Teeniacs: Into The Shadowed Maze

Prologue: A Storm in Motion

I've been having a hard time adjusting
I had the shiniest wheels, now they're rusting
I didn't know if you'd care if I came back
I have a lot of regrets about that

song: this is me trying - taylor swift

There is a method to someone's coping mechanisms, it would not make sense to some but for others it makes total perfect sense. That's why it puzzled Angelina Warner when she saw her husband, William Warner, get inside their car and persisted in joining her wherever she's going.

"William? What are you doing here?" She tried to avoid his gaze as she started the car. "I thought you were going to work with Pinky and Brain." William sighs, looking straight to the road. "I called them to babysit the boys, I can't let you go there alone."

The area is pitch black, the road is a bit muddy from the showers of rain. The pitter-patter of raindrops echoing against the windows of Angelina's car, making the atmosphere less quiet. That's when William spoke up, "You've been distant, Angelina. I know something's been troubling you, and I couldn't stand by and watch you face it alone."

Her grip of the steering wheel tighter, she hesitated opening up her intentions going back there. She knew the risks of this investigation, the danger of revisiting that place after the incident. "I've been gathering data, William. I suspect the people in that lab had something to do with her disappearance."

And there it spilled out, the root of this journey. "Oh Angel, it has been 10 years. You can't be thinking that they have been responsible for Angie's kidnapping..." William's quiet tone makes her stop the car and squeezes his hand.

With that touch triggers the fountain of tears that she's been keeping. "I don't want to stop looking for her William, I don't want to feel like we have forgotten about her. This pain has been eating away at me for years, and I can't bear it any longer. We can't give up on her like that!" Angelina's voice shook as she tightened her grip.

William made her face him, wiping off the stray tears from her cheeks with his free hand. "We are not forgetting or giving up on her Angel. But we can't be living with this heavy burden forever."

He swallowed a sob, "We share the pain, I feel the same hurt that you are going through but we can't go back and change the past. We need to move on. I don't mean letting go of Angie and her memories but this pain of thinking that it was our fault for not saving her and the thought of completely forgetting her."

"There's a chance with them! They might be the answer we are looking for!" Angelina exclaimed, not wanting to grapple with the fact of moving on and insisting to continue this journey.

"And what if it's not?" Soft eyes met his, running her hand through her hair. "What if it's not the answer and we get caught, or worse. I don't want to lose you like I almost did like with that incident. We need to focus on the family we have now, the children that we have."

William leans their foreheads together. A moment of hushed symphony of raindrops fills the air. "I just want to find our daughter, William." Angelina said weakly. "I know, I know.". He continues to wipe off her tears.

His words struck a chord within her, and she leaves it all sinking in. She knows that William is right, yet the question is, is she ready to release the rope? She goes closer and kisses his cheek lightly. "Thank you, for still being with me."

William softly smiled at the sentiment. "I love you to the lakes and back Angel. We're in this together, remember?" Angelina nods her head to that, finally letting go of his hand and back to the steering wheel. She turned the car around, deciding to head back home. The rain pelts against the windshield, blurring the vision.

As they drive through the desolate muddy road, their wheels slightly out of control, each bump and slippery patches of earth making them focus on the road. The peaceful solace changed into an ominous silence that fills the air. With a blinding spark of light, an incoming car speeding towards them, its headlights piercing through the darkness like a predator on the prowl.

Panic sets in, adrenaline surges, and in a split second, Angelina swerves desperately to avoid the collision, but fate has other plans. The car spins out of control, a symphony of screeching metal, breaking glass, and bone-chilling screams, as their vehicle crashes into an unsuspecting tree.

The glass and metal shards pierced their skin, that quick collision violently pushed them back. Their body limp with smoke rising from the hood of the car. Covering the wreckage with relentless rain, a figure lurked near the shattered remains.

The sound of a match being struck cuts through the air, igniting a fire near the already smoking car. The flames danced in the darkness, consuming all that was left of the couple who had once been filled with love, hope, and a chance for closure. Blown all up in a cloud of smoke.

A/N: cover made by a very great friend, thank you so much 💖💖