sur·vive
continue to live or exist in spite of danger or hardship. even when it comes to summoning a coven of witches with an intent to kill you by stealing your youth. especially when your crush and your little sister are caught in the mix.
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MAX RACED DOWN the twisting roads of Salem, the oppressive stillness of the night wrapping around him like a suffocating shroud. The children in their pajamas walked to the witches' house to their doom. Now Max was going 20 past the speed limit. "Step on it, Max!" Dani shouted, urgency lacing her voice like a knife. He sighed, repeatedly stealing glances in the rearview mirror, half-expecting to see something wicked trailing them. Max pressed the gas pedal, the speedometer climbing twenty miles over the limit. "Are they following us?" Max's voice shook, dread curling around his words like smoke. Jasper craned her neck, straining to peer into the black void behind them. "No." she replied, but the tremor in her tone betrayed her. Max turned to her, forcing a smile that felt brittle, a fragile mask over his rising fear. "Good." he chuckled, the sound strained and hollow. He gripped the steering wheel tighter, instinctively reaching for Jasper's hand. She grasped his, her touch a fragile tether in the oppressive darkness. Dani's head popped between them, her wide eyes reflecting the tension that crackled like static. Then, a voice sliced through the night, sharp and mocking. "Pull over!" They turned to see Winifred Sanderson, her wicked grin glistening in the moonlight. "Let me see your driver's permit. Ha!" The cackle that erupted from her lips clawed at the air, sending icy tendrils of dread spiraling through the car. Panic surged as Winifred lunged for Max, her talon-like nails raking across his skin. Dani, Jasper, and even Binx clung to him in a frantic tangle of fear. In a surge of adrenaline, Max grabbed Winifred's wild, dark orange hair, elbowing her fiercely. For a moment, she faltered, her grip loosening, but it was only a fleeting victory. Max slammed down on the gas, but the magic broom had other plans, pulling them into a nightmare. "Resisting arrest?" Winifred rasped, her voice dripping with malice as she wrenched at Max's hair again. Jasper seized the wheel, swerving wildly as Max struck back at the witch. The sickening sound of her body crashing into the bushes rang out like a twisted symphony, drawing forth a burst of nervous laughter that felt more like a scream. "Whoo-hoo!" Dani cheered, her delight masking the rising tide of terror. "Yee-hah!" Max shouted, adrenaline surging through him. But as he turned to Jasper, he saw her smile fade, joy slipping from her eyes like sand through fingers. He placed his hand on her thigh, searching her chocolate gaze for a glimmer of reassurance. "You okay?" he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper laced with concern. She looked to him, a shadow darkening her soft features, hinting at the lurking horrors still to come. The night felt far from over, and the true terror was just beginning, creeping closer with every heartbeat. "Ask me tomorrow?"
