Part One

Her chest heaved, searching desperately for air, as her body weakened with each step. She had been running for so long.

The cold of night had brought chills to her skin, even as she ran. Darkness enveloped her — only a few small rays of light peaked out from the canopy of tall trees that surrounded her. I must find somewhere to hide, she thought to herself, frantically searching along the distant tree line.

There. She fixated on a large willow tree that jutted welcoming branches. The leaves danced carelessly, like a curtain waving in the wind. Perfect hiding place. As she re-routed for the tree, she realized it was her only hope if she was going to make it through the night. Push! Push!

As a young girl, she loved to come to the woods. Her feet would wander aimlessly into the deepest parts of the thicket, searching for the stilled silence. She had never seen an animal in those parts of the woods, or heard the chirps of birds singing in the treetops. It was the emptiness that she found the most intriguing. It beckoned her, as if there was something more; something hidden deep in the woods.

But, in this moment, the silence was cut by the echoes of heavy feet thudding against the hard October ground. Her muscles screamed. Sweat dripped down her face, but the feet resonating behind her quickened their pace. It is still chasing me. Run. Faster.

She quickly glanced back. A shadow darted close behind her, in and out of the glimmers of light. It was bigger than any creature she had ever seen. With the figure of a very tall man, it ran upright and fast. A long, dark cloak shielded its face, while also trailing along behind it. It moved so elegantly, as if it was floating along the leafy terrain.

Looking back at the willow tree, she shuddered. What is it? What does it want? Unsure of what was chasing her, there was no doubt in its intentions. It wanted to kill her.

Suddenly, a searing pain ripped through her. She fell to the ground; beads of sweat burning her eyes. Her throat stung, longing for water. She was withering in pain. With every ounce of energy she could muster, she tried to pull herself up. It was no use. She was too weak. This is the end.

The creature gathered speed. Bright, glowing eyes fell upon her and she was immediately struck by the piercing stare. Not even the darkness could hide the soullessness in its eyes.

He is going to get you. Get up. Move! She begged herself.

Her body screamed as she clawed her way up. Hoisting herself up, she cried out, running, again. Her numbing legs carried her, without thought, until the creature, once again, was lost in the shadows. You are almost there! Every inch of her was overcome with insufferable pain, but she ran faster than she ever had before.

Falling against the trunk of the giant willow tree, she quickly tucked herself away, hidden in its mass. As if it understood, the tree's leaves gently fell around her and covered her in a protective wall. Through the branches, she watched the creature approach the tree. It slowed to a stop, just a few yards away. Hunched over, it frantically searched for her.

It patrolled back and forth, without a huff of exhaustion. It seemed more energized than ever. Suddenly, a loud whistle reverberated off the trees; a whistle so loud, that the leaves around her shook. Within seconds, a swirling fog took over the area and, from it, a second creature appeared. This one was much leaner, but equally as tall. It was completely veiled by the dense fog, except for a shining emerald that glistened from it's neck.

Whispers echoed as the two argued back and forth. She strained herself to try to hear. Although the talk was too stifled to hear, she could tell by the insistence in tone that it was something most unfavorable. Are they talking about me?

Both figures searched aimless for any trace of her existence, but she remained concealed within the willow tree. Almost as quickly as the second creature had arrived, a second whistle rang out and the pair disappeared through the trees. For a few minutes, she stood frozen to the ground. Are they really gone?

Her knees gave her no time to be certain before the buckled beneath her. Exhaustion had consumed her body. She fell to the ground and hit her head against the protruding root of the tree. Slowly, she lost consciousness.