“Tell me what is going on now,” I said while keeping my voice calm because the kids were in the back seat.
“Just drive,” he replied without looking at me.
“Drive where exactly?” I asked, trying to keep my patience steady.
“Anywhere but there,” he said in a voice that sounded tired and certain at the same time.
From the back seat, Brielle asked if we were going the wrong way, and I told them we forgot something because sometimes lying is just part of keeping children calm.
We drove in silence for a long stretch through trees and empty roadside land, and my mind started filling the silence with possibilities that ranged from ridiculous to terrifying.
I wondered if Caleb had seen something or if someone was following us, and every idea felt wrong but also possible in that moment.
“Take the next turn,” he suddenly said, pointing to a narrow road that did not even look like a real exit.
I turned onto the gravel path and felt like we had stepped out of our normal life into something hidden and dangerous.
We stopped under tall pines with no houses or people nearby, and the quiet felt heavy in a way that made my chest tighten.