Eucali stared helplessly at the crowd fleeing frantically backward through the gaps between cars. A driver not far from them had also gotten out, curiously standing on tiptoe to look into the distance. But before he could actually see anything, his body jerked stiffly, then he toppled straight forward—a bullet ricocheting from elsewhere had pierced the back of his head.
The sight drew terrified screams from everyone around them. No one asked what had happened anymore. Passengers in every car hurriedly unfastened their seat belts and got out to flee.
More and more people were running from the front toward the rear. The narrow passageway on the overpass filled with people fleeing for their lives. They climbed onto car roofs and raced forward across the flat, open roadway formed by the vehicles, their feet thudding against every roof.
Eucali unfastened her own seat belt, then immediately bent down to undo Kiki's and Eleven's. Only once both children could move on their own did she look toward the driver's seat—Anai's mother was still trying to unfasten her daughter's belt, panting heavily, her hands trembling without stop.
"Let me help you!"
Eucali squeezed between the two front seats and accurately pressed the seat belt release. Anai had not woken up yet. She stretched lazily and asked her mother with her eyes closed, "Are we home?"
"We need to go too, quickly!" Eucali helped Anai open the car door, but when she turned around, she found Anai's mother still strapped into her seat. "What are you—"
Eucali's voice abruptly stopped. Her gaze followed the seat belt downward. In the dim cabin, she saw that the white T-shirt at the woman's side had already been dyed red with blood.
"When did this..."
Anai's mother was pale, her voice very soft. "Help me..."
Eucali immediately