We've been running for quite some time now.
I'd say an hour, maybe more and slowly our pace has dropped further and further.
Now with our lungs burning and our legs shaking I finally pause at a tree and allow Dana to drop at its roots.
The shrubbery is thick so I feel safe resting here.
I can barely see two metres ahead through the plantation and the loud calls of various birds easily mask our panting.
"It can't be much longer. We are close to a town, it's just a matter of ensuring that we are running in a straight line and not in circles." I wheeze out and majorly regret dropping all sports once I finished school.
It doesn't help that it's mid-summer and the weather is easily spiking over thirty degrees.
Dana's hair is a frizzy mess and her cheeks bright red from exertion.
I'm sure that I mirror her.
Dana not wanting to waste her precious breath simply nods and closes her eyes briefly, hitting her head lightly as she relaxes against the tree.
I tense and fight the urge to pull her up again and run.
My skin prickles with anxiety as I imagine the men being hot on our trails.
But I can't carry Dana around so taking time recuperating is the only way for Dana and I to get out of this.
Reluctantly I lower myself onto the soft earth and start playing with various leaves scattered across the ground.
I ignore the dirt staining my jeans, figuring that my expression of fear already looks feral enough so when we find people the clothes will be the least of their worries.
It's funny the whole time during this experience I constantly assured myself that we would make it out.
I thought I had no doubt when it concerned our freedom, we were always going to escape.
However now sitting here, heart racing only partly due to exertion and mainly due to fear I realise that I was lying to myself the whole time.
I blocked out my negative mindset by obsessing over our 'escape' I used our liberation as a cover to forget that I deep down believed that we weren't going to make it.
I'm still in disbelief as the earth runs through my fingers, I didn't think that I'd be able to do this again.
I'd never be able to appreciate the little things again.
Glancing up at Dana who is still sagging against the tree and I know that my face matches her look of absolute relief.
We did it, we outsmarted those brutes and now I'm going to make sure that they get caught.
Straight after Dana and I are reunited with our family I'm going to reveal every possible detail about the men and their organisation.
Justice will prevail.
It has to.
We remain sitting here for a few more minutes until the heat starts becoming uncomfortable.
Wishing that I had of thought to somehow bring water I try to ignore the burning at the back of my throat and push myself back onto my stiff legs.
Dana hears me get back up and only groaning slightly she pushes off the tree and follows me once more, further into the bush and hopefully closer to civilisation.
"When I get back I'm going to tell everyone in my class about this."
Dana mutters and I smirk back at her as I remember our last conversation before captivity.
"Even that particular boy?" I tease and whether it's the summer heat or the exercise I notice Dana's cheeks brighten even more under my gaze.
I laugh out loud at her innocent reaction but cut myself short.
The sound shocking me and I glance around nervously, the only other sounds being the leaves crunching under our feet and the whisper of the wind.
A moment later Dana's pearly laughter trickles after me and we both begin laughing hysterically as we stroll through the thick wilderness.
We continue laughing until our sides begin to hurt and slowly our laughter trickles down and the only evidence remaining of our undiluted glee is the smirks on our faces.
We both still look exhausted, my cheeks are still red and aching from being slapped but we are happy.
Nothing else matters.
I'm guessing that it's around twelve in the afternoon as I peer up at the sun peeking through the trees.
The air is thick and hot, making swallowing difficult and the amount of flying bugs are ridiculous.
I should be used to the Australian environment but Dana and I have been raised in a suburb, the gritty side of Australia isn't something we easily came in contact with.
We've both been sheltered in nearly every way possible.
"Why haven't you got a boyfriend?" Dana questions, breaking the comfortable silence and I chuckle one last time before answering her mundane question.
"I don't expect to have a boyfriend for a long time. It's just not on my 'to do list'." I reply and push through an especially thick bush, trying not to cut my hands in the process.
"But why?" Dana persists and I shake my head, regretting it as my curls stick to my face due to sweat.
"I'm focusing on myself, I don't have time for boys."
"Do you even like boys?" Dana counters back quickly and I halt for a moment as I consider her question.
Her question is filled with only curiosity, there is no malice and I really take a moment to think about it.
I've had a few boyfriends over the years, none lasting more than a month or going further than a kiss but I was still attracted to them.
I think the real reason why I don't have a boyfriend is because I'm not attracted to any fellow eighteen year olds.
Whenever I go out my eyes are always drawn to the mid-twenties, some would say this is because of my maturity, others would say Daddy issues.
I remain uncaring.
A crush is a crush and it just so happens that it's never really on boys my age.
