*This is published on December 21, 2019. The next episode will be out next week. If you like this story, please leave a comment and/or vote and thank you for taking the time to read this. Have a blessed day! Enjoy! Btw, the song is always One Foot by Walk the Moon and the End credits song will always be Whispers in the Dark by Skillet.*

*Edit: The soft song played during the flashback is called "Talk" by Khalid.*

Meanwhile, Sam drove McWinkle's vehicle through the deserted freeway, his frown stuck on his face since he left McWinkle's house. Did he do the right thing? Did he save them? He saw the confused look on Guy's face, as well as on Michellee's and E.B's. Sam had the guilt holding his heart but...he knew he did the right thing, right?

"I'm sure I did the right thing," Sam muttered underneath his breath.

No, you didn't.

"Yeah...I'm a hundred percent sure I did the right thing." Sam boosted his confidence.

No, you idiot, you didn't do the right thing! Maybe you should explain to your new 'family' about why this 'Ghost' is after you!

Sam sighed while throwing his head back against the cushion of his driver's seat. He stared at the long road ahead of him, discouraged. It's too silent in the vehicle for him to be alone with his thoughts. Sam glanced at the radio, curving up a soft smile.

"Let's make some noise in here," Sam uttered to himself, "Putting in some music on should be comforting."

Sam flipped on the radio station to a piece of calm relaxing music but the lyrics brought him back a few memories.

https://youtu.be/Y1QZOprK7PQ

Flashback: 

Sam was only a young boy when he's alone at that lonesome orphanage. He talked to a few kids but they didn't accept him. Some of them were adopted and some considered him a freak. None of them wouldn't want Sam to be their friend. One day, when Sam turned nine, he witnessed something in the orphanage that was best to not go deep into remembering.

"You can't have your son back," the woman, who was the head of his orphanage, responded to a young desperate mother. The mother's fur was yellow...just like Sam's...it might have been his mother. But he couldn't see her face. 

"Please, he needs me."

"You don't have enough brunkels to take care of your son in the first place," The head lady of his orphanage responded.

The mother clenched her teeth in anguish. "Then, I'll find something...something that will bring brunkels...and I will return to him."

In all honesty, Sam thought that the mother was talking about him...he waited a few years later to learn the hard way. Another kid, who had yellow fur like him, ran up to the desperate mother. She had earned enough brunkels to take care of her one only son...it's too bad that Sam...Sam didn't get adopted.

Sam waited and waited for years for his mother to make a bold entrance and reclaim her son...but that dream never happened. If his mother can't reach him, then Sam can reach to his mother. Sam packed up his things from his dorm, along with his big lucky red hat, and snuck out of the orphanage on a rainy day at the age of fifteen. No one knew he disappeared and that's a good thing for him. 

He ran out in the storm, not considering the warnings from strangers to take shelter from the storm. He finally hid out in the alleyway, trembling in the cold. The tears formed out of his eyes and slid down his cheeks, letting the rain droppings come down harder. Sam heard footsteps coming from to his right in the alleyway and glanced up at the mysterious man, with red fur but the hat covered his face. He offered a hand to Sam and Sam----

Present:

Tap-Tap-Tap!

Sam flicked a glance out of his driver's side window to see who it is, snapping out of his trance.

Guy had thrown something at Sam's window to grab Sam's attention from Michellee's bubbled car. He motioned Sam to point at someone behind them but Sam didn't understand. He rolled down the window, ignoring Guy's gesture for Sam to stop.

"What are you saying, Guy--?"

Suddenly, a bullet shattered Sam's rearview mirror to the driver's side, causing him to yelp a bit.

Guy rolled down the window. "Sam! There's a madman chasing after us!!!"

Sam turned his head to notice an assassin with a gray hood and cloak chasing after them while riding on a motorcycle. "Huh...I thought he would come after me."

"Huh?!" Guy heard Sam's mumbling, not understanding what the heck was going.

