Free Haunted Waters by Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry

Ash?”
    “I don’t think so,” she whispered, her gaze darting around.
    This was worse than being chased. And way worse than Boo Heckler. “Sam,” I said, “she needs that medicine.”
    He flew around another curve, craning his neck and looking for something. He hit the brakes and swerved onto an old road that went straight up a hill. He turned left and crashed through some scrub oak at the side of the road. The SUV came to a rest and we all sat, listening. We couldn’t see the road from here, but when he rolled down his window, we heard the truck pass.
    I gave Sam a thumbs-up, and he backed out of the oaks. I thought we were going to get stuck, but the four-wheel drive took over and we zipped out and back onto the road. We headed back the way we had come.
    “We’ll get Ashley’s medicine, then go to the police station,” Sam said. He glanced in his rearview mirror. “Try 911 again.”
    Ashley shakily handed me the phone and I dialed, but it was dead. Still, I was feeling a lot better about our chances.
    My head jerked back as something slammed us from behind. Ashley screamed and Dylan burst into tears. Sam fought to keep control of the Land Cruiser.
    I whirled around. The green car was on our tail.
    “Seat belts tight!” Sam said.

Chapter 46

    I fought to stay focused. There was no way I could afford a seizure now. Bryce said the green car was behind us, but I forced myself not to glance back. It was like monsters in your closet or under your bed—you knew they were in there but you didn’t want to look. The car nudged us again, and Sam fought the steering wheel.
    I was crying and trying to comfort Dylan at the same time. “If I’d just taken my medicine!” I wailed.
    “Stop it,” Sam said. “This is not your fault.”
    Bryce dialed the cell phone again, but it still wasn’t working. Dylan pointed to the left, and I saw a flash of green. The car was right next to us!
    It veered right, but Sam swerved and avoided it, jerking our heads to the left. Dylan was crying, and I forced myself to worry about him to get my mind off myself. If only I could distract myself until I got my medicine . . .
    The lake was on our right, the reservoir rimmed with a fresh patch of snow. We crossed a bridge and the car kept up, trying to run us into the guardrail. Sam kept both hands on the wheel as the green car pulled just ahead. Sam was going fast—too fast.
    Bryce’s neck was rigid. He sat ramrod straight, holding on to the grip above his door. Dylan held my arm and whimpered. Air rushed into the SUV as loud as a freight train. It was so cold I could hardly feel my fingers.
    “Shh,” I whispered to Dylan, “it’s going to be all right.” But I had spoken too soon.
    The green car forced Sam off the road and into a patch of snowy grass where he lost control. We went up an embankment. Sam slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. At the top of the small hill we went airborne, and it felt like the whole world had slipped from beneath us.
    Everything went in slow motion. I saw crystal blue water below. Sam’s knuckles turned white around the steering wheel. Bryce put both hands on the grip above his door. Dylan’s eyes grew wide, and his mouth opened in a silent scream.
    Amazing what pops into your head when you think you might die. Would I ever get to talk to Hayley again? Would this be a story we would share? Would the police know this wasn’t an accident? Would Mom ever know the truth? Was this what Dad felt like as his plane was going down?
    The green car slid to a stop on the road. Our Land Cruiser dipped forward into its freefall toward the water.
    A white bird flew by us, its wings flapping lazily, as if nothing in the world was wrong.
    Oh, God! I prayed.

Chapter 47

    I couldn’t believe this was happening.
    Twice before in my life I thought I was going to die. Once was when I was riding bikes back in Illinois with my friend Tim. We were crossing a road in town, and I looked both ways, but Tim was