Supermarket Shennanigans (Part 1)

Anna dragged her out of the gym and into the blinding light of the parking lot. The heat of the day hit Chloe like a physical weight, instantly baking the sweat on her skin. Anna marched her over to her car, a battered sedan that looked like it had seen its own share of hard use, and popped the trunk.

 "In," Anna commanded, pointing to the dark, empty space.

 Chloe stared at the trunk, her heart hammering. "You... you want me to ride in the back?"

 "I want you to ride in the boot," Anna corrected, her voice hardening. "Unless you’d rather I go back inside and ask Pete if he wants to keep you for the afternoon? Or maybe I'll just drive over to your Mothers house  and pick up your daughter instead?"

 "No! The boot," Chloe cried out quickly, scrambling to comply. She climbed into the cramped, dusty space, curling her limbs against her chest to fit. The smell of gasoline and stale rubber enveloped her.

 "Good girl," Anna slammed the lid shut, plunging Chloe into total darkness.

 The silence was heavy and absolute, broken only by the sound of Anna’s footsteps crunching on the asphalt as she walked around to the driver's side. A moment later, the engine roared to life, and the car lurched forward. Chloe bounced against the spare tire as they pulled out of the lot, her body aching, her mind racing with the thought of what awaited her at the supermarket—and the terrifying promise that Anna had made about her daughter.