Sam shook his head to skip the subject. "Nevermind! Tell Michellee to follow me!"

Sam sped his vehicle ahead of Michellee's. Before Guy turned to her to tell her what Sam instructed, Michellee pressed the gas pedal hard to catch up with Sam. Guy glanced back at E.B. to make sure that she's okay. She still covered her head while ducking her head down low. Guy cornered a relieved smile before hearing more gunshots, causing the three of them to yelp. Michellee noticed Sam speeding into the dark tunnel to lose the guy behind them, so she trailed after him. Both of the vehicles zoomed into the dark tunnel. Guy turned his head to notice the assassin chasing them disappeared, which gave him a sigh of relief.

Guy shifted his gaze at Michellee, who still had a worried look on her face. "Michellee, are you doing okay?"

"I-Is that man behind us?" Michellee stuttered, her voice trembling.

"No, he's long gone."

As soon as both of the vehicles exited out of the tunnel, Guy and Michellee heard a thumping on top of them.

You spoke too soon, Guy. You spoke too soon.

They heard someone stomping on top of the vehicle, panicking Michellee a bit.

Guy narrowed his brows as he shot his determined glance over at his girlfriend. "Where do you keep the weapons, honey?"

"Weapons...?" Michellee questioned, raising her brow.

"Yes!"

"In--in the glove compartment."

Guy whipped his focus on the glove compartment in front of him and opened it quickly. He luckily noticed a baton falling out of the glove compartment. He immediately grabbed it and rolled down the window.

"Wha-Wait, Guy!" Michellee shouted but Guy climbed out of the passenger window, losing his brown old worn-out hat in the process. He stood on top of the vehicle to face the assassin glaring at him. The assassin had a small blade coming out of his sleeve, but that didn't phase Guy.

Oh boy...Guy stood on top of Michellee's bubble-wrapped car boldly while holding a...baton? Hmm, that wouldn't be my weapon of choice for fighting against a TRAINED ASSASSIN!!!

The assassin made the first move to swipe the small blade across Guy's throat but Guy dodged it in the nick of time. Guy smacked the assassin by the side of the head with the baton gripped tightly in his hands. The assassin, however, recovered quickly from Guy's smack and kicked him in the gut, causing Guy to tumble over to the front hood of the car in front of Michellee. She screamed while swerving the car to get the assassin off. Guy slid a bit from side to side.

"Honey, stop swerving!--" Guy shouted but was interrupted by the assassin taking out his long blade and charging at him. He rolled over to dodge the assassin's blade that plunged next to the side of his head, barely missing him. He immediately recovered his footing on the bubble-wrapped car and tackled the assassin away from the front of the car. They both tumbled towards the rear of the car while the assassin rolled smoothly and regained his footing. He pushed Guy down and raised his blade to end his life but Guy blocked his blade with his baton. He pushed his baton underneath the assassin's wrist with a grunt.

Guy gritted his teeth. "Get...off of me!"

Guy kicked the assassin the gut to push the hooded creep away from him. He did not hesitate to pursue after the assassin while shoving him almost off the car. The assassin held on the rim of the edge of the bubble-wrapped car. Before Guy could kick the hooded man off of Michellee's car for good, the assassin gripped around his ankle and pulled him down. Guy slipped and grabbed the rim of the car, noticing E.B. watching in horror at both Guy and the hooded man.

Guy bulged his eyes out while motioning that everything is fine to E.B, which of course she didn't believe him. Before Guy could motion further to the little girl, the assassin almost jabbed him in the hand...luckily he missed. Guy quickly drew his hand out of the way while shimmying along the edge to put his foot on top of the trunk. He swung himself over on top of the trunk while the assassin climbed up back on top of the blue vehicle. Both Guy and the assassin shot an intense and hardened glare at each other.

Meanwhile, Sam noticed Guy fighting with the assassin on top of Michellee's car from his rearview mirror in the car, his heart racing.

