The rain hit hard through the grim death of fog. The highways of Pennsylvania were known for their treacherous turns and near blinding fog. And in rain, it was all so much worse.
The giant droplets were soothing like a rhythm of refreshing cold. Over and over until the end of time; in that moment that would have been perfectly acceptable. Deeper in the fog lay the scene of a gruesome crash; blood, pain, hopelessness. No screams could be heard, either due to massive fatalities or just the faucet-like force of the rain. But at least for the time being, one man was not dead.
The man was Alexi Urmanov a Russian mafia bodyguard, 6'4", with a large muscular build, grayish blonde hair, and sky blue eyes; not much could take him down. He regularly enjoyed riding his overpriced motorcycle down the highways of Pennsylvania, miles away from the "work."
In New Jersey, he was a different man. Not a nice man; but one that survived in a profession where not many lived to see old age. I watched as he took a breath: his lips opened, taking in a sip of the torrential water. His legs were broken, that was certain, as they were stuck under the remains of the second and third car in the accident. With what little strength he had in his arms, he leaned his body against the remains of his motorcycle. He took shallow breaths over the agony; something had to happen to ease the pain. He had been a man of faith his entire life, perhaps preparing for a moment like this, when he really needed a dose of hope.
That was where I came in, to do what I had been paid to do.
Alexi had just gone head to head with an unmarked van and (somewhat) survived. A younger man would have laughed in the face of such a victory over fate- but at fifty-seven he was not a young man. And this event was more than just fate.
The unknown driver fled the scene. The truck was completely grey, and with no license plates. But on the zero visibility mountain highways, one collision caused a chain of crashes involving at least two other cars, perhaps more.
Alexi coughed up water and blood.
"Hush, Daddy, it's ok." I knew he needed to force himself not cough anymore, as he was probably bleeding internally. His crystal blue eyes streaked with rain and tears as the pain that shot through his body, threatening to render him unconscious. It was my job to hold his hand. With my blue smart car had pulled to the side of the road. I approached with caution, trying to not draw attention to myself.
To the anyone watching I wanted to appear as just a college girl nineteen maybe twenty with long blonde hair in a messy braid. Which wasn't too difficult considering my look; I was five foot six, with round cheeks, doll-like light-blue eyes.
I dialed 911, to report the accident, as I held his blood covered hand. "May the Lord Jesus protect you and lead you to eternal life." Now came the hard part. I had two transparent water bottles; one for me and one for him.
More specifically one laced with strychnine and one normal bottle for me to drink from, to show I could be trusted. Now I'm sure I lost you. But this wasn't even my plan, I was just the hired help.
He was going to die anyway. I was meant to be a pretty face, an angel of mercy. So I offered him the poison while I took a sip of the untainted water.
The moisture touched his lips, but when he tried to swallow, his stomach visible seized, coughing up even more dark red blood.
"I'm so sorry," I muttered, never letting go of his hand; even as the paramedics arrived.
I claimed to be his daughter and rode with him to the hospital where it was revealed that (along with two broken legs, hairline fractures in his left arm, and a broken hip) Alexi suffered a punctured lung, a skull fracture and a bleed in his brain that would lead to a stroke and near total blindness in both eyes.
I watched as the nurses pumped his IV full of morphine so he could at least sleep through the night. "It's ok, Daddy." I wondered if he even remembered me. He had to know I wasn't his daughter; Alexi had no children. He had never been married, or with a long-term partner; in his lifetime, he never knew what such love was. At least as far I knew. "You really don't remember?" I said as I kissed his forehead, "How I always looked more like your daughter then your lover." I laced my fingers through his.
Alexi's hands were trembling. "Who are you?" he asked in a gravely, pain-stricken voice.
"Anna," I said simply and quietly.
"Why are you here?"
There was a moment of silence if I was looking for a reasonable answer or an answer that made any kind of sense. "I was meant to be here for you." I laid down in Alexi's bed caressing her body to his. He was shivering badly his body could no longer keep him warm. Perhaps letting go would be for the best. His body was so broken. "I was your Anna, the only one who could love you for what you are." I traced my fingers over his hands, down his wrist, pausing on the nerves and tendons; every pulse, every sign of life. "Do you remember me?"
I took his hand and held it to my chest, close enough for him to feel my heart. My hair brushed against his skin; light blonde hair that almost matched his. Under the guise of being his daughter, I learned from the medical team Alexi's cancer was terminal: even if he survived his broken bones, his organs would fail and he would die within the year. I took it all in, with poise and courage, only letting my true feelings show when no one was around.
"Yes," Alexi said in a shallow, pained breath.
"What?" It had been hours since I spoke to him.
"I remember you: Annika, "he took a long breath before opening his eyes, "Anna".
2 months earlier-
I had been hired for a party. Hired to let some very powerful men do whatever they wanted. I had meaningless erotic sexual encounters with over a dozen men. No vaginal sex, since there were no condoms provided, but they did everything else possible leaving my body covered in bruises.
But one man showed me kindness. Alexi saw me make an escape to the bathroom where I had a nervous breakdown. He offered me a place to take a break, in a rather lovely office, with a promise to watch over me until my hours were up.
