Fight Like Hell (Part 2)

Being by the lake felt like paradise. I finally feel like I can be free after everything that I have been through. It was like I had been running without stopping for months on end. I felt like Forest Gump, but I knew I couldn't turn around and go back. Even though it was a quiet place, and my body was relaxed, I felt a great sense of unrest.

Barley and I found some fish and berries. I made a fire and cooked the fish, one for him and one for me. The sun was starting to set as we gobbled down our bland food. I eventually closed my eyes and fell asleep.

"JANE! JANE! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!" Shouted my teacher, Ms. Stacey. She was shaking me. "They're coming they know you are here, you have to go!" I jolted up out of bed shaking. "What?" I said, my voice quivering. "The militia knows you are here, they are coming down the road!" I started to panic wondering how they knew where I was. "Did you tell on me!?" I exclaimed. "They are surveilling you, they saw you come in here!" "But how!?"

A few months before this all happened, I bought a burner phone. I hid my phone at the house before I ran away and took the burner phone with me. I called Ms. Stacey when I was safe. She was one of the only people who listened to what I said. She didn't always agree but she would let me speak. We had common care and respect for one another... But then it dawned on me.

"They are tapping everyone's phone wires!" I said. "They were able to listen to our conversation through your line!" She kneeled on the ground and started to sob. "Ms. Stacey, you need to come with me!" But then a bang was heard on the door. "Jane, just go!" She cried. The banging became louder. "Ms. Stacey, please..." my eyes began to fill with tears. "JANE, JUST GO!" At her shout, the door burst open and the militia came thumping through the house. I went by the nearest window, they were starting to surround the house. I opened it looking back behind me, the door to the bedroom flung open. I jumped out of the window, falling with my whole body. As I started to run I heard her screaming and tussling, and then a gunshot. The screaming stopped. And so did my heart.

I couldn't stop I had to keep going but I wanted to cry, some people were starting to chase me again and shoot at me. I dodged their bullets and found another safe place in a cave. It was winter and freezing cold, but my body was so hot I couldn't tell the difference. There were ice sickles hanging from the cave. I wondered if this was me. Cold, and sharp, no purpose but to drip out my contents until I was no more. Ms. Stacey was dead because of me.

I wanted to scream, but I knew I could not. Part of me wanted to just so they would find me and kill me instead. I became the dark hollow cave.

My eyes flew open, feeling the sincere grief but relief that I was still next to the fire and the campsite. I turned over on my back and looked up at the stars. I then heard a rustling within the trees. I stayed still making sure it wasn't all in my head. Barley also poked his head up. I could see a figure walking slowly from the distance towards us. I could tell it was a man. I went into the tent and grabbed my knife. "Who are you! What do you want!?" I shouted.