"Oh no, Guy!" Sam shouted, his arms trembling.

Sam couldn't let Guy get hurt or even fight that hooded monster...He had to protect Guy. So, Sam did the one thing that...that he himself would not believe what he was about to do.

Sam put his feet up to steer the wheel. He quickly opened up his briefcase and pulled out two sets of different color strings, one yellow and one pink. He tied one of them to connect between the rearview mirror and the steering wheel and tied another one to the other side of the wheel to the rack holding up the folders. Sam also drew out a brick as he set the brick to press on the gas pedal. He hurriedly rolled down the window and hopped out while grabbing his briefcase and climbed out of his car. He noticed the assassin pinning Guy on top of the car, with a glare. Sam launched his briefcase at the assassin. The assassin took an impact of the hit, getting off of Guy. Sam hopped to Michellee's vehicle while letting McWinkle's car zoom straight ahead towards the desert. He climbed on top of the car to stand beside Guy. Guy jumped up to his feet with his eyes enlarged in shock.

"Sam!" Guy gasped, narrowing his brows. "Who the yip is this guy?!"

Sam shifted his focus on the assassin, who tossed his packed briefcase off of the car. "I'll tell you later! Guy, get back inside of the car!"

"No! Not without you!" Guy protested defiantly, shaking his head.

The assassin leaped at the both of them. Sam tackled the assassin away from Guy while the assassin punched Sam in the face to get him away. Guy wrapped his baton around the assassin's throat and attempted to choke him. The assassin elbowed Guy in the stomach and shoved Guy off of him. Without the assassin looking, Sam swiped his foot to trip him. The assassin slipped but didn't fall until Guy recovered and swung his baton at the assassin's head, causing the assassin to collapse. The assassin gagged while Sam hopped on his back and wrapped his thin arms to choke him again. The assassin elbowed Sam harshly in the chest back while Guy kicked him in the gut. The assassin slashed his small blade at Guy's leg, leaving an open wound on Guy's leg.

"GAAHH!" Guy screeched while tripping back on top of the car and dropping his baton.

Sam gasped, his eyes trembling in fear to see Guy in pain. Then something took over him...something that snapped so suddenly. Sam hardened his deadly glare at the assassin. No one can imagine what's like to stare into those angry eyes of Sam's...until today. And...wait, why was his fur turning...red? Uh...this is a whole new side of Sam I have absolutely no idea existed.

Sam picked up Guy's baton and beat the living daylights out of the assassin.

"Don't you hurt my best friend!!! Do you hear me?!" Sam bellowed, his tears edging while beating the assassin before the assassin could fight back. "Don't you dare hurt my briefcase buddy!!!"

Sam knocked the assassin off of the car finally, causing the assassin to tumble into the empty streets. The assassin laid there behind them, his body not moving...that could only mean one thing...

Holy Cow, Sam...did you just...you know what, nevermind.

Sam sighed deeply while his fur went immediately back to yellow and turned to Guy, whose eyes bulged out in pure shock.

"S-Sam?" Guy called, stuttering.

Sam gazed down at the bubble-wrapped car softly, "I-I'm sorry...I haven't been this angry for a long time...we need to get in the car."

Guy took a glance at his wounded leg and nodded in agreement. "Right."

Sam strolled past Guy, rubbing his arm nervously. He entered through the passenger window and sat at the backseat next to E.B, followed by Guy. Guy warily entered back in the car with his injured leg and sat on the passenger seat, grinding his teeth in pain. Michellee noticed a huge cut on Guy's leg.

"Honey, are you okay?!" Michellee gasped in shock, fear taking over her tone.

Guy nodded his head while examining his wound. "I'm fine, dear. I'm fine."

"You need to go to a hospital!" Michellee yelped, her heart racing.

"I'm doing okay," Guy assured Michellee.

"No...Michellee is right," Sam agreed with Michellee, his face full of worry.

"Don't worry, it's just a scratch," Guy downplayed his injury. "Just put some bandage on it and it'll mend itself up eventually."

