Ambulance

The ambulance sped down the highway beneath a sky filled with bright afternoon clouds. Sunlight slipped through the windows in flashes as they passed rows of trees and open fields. Inside, however, everything glowed red from the emergency lights overhead. Elena Hart lay on the stretcher, staring at the ceiling. Her arm was wrapped in bandages, and every breath made her ribs ache. The accident had happened less than an hour ago, but it already felt like a lifetime. A paramedic named Marcus sat beside her, checking her pulse. Elena nodded weakly. Outside, the world looked peaceful. Families drove home from lunch. Birds circled above the fields. Nothing seemed wrong. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was. She turned her head toward the rear windows. At first, she saw only the road stretching behind them. Then she noticed a black SUV. It stayed several car lengths back. Not unusual. But ten minutes later, it was still there. Marcus noticed her staring. Elena’s stomach tightened. Marcus didn’t answer immediately. That was answer enough. The driver glanced into the mirror. Elena sat up a little too fast and immediately regretted it. Pain shot through her side.