Demons Beside You

Chris drove behind Nance, staying about 60-70 feet away. There weren’t many cars on the road, but Nance didn’t notice her following him.

Looking at Nance through the window, it could be seen that he was talking to someone while driving. He kept moving toward the shotgun seat and his mouth seemed to be moving.

Was there someone there?

There shouldn’t be one. At least, she couldn’t see anyone from the back. It wasn’t possible unless the person wasn’t as tall as the seat or was a kid.

This was impossible though. She’d been following Nance the entire time, but Nance never stopped. No one came on midway either.

Nance’s behavior was just very strange.

Suddenly, a car from the other direction drove past with far headlights. When the lights shone over, Chris felt her vision blurring. The next moment, she saw a woman’s figure sitting beside Nance.

The woman turned and looked at Chris.

“How is there a woman in Nance’s car?”

Chris looked again, but she was gone. Did she see it wrong? Or was she blocked by the seat again?

Chris felt unsettled. A bad feeling shrouded her heart.

“Where’s the car? Where did it go?”

Whoosh.

Suddenly, Chris heard breathing behind her. Light flashed in her rear-view mirror and there seemed to be a woman sitting in the backseat.

“Ah!” Chris twisted the steering wheel in fear.

Thud.

The car crashed and Chris’ forehead started bleeding. Thankfully, she hadn’t been driving fast and it didn’t cause a car accident. However, she’d run into the taxi in the other lane.

“D*mmit. Get out of the car, *sshole. You know how to drive?”

Hearing the angry roars, Chris could only unbuckle her seatbelt. When she saw the taxi driver, she said, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. How much is it? I’ll pay you.”

“I knew it’s a woman driver!” Vincent yelled, gesticulating madly. “You dented my car door. Three hundred dollars.”

Chris was pissed. If you want $300 just for that scratch, why don’t you go rob a bank instead? she thought.

“No. No way am I giving you $300. I’ll give you $100 at most.”

“You know that it’ll cost $100 just to go into the repair shop? Don’t drive on the road if you can’t pay. You scratched my car last time. You might run someone over next time, you know?”

Vincent’s words were too infuriating. Anger burned inside Chris. She’d already been close to losing control of her emotions and broke down after getting yelled at.

Thud—

“Motherf*cker, say that again! I’m gonna rip your mouth off!”

“B*tch, you think I’m scared? I don’t care if you’re a girl. I’ll hit you until not even your mother can recognize you!”

“Alright, Vincent.” Chen Zhao finally came out of the car. “Hello, Chris. We meet again.”

“You’re… Oh, you’re that guy from yesterday.”

Chris didn’t have a deep impression of Chen Zhao. After all, Chen Zhao was only one of the countless people who asked for her number.

She remembered that Chen Zhao had given her a business card with only his number, but she’d already tossed that out.

“Vincent, it’s just a small scratch and you asked for $300? I think it’ll be better if you go rob a bank.”

Seeing Chen Zhao’s eyes, Vincent immediately looked away. “Fine, because of you, I’ll just take $200. Nothing less. Hand it over.”

Chris glanced at the scratch. She was thinking this number too, but the problem was that she didn’t bring money.

“Uh, I didn’t bring that much money. Can I give it to you some other time?”

Americans were used to using credit cards. Most people wouldn’t have more than $100 in cash with them.

“I don’t know you. How do I know if you’re lying? Give me the money now.”

“Vincent, I’ll give you the money.”

“Uh…how can I let you do that?” Chris grew troubled.

“It’s no big deal. You can pay me back.”

“Sure.” Chris didn’t like owing people, but she really couldn’t find $200 right now. She didn’t even have that in her bank. “I’ll pay you back when I have money.”

“You can pay me whenever you wish. But can I have your number?”

“Oh, right…” Chris took out her phone and they exchanged numbers.

“Then, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

“Oh right… Your backseat…”

Whoosh—

Vincent had already started the engine and Chen Zhao lost his temper. “Vincent, can’t you see that I’m trying to flirt?”

“Chen, you already know enough pretty girls. You should control yourself. When I saw you get out of that woman’s house yesterday, your legs were trembling.”

“That’s because I sat on the toilet for too long. If blood doesn’t circulate well through your legs, they’ll be numb temporarily.”

“Yeah, sure, I believe you.”

…

Chris was still at the crash site. She’d heard what Chen Zhao had said.

He didn’t finish, but his words still terrified her. Backseat? What was Chen trying to say?

Was there something in her backseat?

Chris looked back at the empty car. Was there someone there? Or…something?

She didn’t dare get in the car. Was there something in there or not?

She took out her phone and stared at Chen Zhao’s number. In the end, she called. “Hey, Chen. It’s me, Chris.”

“Is something wrong?”

“You didn’t finish. What were you going to say?”

“I was going to ask if that beauty in your backseat is your friend. I was going to ask for her number.”

There really was someone in the backseat!

“Chen, there’s someone in the backseat? I didn’t see anyone.”

“Are you blind? There was a woman!”

“Bullsh*t. There was no one there. If there was, I would’ve seen, especially if it’s a pretty girl.”

“I don’t want to argue with you. I need to talk to Chris.” Turning back to the phone, Chen Zhao said, “Chris, are you still here?”

“I’m here…Chen, you…can you come back?”

“What’s wrong?”

“You said you saw another woman in my car?”

“Yeah. Is there a problem?”

“But…I didn’t see… No, more specifically, I looked and then I crashed the car. Chen, please, can you come back? I’m scared… I believe there’s something in my car, but it’s definitely not my friend.”

Chen Zhao’s expression changed. Putting a hand over his phone, he said, “Vincent, are you sure you didn’t see anyone?”