the streets.
"What's wrong?" He frets.
I run up the escalators to the train platform, squinting up at the timetable looking for the time of the next train. There's one in fifteen minutes but its too long to wait. "My new boss Christopher, its Alex. It's been Alex all along. I need to tell you more but I don't have enough battery on my phone. Whatever you do, please do not deliver the painting, do you hear me?" rushing my words. Trying to say as much as I can before the phone cuts out.
"What do you mean Alex is your new boss. What the fuck Ada. Where are you?" His anger is building in his voice.
"There's no time to explain. Please do not deliver that painting, do you hear me? It's a trap Jaxon." I wait for his response but when I check my phone, there's a blank screen.
"Fuck!" I shout. Shocking a group of old ladies on their way to bingo. I wedge myself in between a billboard and a wall, hiding myself away from the world. Only five minutes has passed but it feels like a fucking lifetime as the panic continues to swarm my entire body. It's a warm afternoon but I'm stood here shivering, constantly praying, praying for a sign that Jaxon heard me. Heard my plea to not deliver that fucking painting.
The train finally pulls in and I sit in my usual window seat trying to be as inconspicuous as I can, I guess all I can do now is embrace the journey home.

"Jaxon?" I call out racing up the stairs to the flat. "Jaxon are you here!?"
Silence. He's gone.
I waste no time, I rip out my phone charger from the wall and I grab my car keys from the seashell dish on the sideboard and leave. The first thing I do when I get in the car is put my phone on charge, struggling to connect to the lead with shaky fingers. I fight with my seat belt and drive away aimlessly out of the street, clueless in which route Jaxon would take. All I can do is head for the M25. My phone springs to life, the screen lights up and that relieving little eaten apple appears, I couldn't love this apple any more right now. I quickly punch in my pin and wait for the phone to connect with the Bluetooth then click Jaxon's name as the sound of ringing fills the speakers in my car.
"Please Jaxon pick up!" I cry out. "Pick up!" But he doesn't answer and I die again inside. My stomach somersaults with dread and hopelessness as I continue driving to nowhere. It's getting dark outside and the road is starting to fill up with white head lights, whizzing past on the opposite side, people probably driving home to their families after a long day at work. I jump out my skin when Jaxon's name appears on my screen. I've never loved so much in seeing his name.
"Jaxon. Where are you?" I cry out.
"I've just stopped to get petrol. Where are you?" He asks, I start to hear the panic in his voice.
"Please tell me you are on the M25?" My words shake anticipating his answer.
"I am. Are you?" He says as tears of relief fall down my cheeks.
"Yes. I haven't past any service stations yet so I haven't past you. Which junction are you at?"
Soft splashes of water droplets blanket the windscreen while the sun sets and the grey clouds blend in with the sky, barely telling the difference between the two. "I'm not sure. You know I have to deliver the painting, right? The money has already been transferred." He tries to reason with me but quite frankly I couldn't care less about the money, his life is all I care about.
"Jaxon you are being played by Alex. Alex is the one that bought the painting. You cannot let him have it, it's one of his traps." I urge, but he doesn't listen.
"Ada it's too late. He's already sent me the money."
"Then send it back! Please, don't go. Turn around and come back with me. I don't need the money. Please. I need you more Jaxon. That money will not make us happy." I beg when a flash of light to the left of me catches my attention in the wing mirror. I see a car weaving in and out of the traffic at high-speed, flashing its full beams, bullying the other drivers on the road and forcing them out the way.
The lights, the bright lights trigger some feeling in my stomach, why did I feel this has happened before? Why do I suddenly feel like I am living a moment that I've already lived. Then In this fleeting moment the familiarities I view as brand new. "You do need the money, it will help you to get out of here. You need to get out of here do you understand me?" He says, trying to convince me this is a good idea. I will never accept money from a man that clearly has a sick motive.
"Something bad is about to happen. I can feel it... wait I think I can see your car." I laugh in relief. "I can you see. Oh, Please Jaxon, pull over." I don't think I have it in me to plead any more.
I hear him sigh. "Fine. I'll pull over but not for long okay? Follow me."
The bad feeling is still wrenching in the pit of my stomach. I'm on the brink of knowing all there is to know for this briefest of moments, I knew exactly what is to occur.
Violent rain smashes down on my car windscreen. The wiper blades are working fast and hard to smear off the droplets. As the car gets closer to mine I signal to the slow lane just so this raging lunatic can pass me but as I switch lanes, they do too. I feel anxious now. The car is bumper to bumper with mine. I move back into the middle lane safely but to my dismay this allows the person driving the car to increase their speed so our cars are now level. I can feel eyes burning into me and I can't help but look. As I peer out of the speckled window I focus in on this mysterious person. Who is that? Is that... It is...
"Oh my god, what the fuck... he's here Jaxon! Alex is fucking here! He is in the car next to me!"
Alex accelerates then passes me swerving violently in front of me causing me to slam down on my brakes.
"Fuck Ada! I don't know what to do!" I hear Jaxon screaming, almost bursting the car speakers.