Death's Perspective (On Hold)

On the Run

Run, run as fast as you possibly can!

The air surrounding me in the misty forest suddenly is filled with a deep chill, seeping into my bones and slithering down my back. Night creatures sing softly in the distance.

Faster! You have to go faster!

I open my eyes and stare at the starry night sky, now shivering from the frost descending upon the small grassy clearing.

Keep going!

My back is wet from lying on the ground for so long. I close my eyes again, as an attempt to block out the terrifying memories that are trying to return.

They're gaining on you! They're RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

I snap open my eyes and quickly jolt forward. Something catches my attention, something small, subtle, and undetected by anyone else but me.

Don't ignore this! Please!

My blood starts pumping through my veins, but I beg myself to calm down. There's no way they found me again, not after all this time.

I told you...

Shaking my head, I take a deep breath and lie back down, only to sit right back up after I detect another sound; a twig snapping. It wasn't an animal, that's for sure. It sounded like something heavier than any of the forest animals living around me.

You're out of time.

They won.

NO. Not this time, I tell myself, suddenly filled with fury. I'm never going to get caught again.

Silently, I get up and grab my bag with the little possessions I carry. Adrenaline courses through my entire body, but I force my mind to go completely blank, letting my instincts take over.

On the count of three, I'm going to run, and never look back.

I close my eyes.

One...two...

But I didn't have that much time. A loud explosion erupts behind me, destroying the night silence and I'm thrown forward, air borne for a good five seconds. My arms start flailing and I have no control over my actions. Panicking, I set my mind into survival mode.

Controlling my weight and momentum, I twist my body so that when I landed, it would be on my feet. Right as I barely graze the ground, I take off running. I don't know where exactly my pursuers are, but the only thought in my mind is to get away from them and fast.

Run, run as fast as you can!

The night is impossibly dark, but my eyes have been trained for this. I detect every small root, rock and log that's in my way and easily avoid them. At the moment, obstacles like that are the least of my problems. Another explosion happens behind me, maybe ten yards away.

Faster! You have to go faster!

A blood curling cackle penetrates through the trees and I almost trip. I know that sound. I hear it every time I manage to fall asleep as it echoes in my nightmares. My eyes widen and I am almost blinded with fear. My lungs gasp for air and my heart is pumping, but I just can't find the strength to keep going. My entire being is shaking and I begin to slow down. I'm not in control any more. Suddenly my foot gets caught on something and I plummet forward, face first into a bush. Right as I realize what happened, another explosion boomed through the darkness, this time closer. Very close.

Keep going!

I get up, scratched and bruised, but my fighting spirit fires up inside me again. I will not let this happen like last time. That was years ago, and now I know. Right now is happening, and it isn't a dream. My whole life is a nightmare, one that I can never wake up from. I take off running once more, this time faster and stronger and even more on guard. I don't know where I'm going, but I know what my destination is: anywhere but here. The sinister laughter splits through the forest again and it pounds on my ear drums.

They're gaining on you! They're RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

I let out a frustrated grunt as I wack away a tree branch. I refuse to let this happen again. Last time I was lucky, but luck for people like me comes once in a blue moon, and this time is not like before, when I actually had something to lose. Now, I'm desperate to do anything to survive.

Don't ignore this! Please!

"Stop it!" I shout. "Leave me alone!" I wasn't sure if I was talking to my pursuers or the violent memories clawing at my mind, but I made my point. My feet quickly thudded against the ground, and each step thundered back in my head. Slowly I realized that I'm not alone.

I told you...

Focusing, I can pick out another pair of feet running behind me. And they are very close. There is a snap deep inside me and for a moment there is only adrenline in my veins, no more blood. Just pure white adreniline. My lungs seem to expand as I gulp deep breaths of cool air and my arms begin pumping faster and faster by my sides. I can feel my legs beginning to blurr and I force them to go faster than the normal human body could tolerate. I have to lose them some how. I need to combine speed and agility. I squint as I run and distinguish all the trees ahead of me and made a mental map in my mind, one that should definitely lose anyone trailing me, no matter how close behind me they are. Left, right, left again! I begin to smile as I hear footsteps fading. And then the net appeared.

You're out of time.

I have no time to doge or chance directions; my mind is already set on the map I created. The net tangles around me and I fall in defeat.

They won.

"I know," I whisper, starting to cry. "I didn't stand a chance."

Again.