Lucas ✔️

Thirty-Six

Running to the tree line was quite possibly one of the worst ideas I had ever had in my entire life. Firstly, what was I going to do when I got there? If  I got there? Secondly, there were four guys behind me, all of whom probably had longer legs. The only thing going for me was that I was hopefully faster than them, and the fact that I could have caught them by surprise.

The tree line was only a hundred metres away now, but I could hear their footsteps and yells close behind me. I needed a plan and I needed it yesterday. Once at the tree line, I could continue running, getting further away from any help and quite possibly getting lost. Or, I could try to lose them in there just long enough to sprint back out towards the soccer oval, lights, and hopefully helpful citizens.

"Get back here, you bitch!"

I don't know what made them think I was going to hear that and stop running. It only made me run faster. At least I had a half-decent plan, if I could make it to the trees fast enough and find somewhere decent to hide for a total of thirty seconds. I was so unfit; my legs were burning, and I could barely breathe. All those days lounging in bed and eating cereal had finally caught up with me. Tears fell from my eyes as I gasped for air, cursing myself for running away from them and putting myself in even more danger.

The tree line was just in front of me now and I surveyed it quickly to see where I should enter, where my perfect hiding spot might lie. It felt like a trap, as though there were dozens of choices, but I would inevitably choose wrong. Deciding fate, or God, or whoever, was a better decision-maker than I was, I headed straight, not deviating off my course as I cross the line and entered the dark trees.

I had only milliseconds – seconds if I was lucky – to make my decision. I made it quickly, unsure as to whether I was being stupid or smart. Hiding directly behind the largest tree right at the edge of the tree line, I held my breath and waited. As soon as I had flattened myself against the bark, hoping no creepy crawlies were there, they entered the trees, yelling and arguing between each other.

"Which way did she go?"

"There! Something's over there!"

"She can't be far!"

"You dumbass, why are you so slow?"

"Fuck up!"

"She's not here!"

"What about there?"

As soon as they were past me and deeper into the trees, I snuck quietly from behind the one I was hiding and turned, sprinting quickly from the trees. I made it a total of three steps before my back was pressed against the tree, which had only moments ago been my safe haven, the largest man holding me in place with a tight grip on my throat. He was red-faced, sweaty and out-of-breath, and I cursed myself for not making sure all four had been in the trees before leaving.

"Found her," he yelled, tightening his hold on my throat and narrowing his eyes at me.

I clawed at his hand, gasping for air as he cut off the blood to my brain and closed my windpipe easily.

"You silly little girl," he growled, leaning closer to glare at me. "Did you think you'd get away that easily?"

If I wasn't struggling to stay awake – and alive – I was sure I would have had something witty to say. Ghouls floated around him, weighing him down, all of them growing larger as they fed on his negative energy. I cried, sobbed, tried to beg as he crushed my throat. I wished the ghouls could help me, could have done something, anything, other than sit there and watch as I was murdered.

Murdered.

I was being killed. 

As the idea sunk in I stopped struggling, letting him choke me. His grip loosened slightly as my eyes rolled back, and internally I wished for him to never let go. If I died, I wouldn't have to live like this, live in a world where he wasn't. Live with bitchy old ladies and middle-aged women who whispered about me at the supermarket. I wouldn't have to work hard to pass school, I wouldn't have to go to tutoring.