By Maya Petzoldt, TIWP Student

“What does it mean to roll the dice?” I questioned out loud, swerving the steering wheel to the right and taking us down an ever creepier road.

“How the hell should I know?” Vivian respond, sticking her head out the window again, taking another few shots at the car following and not hitting even one person. (I can’t say the same for their windshield though. Well, not like our back window is any prettier right now.)

“Well then, why did he say it? He’s a dude in a suit driving a car while shooting at us. He’s gotta mean somethin’!” I say, pressing harder on the gas. The pedal is going to go through the floor at this rate.

This time swerving to the left, I make a U-turn and pass by his window. Things seem to be going in slow motion as I look over. His eyes, like purple diamonds, seem to cut the feeling. As if his stare alone was too much for time, it didn’t want to drag out that moment longer than it needed to. We sped past, heading towards another burrow, Manhattan to be exact, straight out of Brooklyn.

Speeding over the bridge, I felt faster than light. I felt like I was in the stories I always dreamed about. But this is not one of those stories, definitely not one of those stories. I was not a prince going to save the princess. I was a 28 year old girl in a car chase after stealing a deck of cards.

“These cards better be worth it, Vivs,” I shout at her, over the roaring sound of the wind.

“I already told you in the contract, remember, they’re priceless. Now shut up the f*** up and drive,” she said, continuingly checking the mirror. I decided if I was gonna get my cash, I was gonna have to listen. So, I shut my mouth and drove—extremely well if I do say so myself.

The buildings got more and more blurred the faster I drove. I took this as a good sign. The faster I go, the more likely it is that we’ll lose them. I wish it was that easy, that it was ever going to be that easy. Another shot rings out, and it’s not from Vivians gun. I hear the shatter right after, to my left. I look quickly. I barely have the chance to take my eyes off the road, and see my side view mirror is broken. Looking back up, I see we’re heading towards a ramp, a very steep ramp.

I swerve to the left, cutting off purple eye’s car. As I see where I’m heading, I make a quick and likely stupid decision.

“Vivs! We’re gonna bail! Get those cards in a zip lock or something!”

Her head whips around, looking at me like I’m crazy.

“Are you nuts?”

“Probably, but I’m driving, so you better get those cards in a bag and your hand on the door! We’re going for a swim!”

She looks very questionable about this, like she senses her future regret, but she follows my orders anyways. I smirk a little, pressing on the gas as hard as possible.

In less than thirty seconds we’re in the air, about to fall into New York harbor. We open our doors and jump, landing in the water less gracefully than intended.

As I surface, I can see Vivian already swimming towards the boat. It seems she had called George or something to pick us up in that mere thirty seconds. I start to swim after her, stopping to stare at the purple eyed man one last time. I smirk and hoist myself onto the small boat, as it speeds away, I can see the fury slowly grow in his face. My smirk widens, and I turn my head towards the opposing dock. Yeah, we won this round.