Death Train

Chapter One

Run.

Keep Running.

Don't stop running!

Adrenaline keeps me going, I want to stop running but I can't. The fear is real, pumping through my veins. I can still hear their footsteps behind me, the leaves crunching, and twigs snapping as their heavy boots smack down on the hard ground.

Trees of all sizes surround me. I thought this would be the best shelter, away from the busy streets where they're always watching, and into the unmonitored woods.

A click sounds behind me, but my brain doesn't register until the bullet hits the tree right next to my head, splintering the small trunk and sending shards of bark in the air. I've never seen a gun until recently, but now they are everywhere. Strapped to those who promised peace. My arms fling above my head, like a protective shield that's just as useful as a newspaper in the rain. More bullets fly towards me as I desperately try to get away from the trackers. My breathing is coming out hard and my lungs are starting to burn as they close from panic. My legs are starting to sting, not just from exhaustion but from sticks cutting into my skin.

Salty sweat stings my eyes and blurs my vision, the thick summer air is not helping to cool me down. I'm used to running; I love running. It releases all my tight, wound-up muscles, relaxes me, and keeps me focused.

Being chased is a different story, and this is like a horrible nightmare. My heart is pumping so hard I can't seem to control it.

My mind isn't focusing, I just need to stop, collect myself and then keep going. But I can't. I'm in deep shit and I don't know how to get out of this!

Run.

Keep running.

What was I thinking? Running into the woods with no plans, no idea where I'm going? My family's gone. They ripped them away like they did everything else.

My head whips back, looking to see how close they are, and my foot catches on a tree root and I fall hard onto the ground, the air knocked out of me.

Damn it, Elly, get up!  I internally scream at myself as I scramble off the ground and continue to run, using my hand to push off a tree to get some momentum.

As soon as I think I'm making progress the bush starts to thicken, making it harder and harder to move quickly. I need to find a hiding spot and hope to God, they don't find me.

My eyes frantically search for anything possible to hide in. I see a tiny ditch under a gigantic tree and I dive for my life. My body fits in the ditch, but I don't dare look around me for fear of making a noise.

Three men with large shotguns run past the ditch, they notice they've lost me and start poking around in the undergrowth with the barrels of their guns.

A little whimper slips out of my mouth at the thought of being caught. My hand covers my mouth at the impulsive and stupid sound that escapes. These people don't accept runaways, they kill them, and I'll be left here to rot.

One of the men looks right at me with his black eyes, and I swear he sees me. His face is scarred with a big long slash that starts at the top of his nose and descends down his cheek.

I shut my eyes and pray to God, if there's even a God, please don't let me die.

A big bang echoes through the bushland and thumps through my body. I know I've been shot, there's no other explanation. But there's no pain radiating through my body like I thought would happen.

There would be pain, right? I open my eyes hoping that I was dead and already in heaven, but I'm still squished under the tree roots, with no injury on my body. The man with the scar is nowhere to be seen and I let out a huge sigh and hug my knees to my chest, silent tears rolling down my cheeks.