Dawn FM • h.s.

• preface •

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. There had been times where I was scared before. Times where I thought maybe something was frightening. I had nearly fallen off a ladder from the highest step when I was helping my dad put lights on the house one Christmas, and that was scary. The anxiety that had built up in my body had stayed there for a while. My dad didn't allow me to help him with the lights that year anymore, but it was still a memory that always came to mind when I was on or near a ladder. My mind had always gone to the thought of what would have happened if I had actually fallen.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. There was adrenaline coursing through my body, but it was for all the wrong reasons. It wasn't because I was trying to win a race, or carry a football across a field in a scrimmage game. I was stuck running from this person that had quite literally threatened me with a knife. He had told me to get into his car, but I didn't want to. I was terrified of what would happen. After all, if I had listened to anything in school it was that my chances of being found if I was moved from one location to the next went down considerably and I was not about to let that happen. I was not about to die.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. While I might have made jokes, I was pretty sure I had never given any real thought to death. I hadn't sat down and pondered what it would be like to move from this place to the next—if there was a next. In this moment, while I was running, I was certainly thinking about it. I wondered if I would have the chance to see my grandparents who had passed away. I wondered if I would get to see my pets that had moved on. I wondered a lot of different things. But mainly, if it would be bright and cheery on the other side, or if it would scarily dark. A part of me wanted to believe it would be the first option, though the more realistic part of me knew it was probably the second.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. My heart was pounding in my chest. I was relentless, but I could see the road out in front of me. It was approaching, and I knew I was in the home stretch. All I had to do was make it there and hopefully someone would be able to save me. I would be out of harm's way. My body was exhausted at this point, but I wasn't giving up. Not when I was so close to safety, and certainly not when I could hear the brush behind me as he chased me.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. It wasn't until my feet hit cement that I was booking it for the road. I didn't care that I was literally in the middle of the street, I needed to have someone see me—anyone see me. It was while I was running that I decided to glance over my shoulder, my body shaking in fear when I saw him running behind me. He had a plain white mask on, the image burning into my brain. I watched as he continued to book it after me, his dark hair shining in the moonlight. It was obvious that he was gaining traction, my body clearly tiring while he was only just beginning. I had no idea how far we were from town, but I was stuck feeling like this was my last night on this planet and there was nothing I could do about it.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. I was freaking out, not knowing what I was going to do. If he managed to grab me, I knew that would be it. It most certainly would be my last moments and I quickly would no longer have to ponder what death would be like. A part of me wondered if he would get it over with quickly—if he would kill me fast and easy. The last thing I wanted was for it to be slow, messy, and torturous. I didn't want to spend my last moments on this planet completely suffering.

Running, running, running. I couldn't stop running. My feet were carrying me as fast as they could, and I was glancing over my shoulder again to see that he was less than ten feet away from me. He was close. He was nearing me. I was terrified now—more so than I had been. My heart had never raced this fast and I was almost positive I would be dead within the next couple hours. Or, that was what I thought until I heard a car honking multiple times. Looking forward, I found myself running toward them, the car slamming on their brakes as I continued in their direction.

Finally, I wasn't running any longer. My legs were not running at the speed they had been previously. Instead, I was now banging on the car, slamming my fists against this person's window. There was a boy about my age in the front seat, a girl around the same age sitting in the passenger seat. He appeared confused, the boy quickly rolling down the window.

"Can I help you?"

"Please, h-he's trying to k-kill me."

"Huh? Who?"

I glanced around, my eyes widening. It was like he wasn't there. He had vanished from thin air. I had been running from him for what felt like hours, and now he was no where to be found. Breathing shakily, I tried to wipe my eyes, not understanding what had happened. Not understanding how this had happened. My legs were on fire and I felt like I was going to pass out. The guy got out of his car, the girl quickly getting out as well.

"Jimmy, she doesn't look too good," the girl started. "I think we need to get her to the hospital."

"Calm down, sweets. We'll get her there shortly, let's just ask her what happened."

"What happened? Jimmy, she just said someone was trying to kill her! What if the guy is still out here?"

It was all hitting me at once. The mask, the knife, the running. I was overwhelmed, to say the least. The simple idea that I had managed to get away from a killer was beyond insane to me. My body was shaking, hands beginning to feel cold as the images continued to play through my mind on repeat. It was all too much. And suddenly, I felt everything go dark.