CHAPTER 3,4

The next morning he went to the film set, where Mia was already waiting for him.

"Good morning, Mr. Willis."

"Good morning, Mia, call me you too.

" "Okay."

Alex Dogliotto was walking towards them, waving his cell phone.

"Martin, I called you and I couldn't get through.

" "Oh yeah, I turned my phone off," Martin smiled. "Did something important happen?

" "Yes, I mean, I think so. Ashley called me, she said I should tell you to call her and you'll sort everything out.

" "What are we supposed to sort out?" Martin scowled.

"Martin, call her, maybe it's not what you think.

" "What do you mean? I invite her to a romantic dinner, and then she suddenly tells me she's getting married in three months, and then leaves without saying goodbye or explaining anything. She doesn't show any signs of life for a month and a half. Do you think I should call her after all this?

" "Can I interject?" Mia looked at both men.

"What are you trying to say?" Alex asked her ironically.

"Maybe she didn't want this wedding at all?"

"More like, if anything, she doesn't want it." Martin suddenly understood what he'd said. After all, it's only been a month and a half, maybe there's still some hope of saving their relationship? If you could call it that. But he decided to find her and explain it. He didn't want to do it over the phone. "I have to go somewhere," he said, more to himself than to the others. He grabbed his jacket from the chair, quickly jumped into the car, and set off.

"Where is he going?" Mia looked at the departing car in surprise.

"I have no idea, sometimes he suddenly goes crazy and just drives somewhere," Alex sighed. "Let's get to work.

" "Without Martin?

" "Yes."

Martin raced to Ashley's house, hoping to find her there. When he got there, he got out of the car and knocked on the door.

"There's no one there," said the voice of a woman standing in the neighboring garden. "She left a few days ago.

" "Where?

" "Somewhere out of town.

" "Thank you." Martin quickly took the car and drove towards the next town. He hoped he would find her there. The sun was setting, and he kept driving. He had to fill up with gas a few times. He was tired from the drive, but he didn't give up easily. He was always stubborn and drove blindly, literally.

The moon rose into the sky; it was a full moon. Martin continued driving without rest. His eyes were already getting wet, but he kept driving. It was an unwise move. At one point, he closed his eyes. Suddenly he heard the loud honking of a large car, opened his eyes, and saw a truck heading straight for him. He didn't have time to avoid it. The car hit him.

He woke up a few days later, opened his eyes, and stared at the ceiling of some room.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" A woman wearing a lab coat approached the bed. He realized he was in the hospital, and this was a nurse.

"What happened? I only remember the lights and the noise.

" "You were in an accident, you fell asleep at the wheel, and the truck hit you.

" "Oh, man.

" "You were very lucky, you're just bruised. I've never seen anyone come out of that with only bruises.

" "I'm lucky," he smiled to himself.

"Should I call someone to come here?"

"Yes, my friend.

The next morning, Alex came to Martin's.

"Are you crazy?! Hit a truck?! You've completely lost your mind!

" "Yes, I know, I was stupid, I could have died. But I didn't hit it. "

Someone knocked on the door.

"Did you take anyone with you?

" "No."

"Come in." As soon as Martin said that, Mia entered the room. However, this time she wasn't wearing her suit, but a tight, red dress with a plunging neckline. Both men grinned and looked the woman up and down.

"What are you looking at, huh?

" "How did you know I was lying here?

" "I was following you.

" "What!?

" "What? I wanted to know where my boss was going," she smiled. "And anyway, I was the one who called the ambulance.

" "You're so curious. And you know that curiosity is the first step to hell?" Alex said.

"Yes, I know. Maybe I want to go there?"

A few days later, Mr. Willis was released from the hospital.

"So now we're going home." Alex took the keys from his car and opened the door so Martin could get in. Martin looked at them and said,

"I'm not going.

" "What!?" Alex exclaimed.

"I'm going on, I'm not interrupting my journey now. Where's my car?

" "It's totaled. And you're not going anywhere, you don't have a car.

