Four Friends and Their Wildest Journeys

VIII. Fading shadows

The group had barely managed to steady their breath as they sped down the dark highway, the aftermath of the mansion's destruction still fresh in their minds. The car roared through the night, the road empty and endless, but none of them could shake the feeling that they weren't truly free from whatever evil had plagued them.

Suddenly, a blinding light appeared out of nowhere. A truck, its headlights cutting through the night, swerved into their lane. The sound of screeching tires filled the air as the car lurched violently to the side, spinning uncontrollably across the road.

"Hold on!" Kuba screamed, gripping the steering wheel with all his might. But it was too late.

The car hit the guardrail with a deafening crash. Metal screeched against metal, and glass shattered as the vehicle flipped over and skidded across the pavement. Time seemed to stretch, the world spinning out of control before everything went black.

When Andżelika's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she noticed was the sterile smell. The harsh fluorescent lights above her buzzed softly, and the rhythmic beeping of machines echoed in the quiet room.

She sat up, her head pounding. The sharp pain in her neck made her wince, and she looked around, confused. Karolina was lying in the bed next to her, still unconscious, her face pale. Martyna was sitting beside her, her eyes wide and frantic as she scanned the room.

"Andżelika!" Martyna gasped. "You're awake!"

But before Andżelika could respond, her gaze flicked to the other side of the room. Kuba was hooked up to a respirator, his body still and lifeless in the bed. His chest rose and fell weakly, but it was clear that he was in a coma.

"No... no, no..." Andżelika whispered, her heart sinking as she rushed over to Kuba's side. She gripped his hand, but there was no response. "Kuba... wake up!"

Martyna stood by, wringing her hands. "What happened? Where are we?"

A nurse entered the room, her expression calm but concerned. "You were in an accident. You're in a hospital in New York."

"New York?" Andżelika repeated, her voice shaky. "How did we get here? We were just... in the car..."

The nurse gave her a sympathetic smile. "The doctors did everything they could. But your friend is in a coma, and only time will tell if he'll wake up."

Andżelika gritted her teeth, looking back at Kuba. He had always been the one who kept things together, the one who could make everyone laugh in the darkest moments. Now, he was lying there, helpless, and Andżelika couldn't bear it.

Her anger flared up, her fists clenched. "This is all your fault, Karolina," she muttered under her breath, glaring at the still form of her friend. "If we hadn't been so stupid... if you hadn't—"

Before she could finish, she slapped Karolina hard across the face.

"Wake up!" Andżelika screamed.

The sound of the slap echoed through the room, and Karolina's body jerked in the bed. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, Karolina's eyes fluttered open, a dazed look on her face.

"What the hell?!" she mumbled, blinking rapidly as she stared at Andżelika. "Why did you slap me?"

Andżelika's face twisted into a scowl. "You needed to wake up, alright?"

Karolina tried to sit up, but a sudden wave of dizziness made her collapse back against the pillow. "Ugh... my head."

Martyna stared at the two of them in disbelief. "What just happened? We were... in a car crash, and now we're here?"

"Apparently, we're in New York," Andżelika said, her voice cold and distant. She turned away from the bed and started pacing around the room, her hands on her hips. "Kuba's the one who's really messed up. He's in a coma, and no one can tell us when he'll wake up."

Karolina sat up, her face pale, but she didn't say anything, her eyes focused on Kuba.

Martyna bit her lip, clearly stressed. "So... what do we do now? I mean, we can't just sit here... we have to figure out a way to get back to the others... to figure out what happened."

Andżelika turned on her heel, frustration written all over her face. "We don't have time for that. I'm tired of this." Her voice grew louder, more determined. "We're stuck here. But I'm not going to sit around waiting. I've had enough of this nonsense."

Martyna frowned. "And where do you think you're going?"

Without answering, Andżelika walked toward the door, opening it with a defiant push. "I'm going out. I need a break from all this madness."

Martyna glanced between Karolina and Andżelika. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she stood up and walked toward the door. "Fine. But you're not going alone. I'm coming with you."

Karolina, still recovering from the slap, shook her head in confusion. "What? You guys can't just leave. What about Kuba?"

Andżelika shot Karolina a pointed glance. "He's in good hands here. The doctors are taking care of him."

Martyna nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we'll figure out the rest later. Right now, we need a break. New York's a big place. Maybe we can finally clear our heads."

Andżelika didn't wait for Karolina to say anything else. She pushed open the door and walked into the hallway, Martyna following close behind. They moved through the sterile corridors of the hospital, the bright fluorescent lights flickering overhead.

Once outside, the cool night air hit them, a sharp contrast to the hospital's suffocating atmosphere. The city of New York sprawled out before them, its towering skyscrapers and neon lights stretching endlessly. The noise of the bustling city filled the air, but in that moment, it felt like they were miles away from everything that had happened.

Martyna sighed. "Well, at least we're not stuck in that haunted house anymore..."

Andżelika grinned. "Yeah. Let's see where this city takes us. No more ghosts. No more demons. Just... us."

They walked into the city, the chaos of New York surrounding them, as they tried to leave their past behind—at least for a little while.