RUN!
The word is on repeat in my mind as I run through the forest in my pajamas. It's dark and I have no idea where I am going. I can hear them behind me - far, far behind me - yelling and shouting to each other. I can hear the dogs. God, the dogs! Will they catch me? I can't let them catch me. The things they would do to me... a shiver runs down my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention and fear clashes through my veins as my imagination gets the better of me.
RUN!
It's so dark. I'm so cold. My feet are bleeding because of the rocks and sticks on the forest floor. I'm scared, terrified really. I'm exhausted and my legs are beginning to feel heavy. The tears running down my cheeks - from fear, grief and pain - makes the already cold air feel icy against my battered face. A drop of sweat - or is it blood? - runs down my temple.
FASTER!
I stumble. I crash into the earth floor with my hands stretched out before me. A cry leaves my mouth as I fall. My hands doesn't break my fall. They continue along the ground, ripping open the skin on my palms. Pain shoots from my wrist and throughout my body. As I lie on the ground softly whispered moans and whimpers unwillingly leave my mouth.
It hurts so bad. God, is it broken? I don't know. Maybe? I freeze as I hear a voice.
"Over here!" No! Nonononono! I can see the light from their flashlights now. If I get up now surely they will see me? There is a ditch just a few meters to my right. I start crawling towards it as silently as I can manage. As my bad wrist collides with a dead branch another whimper escapes and I silence it by turning my head and biting my shoulder. I reach the ditch and tumble down carefully cradling my wrist against my chest.
"What was that?"
The voice sounds closer but the dog barking sound further away. Did they spread out? A small tentative light of hope is lit in my chest. If they really have spread out then my chances of getting past them are greater. A trail of light misses my head by a centimeter and startled I immediately allow myself to sink deeper into the ditch.
"Come girly, girly, girly. Come out, come out wherever you are..." the voice singsongs. Oh god he's so close! I don't answer. Of course I don't, I'm not stupid they'll kill me or worse.
"Come on girly, we're not gonna hurt you. We just want to talk."
"Ronald, shut up! She would be incredibly dumb if she fell for that!" another voice joins the first, and then continue mumbling "Idiot."
"What was that? What did you call me?" Ronald asks, no longer cajoling but instead angry.
"I called you an idiot, you idiot. Now find her!"
"I won't stand for you calling me names! Apologize!"
"Why the hell would I apologize for saying the truth? You are an idiot!"
"Why you..." and so the argument is on, with me laying just a few meters away, praying to the god I never really believed in to save me.
A gunshot renders the night.
Ronald and his companion instantly become silent and a voice yells "If you two doesn't shut the fuck up right now I'm going to shoot you both!" I recognize this voice and fear slams through me anew. Though I praise myself lucky since the voice sounds far away.
"Yes Mr. Hall. Sorry sir." They both mumble, frightened and obedient. Hall and Ronald, I am extra careful in hiding the names in my memory, even though it's unnecessary. This night, those names and everything else? Never leaving my memory, no matter how much I wish for it. And if I make it through this ordeal alive? I will wish to forget. Desperately. A memory of my dad's dead glassy eyes, starring straight at me yet not seeing me, enter my mind and I barely restrain a sob.
I hear the crunch of my pursuers boots on the withered leafs and dead sticks on the earth. They are still swinging their flashlights back and forth as they search for me, but they are moving away from me.
I wait until I can't hear them anymore then force myself to wait another few minutes, even though all I really want is to jump up and continue my mad dash through the forest. I carefully crawl up from the ditch, on the opposite side I fell in. If they discover me I might be lucky and they will fall in the ditch and break their necks.
I stand up. I dare not run again, I can still see their lights. I keep an eye on the lights while I walk backwards. And stumble over a branch falling on my back into a large muddy puddle, shrieking as I go down.
"Over there! There you idiots! Ronald, Sam! Catch her!" Hall screams. The sound of several boots hitting the forest floor fills the air. And the race is on once more.
I scramble up from the puddle and run as fast as my tired legs can carry me.
"Release the dogs!" Hall yells and the night fills with the sounds of growls, barking and howls.
RUN!
I speed up as new adrenalin courses through my body. Behind me I hear Sam, first scream in surprise then curse. I think he fell in the ditch, sadly his neck seems to be intact. I can hear the dogs closing in on me and I imagine their sharp teeth and vicious eyes.
I run blindly through the night, and I must force myself to keep going and not collapse in relief when I spot a light from a window, in between the trees. I'm not safe yet.
As I break the tree line I start screaming for help, while still running for my life. The dogs. They are so close now. I can hear them howl in excitement as they chase me. Halfway to the house I'm tackled from behind and a set of teeth bites into my shoulder.
I scream as I go down. The pain blooms in my shoulder as the dog viciously shake me, tearing at my flesh and making my pajamas wet with blood. I scream and try to hit the dog with my elbows. I manage to dislodge it, and I realize that I have to turn around to defend myself. No way can I get up and run, the other dogs can't be far behind.
Just as I turn another dog latches on to my calf and start shaking me. I try to kick it off, but the beast is stubborn. It keeps a tight hold on me. Out of the corner of my eye I see the first one coming back. I just manages to raise my arm before it is upon me, coming for my throat. Vaguely I realize that these dogs are trained to kill, to go for the throat and other vulnerable places.
I curl myself into a ball, my knees under my chin, upper arms protecting my neck and arteries, and forearms and hands protecting my head. All the while I'm still screaming.
The rest of the dogs reach me, and join their friends in the task of ripping me to shreds.
I'm about to give up and lose consciousness, when I hear a gunshot followed by a pained whimper from a dog.
"Get off her, you bloody beasts!" a new male voice yells and I hear another shot and another whimper.
The new man fires shot after shot and soon there are no teeth tearing into my flesh. But I can't get up. I'm tired. So, so tired. My body has started to go numb and a new kind of darkness are invading my vision from the edges. A hand touches my shoulder and roll me onto my back. The worried face of an older man look down upon me.
"Abigail, how far is the ambulance?" he yells never taking his eyes from mine.
"Two minutes! Five at most!" a female voice answers. The man raises his hands and strokes it along the side of my face.
"Hang in there sweetheart. Help is coming. Just focus on me. Everything will be fine." He continues to say comforting and encouraging words and call me sweet names, but I know he's lying. Nothing will ever be fine again. Noting will be okay. It doesn't matter whether I live or die today because nothing will erase this night. I'm alone. They are dead.
I open my mouth to tell him, but nothing comes out, and the threatening darkness lurking in the corner of my vision closes in, and I fall into sweet oblivion.