" "I can help, of course I expect something in return." Mia looked at Martin.

"What do you want in return?

" "You'll shoot all my videos.

" "Okay, give me the keys.

" "Not so fast, I said I could help, not borrow the car.

" "What did you mean you could help me?

" "I'm coming with you.

" "Even better, two lunatics behind the wheel. I'm going home, and you do whatever you want." Alex got into the car and drove off.

"Okay, fine."

"Oh, one more thing.

" "What again!?

" "You have to listen to me."

"I'm listening? You're kidding, right?" Martin glanced at the woman, but she had a serious face. "Okay, let's get going."

"Let's go then," Mia smiled, and they both set off.

CHAPTER 4

They drove along the road, it was hot. Every now and then they stopped to refuel or buy something to drink. They switched places every two hours.

"How do you know where she is?" Mia finally asked.

"I don't know, I'm just driving," Martin smiled, but Mia didn't return the smile (as she almost always did).

"I don't like it, we're just driving blindly."

"Oh well. She should be there."

"Should she? So you're not even sure about that? Great! Just great! We're driving such a long way for nothing, I've had enough, we're turning around." Mia made a sudden jerk of the steering wheel, making Martin grab onto something.

"What?! We can't turn around now!

" "I'll prove to you we can.

" "I'm getting out then. Stop the car." Mia stopped the car with a screech of tires.

"Go ahead,

get out!" "I'm getting out too!" Martin opened the door and then slammed it. "Now you can go!" Martin started forward, and Mia started forward too. So they both set off in opposite directions.

"Let her go, I don't need her car, I don't need her!" Suddenly, Martin saw a motel in front of him. "Finally!" He ran towards it. He stopped there for the night, and the next morning he continued his journey. The road stretched on, and all around him was nothing but desolation, like a desert. What's more, the sun beat down mercilessly. It was 40 degrees Celsius in the shade.

Mia was driving calmly in the car. Suddenly, her phone rang. She picked it up and connected the call.

"Yes, hello?" But no one answered, and the phone continued to ring. She looked back and saw it was Martin's cell phone; he'd left it in the backseat.

"Even better, he forgot his cell phone." She picked it up. "Ashley" was on the phone. She thought for a moment, but decided to answer.

"Yes, hello?" For a moment, only someone's breathing could be heard, until finally, an uncertain female voice spoke.

"Is this Mr. Martin Willis's phone?"

"Yes, but he's currently unavailable.

" "And when will he be available?" "

Maybe tomorrow. Or should I tell you something?

" "I don't think so, I just wanted to..." "

Where are you? Perhaps Mr. Willis can speak to you privately?

" "Who are you?"

"A friend.

" "Aha." The woman's voice was filled with uncertainty. "That's exactly what I wanted to do."

"So?

" "Please write down the address."

"Okay." Mia took a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down the address.

Mia quickly turned the car around and headed in the direction the man had left. She didn't have to look for him for long.

"Hey!" The girl whistled at the boy. "Are you getting in?

" "Have you changed your mind?

" "No, you should probably change your mind.

" "I'm not going to.

" "What if I told you your girlfriend drove in the opposite direction?

" "First of all, I'm going in the right direction, and secondly, if anything, her fiancée isn't her girlfriend, okay?

" "Sure, sure. What if I told you she called your cell phone?

" "Then I would have known.

" "I don't think so." Mia waved her phone in front of him.

"You took my phone?!

"No, I think YOU forgot it.

" "Did she really call?

" "Yes, she wants to talk to you in private.

" "Why didn't you say so right away!" Martin quickly jumped into the car.

"I told you, but you didn't listen. As usual."

The two of them set off on their journey again, driving for a long time. The entire time, there was desolation around them, a few buildings visible from time to time. Suddenly, the car's engine began to make an unpleasant clicking sound.

"Oh, that's not good.

" "What's going on?

" "The engine's dying.

" "What? How am I supposed to get to her in time now?

" "If I were you, I wouldn't worry about getting to my FIANCE, but about getting out of here." Mia looked at Martin.