MY TOXIC TAURUS

CHAPTER 33

"What the fuck was that?"

Veronica yelled at Ethan surprised by the fact that he was still driving so calmly despite having caused an explosion and most definitely the death of some police officers, God knows how many. How was he so okay with it?

He did not even answer her and kept driving,his eyes fully focused on the road the entire time. He looked angry. She had no clue why he was and behind all the calmness on his face, he could not hide the hint of tension he must have had trying to get away from those cars earlier. She still did not take any of it lightly. They may have had a good valid reason to get away from the police, but they had none for killing them.

"Stop the car Ethan."

At first it was in a softer tone but when she saw him not responding, her tone was harsher, more of a yell, the second time.

He stopped the car on the side of an open, bent road. Veronica stepped out of the car angry, shaking and breathing heavily. She had literally just watched people die. It was not an everyday thing and it felt as though she was going to get another one of her panic attacks.

"Vee please get back in the car," Ethan said standing next to the car door as he watched her walk away.

"Ethan you literally killed some people back there..."

"It was in self defense Veronica!"

Ethan barely realized he was shouting at her in anger. He was aware that he killed people but it was not intentional. It was a survival instinct. At the end of the day it was either them or him and Veronica. He had to save them and instead of yelling at him, she should have been more understanding.

"Self defense? You call that self defense? Ethan how in the world do you even have a gun?"

"You and I know both know that guy was going to shoot at us whether I stopped or not."

"You can't tell that for sure..."

"I can and you can too so why are you acting like you don't know that?"

"I can't with you, not now."

Ethan hit the car door feeling frustrated trying to make Veronica understand as she walked further into the middle of the road, "would you just get back in the car and talk this out while we drive."

"And where exactly do you plan on driving to? We literally have the entire police force after us and you killing those guys made it all worse. Don't you see that?... Not to mention Chris who I'm sure as hell is also after us and might just find us if you keep..."

"Don't pin all this on me Veronica. We both know this is your fault too. Matter of fact it all is!" Ethan yelled,

"perhaps it would have been better if you just got married to that guy and let me be. So what if I would have been getting married to Esther? It would have been easy with her."

He stopped in his tracks realizing everything he had just said and seeing the hurt in Veronica's eyes. She stared at him in disbelief and he could not take it. He could not stand how she looked at him. What she must have thought of him. He had just blurted the worst things in anger and there was no way of taking it all back.

He moved deeper to the roadside, away from her, running his hands through his hair.

Veronica had the words replaying in her mind. How could he have said that to her? She came for him. To him, and now he was telling her it would have been better if she married Chris. Did he want to be with Esther? Is that why he said all those things? What hurt her even more was the fact that instead of trying to make things better, he moved away.

How could she forget so easily though? Ethan always ran from a fight. That was the reason for the several breakups they had had before. She had been so blinded by the good side she missed, it acted as a cover up for all the bad she had forgotten. It had not always been all rosy between them. He was right about one thing. It would have been easier with Esther. Between them, everything had always been difficult. One huddle after another. Maybe it would be better if they were not together.

She stood there, watching him while all sought of crazy thoughts and questions ran through her mind.

Ethan felt guilt. He knew he shouldn't have said what he did. This was not her fault and he was glad she had come to him and not married Chris. Everything he said to her was wrong, untrue and he was only being selfish. He knew he had to apologize, and he turned to her, ready to take it all back. Apologizing was never his thing. He did not know how to but he had to try.

His eyes met hers and he could see the tears welling up in hers. He wanted to walk up to her and hug her,make her realize he did not mean anything he said and if possible, make her forget. Make her forget the past few minutes. Maybe approach the subject in a different way but then something caught his eye.

The flash came, suddenly and without a warning. Everything had happened so fast but in his head, it played in slow motion almost like in the movies. The car was coming at full speed, its driver must have been crazy or drunk, driving so recklessly on a bend. Ethan saw it first just as he was about to mouth the words 'sorry' to her. He looked at the car, then back at Veronica as the most horrified look formed on his face alerting Veronica while he shouted her name.

He was running to her, and even though she was not so far away from him, he did not seem able to reach her. He yelled her name to warn her as she turned to look at the car, too shocked to dare move from the speedily oncoming threat to her life. Seconds later, she was lying lifeless on the other side of the road.

He reached her, scooping her in his arms and trying to get her to open her eyes. He was panicking,at first not clearly thinking of what to do. The car sped away right after hitting her and all he got was its plate number.

Ethan quickly got Veronica into the car and drove back to town at a hospital not so far from where they were. He did not care if Chris or the police found them anymore. Right then, Veronica's life was on the line and that was all he could think of seeing the nurses rush her into the operating room while he stood there covered in blood. Her blood.

If only he had not said what he did. If he had calmly sorted out their issue and convinced her to get into the car. She would still be okay, safe. This was all his fault. He was the reason she got run over and she had a point. All he should have done was listen. He stood on the hospital corridor, his eyes constant on the operating room door as he felt tears stream down his face. He could not lose her. Not again.