Chapter 610

The midday sun beat down on her, as Elena exited the apartment she lived in and walked to her car. She settled into the driver’s seat, feeling the intensity of the heat radiating from the sidewalk outside. She adjusted her sunglasses and took a slow, calming breath, enjoying the cool blast of air conditioning as it began to ease the uncomfortable warmth.

Then she inserted the key in the ignition. Turning the key she fully expected the engine to roar to life. But instead, it gave a weak sputter and fell silent. “Oh, come on!” she muttered, frustration in her voice and in her tone as she tried again. This time, the engine barely sputtered before quitting completely, leaving an uneasy silence around her. “This can't be happening right now.” She mumbled, pushing herself back against the car seat as she pulled a strand of hair from her face.

She glanced around, almost embarrassed, as if someone might witness her struggle with the aging car. It felt like a cruel reminder of everything she’d