I Made a Wrong Turn

Fresh, cool air fills your lungs as you trek through the seemingly never ending expanse of brown and green. The warm sunlight filters through the leaves on the various massive trees surrounding you and the sweet, earthy scent of decay and plant life pleasantly tingles your senses. The river nearby rushes past like cars on the freeway, yet it's subtle, calming sound puts you at ease. Birds sing high up in the treetops and the chatter of squirrels can be heard as your feet lead you to a destination only your heart knows.

You walk further and further into the forest, your mind is your only company aside from the critters that scatter in every direction as your feet hit the ground with every step and the eyes that watch you from behind trees and under fallen logs. You are at peace.

Lost in thought, you trek ever further, wandering aimlessly without intent even as the air around you seems charged with something different than before. You listen hard as you walk; the birds have stopped singing their summer songs and the squirrels have all disappeared into the safety of their homes. The air is different now; though still sweet, in it lurks something sinister.

You stop dead in your tracks, suddenly aware that you're not as alone here as you once thought. Your ears become more sensitive, listening, waiting for the snap of a twig or the footfalls of the culprit to your woes. Your eyes wander cautiously as the silence penetrates every fiber of your being. Though you see nothing, the hair on the back of your neck and arms stands on end as chills run down your spine like the tiny ants that crawl on the ground below your feet. The once calm breath leaving you becomes quick and panicked as your body tenses, eerily aware of the danger it can't yet see.

Your mind races like the river you can no longer hear. Fear and confusion consume you as you spin around in a circle, your eyes searching for but not finding the threat that lingers now heavily in the once light, sweet air. You cautiously take a step, praying that your feet be swift and silent as the feeling of being accompanied by the unknown grows heavier and heavier. Something is wrong, very wrong. You take a few steps before your flight instinct kicks in, sending you sprinting for whatever safe haven you can find. Your feet start to move faster until you're running top speed, faster than you ever have in your life. You can hear your heart pounding in your ears, blocking out the sound of the threat that follows close behind you. Your lungs start to burn and your legs are growing tired, but you do not stop. You do not look behind you. You don't see the three ghastly figures swiftly and nearly silently weaving their way through the foliage not far behind your frantic figure.

Something whizzes past your head, too close for comfort, the breeze from it startling you and making your legs move at a faster pace in pure panic. Another breeze passes your head, followed by a soft "thwack" as the object hits the tree you just ran past. In your panicked state, you run blindly, barely dodging trees, rocks, and other objects in your path. Through the noise of your pounding heart, an eerie, high-pitched cackle resonates through the air, turning your feelings of fear and panic into ones utter terror.