"Assassin's blade leaves a deadly poison in your bloodstream," Sam added the fact.

"Poison?!" Michellee screeched while covering her agape mouth.

"Yeah, it needs attention right away," Sam concluded his fact.

Guy turned to Sam with his brow raised. "How did you know that?"

Sam looked away, rubbing his arm, raising suspicion for Guy.

"Sam...please tell me who the heck is the guy chasing us."

Sam lifted his gaze, his innocent eyes saddened. "The assassin...who chased after you guys...is called The Ghost."

"The Ghost?" E.B. joined the conversation, raising a brow.

"Yes...the assassin who killed people mysteriously."

"Why is he after us?" Guy asked, turning his body to Sam while Michellee was focused on the road and drifting off into deep and sad thoughts.

"He isn't supposed to be after you," Sam uttered, sighing. "He's supposed to be after me."

"You? Why?" E.B. questioned.

Sam paused for a brief second, exhaling. "Do you guys remember about me being a criminal?"

Both Guy and E.B. nodded their heads in remembrance.

"Well," Sam continued. "That's why The Ghost is after me."

"That can't be the only reason...can it?" Guy probed, clenching his teeth after he responded. He lifted his injured leg to his lap and examined it deeper.

Sam silenced himself, sitting back against the back cushion. E.B. raised her brow while noticing Guy's cut.

Michellee became grossed out of the cut while gluing her eyes to the road, "You know, there should be a medi-cart on the train. If we tell them the emergency...maybe they'll take a look at your leg."

Guy groaned a bit. "Alright...but I'm fine."

"Just in case, Guy. Just in case," E.B. reassured Guy with a cute smile.

Guy curved a smile back but clenched his teeth suddenly. He examined the deep cut on his leg again, noticing where the hurt came from.

Guy began to wonder, why did it hurt that bad? Was Sam right about the injury? Was there poison inside of him?

Sam noticed Guy's injury getting worse and Michellee slowing down. "Michellee, drive! Drive like Guy's life depends on it!"

"What?--"

Michellee slammed her foot on the gas pedal and zoomed through the deserted freeway without hesitation, causing the four of them to fall back on their seats.

Meanwhile, a different man stood over the dead assassin's body and watched the dust formed on the road while holding onto Guy's old worn-out hat.

~.~

They finally arrived at the train station, luckily the line wasn't long and the train just arrived. Michellee parked her car in the parking lot and hurriedly opened the car door. Sam and E.B. helped with the luggage while Guy swung the car door open and stepped out. When Guy was about to walk, his injured leg caused him to stumble. Michellee noticed Guy barely walking.

"Guy--?"

Guy took another step but he ended up almost falling onto the floor. Luckily, Michellee was there to catch him.

E.B. widened her eyes in shock. "Guy?"

Michellee immediately shifted her attention to her daughter. "Get the luggage inside of the train, quickly."

Sam and E.B. rushed towards the line while one of the attendants, with blue fur and coat, noticed Michellee helped Guy towards the train.

"Excuse me," The attendant called Sam and E.B. "Is the man behind you okay?"

Both of them knew the attendant was referring to Guy.

"He's injured! It's an emergency that you look at him now," Sam urged, his throat caught from fear.

The attendant nodded without hesitation and strode towards Guy and Michellee. "Take him in!"

Guy could barely hear the audio as someone helped him up from the other side towards the train. The other voices were incoherent...he could hear Sam blabbering and E.B. shouting. He could also hear Michellee whimpering from beside him and her head fell on his shoulder. Someone made eye-contact with them. He had blue fur and a coat...he's mouthing the words but Guy couldn't understand him. Guy noticed the train cart ahead of him. It's dark in there or was it Guy's sight? Before he reached towards the cart, everything blacked out around him. 

*To Be Continued...*

*Whispers in the Dark by Skillet*

https://youtu.be/chrPjWPG-nk