I open my mouth to reply to Dana but a sound eases its way into my mind and I freeze like a rabbit as I comprehend the sound.
Footprints.
Dana hears them as well and another smile spreads on her face so widely that both her cheeks stretch.
I want to match her enthusiasm but I'm cautious, I'm not getting us caught again.
I know Dana wants to run towards the sound but I remain firm in standing still.
The footprints are fast, jogging I presume and judging by the sound getting closer and closer I can tell that we are going to have a head on collision.
Acting quickly I spin around and grasp Dana's arm, I tug her towards the nearest tree and use it to cover both of us in only a handful of seconds.
Dana is panting slightly due to her excitement but she remains quiet as the footsteps get closer.
"I'll have a look and if it's not them then we'll flag them down!" I harshly whisper into Dana's thick hair and she nods energetically, clenching her hands to contain her happiness.
Peeking around the thick trunk of the tree I remain still, heart thudding so loud that I'm sure Dana can hear it and wait.
The shrubbery is so thick that I can barely see two metres ahead, why on earth would a jogger be this far out?
I ignore my doubts and continue peering around hopefully.
Life has got to give us a break.
Now that the footsteps are thundering closer and closer I can hear a low voice talking.
It takes a few tries and a few more seconds before I can pick up on the words but when the jumbled sentences start to make sense in my mind I notice the accent before the words.
Russian.
"No I haven't seen them! Why did you send me out here you piece of shit?! I'm not the Australian here, how am I supposed to know how to read trails?" Rosik growls into the phone as he bursts into my sight.
I freeze, knowing that ducking my head behind the tree will only gather his attention.
From the corner of my eye I watch Dana slap her hands over her mouth to stifle any sound and I clench my hand around her arm.
Stabilising us both.
Rosik pauses a moment to hear undoubtedly Axel quip something back and Rosik's face grows red.
"Don't you dare make this out to be my fault. If you hadn't have scared the girls then they wouldn't have ran! But please continue blaming me as I try to find them while you sit on your ass!"
Not knowing that Dana and I are watching I marvel at his true unleashed persona.
All this time I thought I had at least an idea of who Rosik was but with no witnesses Rosik truly is a monster.
His eyes are cold and focused, his false warmth that is usually present when in front of others is stripped away and all I see are calculating pools of madness.
His hand that isn't holding the phone is clenched tightly in a fist, veins stark against his skin and I shiver as I remember his hands forcing themselves over my body.
He is never going to come near me again.
I mentally scoff however at the pure delusion of this man.
He refuses to see the truth behind why two kidnap victims would run from their captors.
It's calming to know that Axel isn't apart of the search but Rosik is the equivalent of two men so I'm not eased yet.
Rosik's face scrunches further as he listens tautly to whatever is being said on the other end but suddenly he flinches and I hear the soft ring of his phone in the distance.
"Shut up Axel. Base is calling."
Rosik mutters before hanging up on Axel.
I watch him take a deep breath and just like an actor getting into character I watch with fascination as he unclenches his hand, smiles widely and straightens his posture before answering the new call.
"русик говорит" Rosik begins pacing through the dead leaves as he continues speaking quickly in Russian and I grow wary as his mindless steps begin creeping closer and closer to the tree that we're hiding behind.
His tone sounds assuring and I'm assuming that he's letting his bosses know that everything is fine on their end.
A wild part of me wants to burst out behind the tree, yell out to his bosses that he has failed to keep us under control and then run off again but I force myself to stay still.
Dana is still tense against me and my legs begin to ache in their awkward crouching position.
I don't dare to shift though in case I crunch some leaves.
I allow my eyes to slowly scale the forest in search of an exit.
The smartest idea would be to go the way Rosik came from which just so happens to be the way we were originally headed.
I don't expect him to backtrack until it gets dark.
However considering the amount of small-talk that Rosik is partaking in I can't see him hanging up anytime soon. He even has the gall to laugh loudly at something and reply back with a chuckle.
His language leaving me clueless and frustrated.
Not wanting to see his face for a moment longer unless it's behind bars I cautiously lay my hand flat on the ground and start searching around for something to throw to get him out of the area but Dana's hand stops me.
I feel it rest on my hip and at first I'm confused as she taps me softly and risking a peek down when Rosik turns I'm dunked in cold water as I realise that she is tapping next to the gun tucked against my hip.
I'd completely forgot about the deadly weapon and I glance up at Dana in shock who has a grim but determined expression on her face.
In that moment she looks so much like her father that I realise why he is the Chief of his police force.
He isn't afraid to do what must be done and neither is Dana.
They will do anything to survive....
But the question is can I?