Michael

Night lay like heavy velvet along the highway, occasionally pierced by the yellow flashes of streetlights. The interior of the old, slightly worn car smelled of leather, cheap air freshener, and tension, which hung in the air like a thick, almost tangible fog. Michael gripped the steering wheel with whitened fingers, his dark hair falling over his forehead, and shadows darted in his bright blue eyes—not fear, but desperate, intense concentration. In the passenger seat sat a boy—his own age, pale, with wide-open eyes that betrayed both fear and a strange, morbid curiosity. Not a word had passed between them for twenty minutes, only the roar of the engine and the pounding of his heart, echoing in his temples.

And then, red and blue lights flashed ahead. A traffic police cruiser emerged from the darkness like a ghost, and the inspector's baton pointed firmly at the shoulder. Michael felt his insides tighten into a tight, icy lump. He slowed down sharply, parked, but before the inspector could approach, he slid from the driver's seat to the backseat with lightning speed and pulled the boy toward him. The boy froze for a split second, unsure what was happening, and Michael whispered right in his ear, so quietly that even in the car it was barely audible: "Don't resist. Just play along."

The inspector leaned toward the window, ready to blurt out his usual, "Documents, please," but froze, his gaze falling on a sight he'd never expected. In the backseat, two teenagers huddled close together, looking as if they'd been caught in the most intimate moment. Michael looked at the inspector almost defiantly, but there was also a pleading quality to his expression: "Please, just go away."

The patrolman awkwardly rubbed his chin and looked away, as if suddenly embarrassed by his own presence. A blush slowly crept across his cheeks. He cleared his throat, waved his hand as if to brush away the awkwardness, and muttered, "Drive... just be careful." He turned and quickly walked back to his car, clearly relieved to be able to escape this embarrassing scene.

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