◦○DAYBREAK○◦ Bucky Barnes

one

Davina could feel the grass growing through the stretching hole ripped through her muddied towel. She tugged lightly at the curled vines from the earth, bringing them towards her face and breathing in the welcoming smell.

Forcing her eyes open, they're immediately blinded from the sun. The shaken trees above clearly seem to be no good at providing the cool shadiness Davina longed for in this moment. 

She rolled over to avoid the sunburn which was already plastered in thick coats across her exhausted face.

Knowing no more sleep would come from her, Davina pushed her palms against the disgusting sheets, rising herself from the restless slumber she had just awoken from.

The once loved, everyday routine of sleep had become a dreaded, exhausting experience for Davina Penton.

Everything about sleep now seemed to torment her. 

It wasn't as simple as nightmares now. 

It was finding a place to sleep. Staying hidden throughout sleeping. Knowing what time to wake. Making sure no one was near before going to sleep. Sleeping with shoes on, always ready to run, not that she has ever had to yet.

The entirety of the process was exhausting. So as a result of this routine, over the months Davina grew to despise it.

The leaves crunched loudly under her boots as Davina scrambled to quickly roll up the towel and tuck it into her sagging backpack.

The towel took up majority of the space in her pack, she had learnt to travel light.

Once bag was zipped up tight and on her back, she continued in the direction she had been travelling the day before.

It was like this everyday, wake up, walk, sleep. The routine never changed.

The longest Davina had stayed in one spot was six days, and even that was risky. 

She regularly stayed to the woods, but often had to go into towns for supplies like food, water was easy to find in the woods so at least that was one aspect she needn't worry about.

The hardest part wasn't the walking, or the supplies, it wasn't even the sleeping that was the most difficult.

It was the not knowing. 

Not knowing if they were still coming for her, not knowing how long she would have to keep this up, not knowing if they would end up catching her anyways.

She needed to know if all this running, all this hiding, would even do her good in the future, or if she would end up caught like she had once before.

There had to be a point to this all, Davina refused to believe that after eight months of running she would be caught by Hydra.

A sharp sound to her right ripped Davina away from her train of thoughts and snapped her gaze towards the endless wood beside her.

There was nothing. 

Her knife found its way into her white-knuckled grip and her breathing was hitched against her dry throat.

After surveying the blank woods for a minute, Davina took off running. 

After all, just because she hadn't seen anyone, certainly does not mean that no one is there.

Her breathing increased as her feet skilfully leapt between fallen branches and through the bright woods.

Her bag thudded roughly against her back as she ran, the plastic plates rubbing against her towel.

Davina ran on for what felt like hours before coming to a sudden halt once she was sure she was far enough from the sound.

She bent over, catching her breath against a tall oak tree.

"Shit-" Her voice wavered slightly at the realisation of her dropped knife.

She punched the oak in fury, her knuckle turning an ugly shade of purple.

Davina knew she couldn't go back for the knife. 

Not only was the option to looking for it too dangerous, but she didn't have even the slightest clue as to where she dropped it, locating the knife would be close to impossible in these woods without any hint of here it dropped.

Davina fought the urge to scream out loud.

Instead, she clenched her fists tightly and kept walking.

Focused on her own mindless train of thoughts, Davina didn't seem to notice the sliver of a silver arm, watching from the trees.

word count - 681

*sorry it's short, i didn't want to introduce Bucky in the first chapter