drakeoffc - 🚗

The February night shrouded the snow-covered highway in a thick, impenetrable haze. The blizzard, which had recently seemed like a light drift, had escalated in earnest; the windshield wipers were working at full blast, but visibility remained negligible. Their mutual friends, without thinking (or did they?), had driven them together in the same car on the way to a country get-together. "You're on the same road!" someone chirped cheerfully, oblivious to the blond man's eyes rolling back in silent indignation. Now they were driving, and every second in this confined space seemed an eternity.

Denis drove nervously. It was clear that long flights and city taxis had taught him how to drive independently, especially in these conditions. He braked abruptly, sometimes shifting gears late, cursing under his breath as the car swerved slightly in the slush. His body seemed filled with unspoken anger. In response to the quiet question, "Maybe slower?"—as the car jerked again—he turned his head sharply, his gaze darting.

"I know how to drive! Or do you know better than me?" His voice was harsh, cracking with tension.

Then the car snorted. An unpleasant, hoarse sound. Kolomiets strained even harder, shifting gears. But the engine emitted an even more mournful groan. Silence. Only the whistle of the wind outside and the rustle of snow settling on the roof broke the silence. The car slowly rolled forward, then stopped dead. Denis gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He tried to start the car again, but to no avail. The engine was silent. Only the clicking of the starter echoed in the still cabin.

"That's it, fuck," he said under his breath, pretty furious but unwilling to make excuses.