Thunderclouds pressed low as rain battered the earth in sheets.


    A narrow mountain road twisted along the hillside, slick with water. High above, boulders the size of cars broke free and thundered down, crashing into the raging river below and sending up towering plumes of spray.


    Through the blur of rain and flying water, two tiny specks—just a car—fought its way up the mountainside, tossed about like a leaf in a storm. Frail and powerless against the chaos, yet desperately clinging to life.


    Shards of rock mmed against the car''s roof and hood, louder than the drumming rain.


    M pressed herself back into her seat, fists clenched, fighting to stifle a scream. Thest thing she wanted was to distract Archie, who hunched over the wheel, his knuckles white.


    More than once, the car skidded, tires shrieking perilously close to the guardrail, the river a deadly drop below.


    A spiderweb of cracks spread across the windshield.


    Between the rain and falling debris, Archie could barely see, but he guessed the solid ground couldn''t be far. He floored the gas pedal.


    Suddenly, a boulder-taller than a man-crashed from the cliff above, scraping along the rear of the car. The back window shattered with a deafening bang, and the car slewed sideways, tires losing purchase. For a split second, M felt the car lift, almost suspended above the churning water.


    One more violent gust and they''d be swept right into the river.


    Her heart pounded in her throat.


    This is it.


    In that instant, pain exploded in her skull. Memories shed through her mind— faces, moments, regrets. But as the world spun, only one desperate thought remained: Is this really how it ends?


    So many dreams left unfinished.


    Is this all there is?


    No I''m not ready!


    Archie''s face was flushed, eyes wild, as he mmed the elerator. The engine roared, and the car shot through the storm like a wounded animal.


    Behind them, the road vanished under an avnche of rock.


    They reached solid ground, but the car was out of control, skidding wildly. The brakes were gone.


    At least the ce was deserted-no one else to get hurt.


    Both M and Archie gave up on fighting the wheel. Instead, they ducked down, arms over their heads, curling up as the car hurtled straight for a wall of stone.


    Nothing left to do now.


    CRASH!


    A jolt like an explosion rocked them, the front of the car crumpling into the rocks. Her head was ringing, about to split open.


    No time to think-just fear of the gas tank igniting. Gritting her teeth through the pain, M shoved the still-dazed Archie beside her and reached for the door. It was twisted tight, refusing to budge.


    They gave up on the doors and scrambled toward the back. The rear window was shattered-an escape route.


    They squeezed out, heedless of the ss that sliced their hands, and stumbled away, holding each other up as they half-ran, half-fell into the rain-soaked darkness.


    They''d barely made it fifty yards when a muffled bang echoed behind them. No fireball followed-just thick smoke billowing from the mangled hood. The relentless rain had saved them. Still, not taking any chances, they kept going, finally copsing under a narrow ledge, out of the downpour.


    Bnced on the knife-edge between life and death.


    M gasped for breath, dazed and shivering, the terror still clinging to her. Then, from beside her,ughter erupted-Archie,ughing so hard his battered face shone with wild delight.


    Heughed until his breath gave out, then looked up through the rain cascading off the rocks, his eyes bright, his voice hoarse but triumphant.


    "We made it."


    M blinked, dazed. "Yeah," she breathed. "We did."


    "We made it! We''re alive! We''re actually alive!" Archie whooped, sitting up, still shaking, but grinning like a madman.


    He turned to her, eyes gleaming through the rain. "Hey, have you ever watched One Piece?"


    His sudden change of subject threw her for a moment, but hisughter was infectious. M felt something inside her loosen, something fierce and wild. She nodded.


    It was a show about adventure, about boys who chased their dreams and never gave up.


    Adrian had loved it, so she''d often watched with him. Eventually she''d fallen for it herself, reading theicste at night.


    Those reckless, loyal friends who braved life and death together-it reminded her of her own youth, when everything had felt possible, when courage and hope burned bright.


    There was a kind of romance in surviving the impossible.


    Archie''s eyes sparkled. He leapt to his feet, holding his fist high, grinning at her through rain and blood and tears.


    "Let''s go, partner! Our adventure''s just getting started!"