Page 71 of Wicked Nasty

“Na ulitse dozhdik, se vedra polivayet, oy, lyushenki-lully, bratt sestro cachaet.”

As the words of a beautiful voice caress my ears, I turn my face towards it. A warm hand reaches out and tenderly cups my face, as if holding something precious.

“Shhh,moya malen'kaya babochka,” they whisper softly.

That voice... I know that voice.

Timidly, I speak, afraid to be wrong and have my heart shattered.

“Katya...?”

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips and tears prick at the corners of my eyes as a familiar figure steps into view.

“Yes, my little love.”

It can't be... Katya?

Confusion and joy swirl inside me as I try to process this unexpected reunion.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, still not quite believing it.

A soft chuckle escapes Katya's lips as she takes in the sight of me. My surroundings are still a blur, but her presence is clear and real.

“I came to see you,moya devochka. I've missed you so much.”

My heart clenches at her words, and I reach out for her hands.

“I tried to find you! I looked everywhere...” I confess, desperate for answers.

Katya's expression softens as she gazes into my eyes.

“Oh, sweet girl. It wasn't time. I had to hide.”

Tears now freely flowing down my cheeks, I ask the question that has been burning in my mind since she first appeared.

“How did you find me? How are you here?”

With a gentle squeeze of my hands, Katya pulls me closer and places them over her heart.

“It was time. You needed me more than ever. Now, how did you get yourself in this predicament?” Her voice holds a hint of amusement and concern, and in this moment, with Katya by my side, everything feels like it will be okay.

A deep sigh escapes my lips, and my vision slowly begins to clear. My heart is racing as I recount the events leading up to the accident.

"I was angry... I couldn't stop crying," I say haltingly. "I wasn't paying attention."

A rush of fear runs through me as I remember the car that had tried to run me off the road. I close my eyes. "There was this car... I thought they were upset with me for driving too slow. But then they came back. Over and over again."

My voice trembles as I recall the terror of being chased on the road. "I tried to speed up, but they drove faster. They spun their car around and headed straight for me..."

Katya's soothing voice interrupts my thoughts. "Shhhh, take a deep breath."

As I do, I can feel her warmth and support surrounding me.

"I thought they would move. But they didn't..." A shudder passes through me as I try to piece together what happened next. "Everything just went black. Wait… am I dead?”

"No, you're not dead," she says with a smile in her voice. "Open your eyes, Becca."

Slowly, I do as she says and look around the room. Everything is still a bit blurry, but then my eyes land on Katya.

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