Run

Prologue

"Lauren! Quickly, they're closing in on us!" Spencer called.

I looked back. They weren't that far behind, we were probably a couple meters ahead of them. We were probably running for...half an hour, I think. I couldn't be sure. My muscles were aching. My throat was as dry as the Saharan desert. But I had to keep going. They were after us.

I looked ahead and found Spencer by the rope bridge. Sweat was dripping down his face. The nasty gash on his forehead was bleeding and the crimson colored blood dripped down to his neck.

"You go first Lauren" he said between heavy breaths, "I'll follow." The rope bridge was in a very bad condition. Half of the boards were gone. The rest of the boards were either very loose or rotting after years of rain, snow and bad weather. I hesitated but I knew this was the only way to get back to the city.

Carefully, I stepped onto the bridge. The bridge swayed in the wind. I looked down at my feet, which was a huge mistake. The drop was probably 100 meters down. Thankfully, there were no sharp rocks so if we did fall, we wouldn't fall into a world of pain. But still... a fall from this high would kill us. It would be a miracle if we survived. I gulped.

"It's okay," I heard Spencer's voice from behind. "It's okay, I'm here right behind you."

I took a deep breath. I looked ahead and step by step, I made it across. Relief. Once Spencer made it across, we could cut the rope and they wouldn't be able to follow us.

Oh why couldn't everything go the way it should.

Spencer was halfway across when they arrived. Did we really waste that much time here? We had a head start. I thought.

"Hurry Spence!" I called. "They're right behind you." He turned around, then faced me again. His eyes filled with terror.

"You have to go, Lauren." He said.

I looked at him confused. "What, why?"

"Just trust me. Go"

I didn't listen to him. Leave him after everything we'd been through? I thought. Never. "I'm not leaving without you." I looked right into his ocean blue eyes when I said that.

"Please Lauren."

"No." I said simply. I looked behind Spencer at them. They got out something from their bag. A knife. Sharp enough to cut you even without it touching you. They swung the knife at the ropes holding up the bridge.

"NO!" I yelled. The bridge collapsed taking Spencer with it. Tears filled my eyes. "No..." I said, barely audible. I looked up at them as they disappeared into the woods. They killed him. I thought. He's gone. I broke down crying, not noticing the faint sound of footsteps behind me. Once they got louder, I wiped my eyes and turned around.

Suddenly, everything went black.