Shiver

Chapter 1

Run. Run. Run. That same word crossed through my mind about a hundred times as I dashed through the forest. It was like if I stopped thinking, I would forget to keep moving.

How long had I been running? Ten minutes? Ten hours? I had lost any sense of time.

Suddenly I felt something grab my foot. I shrieked as I toppled to the ground. I jerked my head around violently, half expecting to see my pursuers laughing insanely as they licked their lips. Luckily I was alone. I untangled my foot from the vine that had caused my fall and stood up.

I was drenched in sweat. My long ginger hair stuck to my neck, strangling me. I rubbed the scratches and bruises on my arms, legs, and back. As my breathing slowed down I scanned the area for a hiding place. I would be dead in no time if I didn't stop and rest.

I selected a large, climbable tree with many branches. I was less likely to be discovered if I was in the air. I used my last burst of energy to pull myself up into the tree before my body finally gave out.

I vomited everywhere. Most ended up on my shirt or in my hair. Then, due to the horrible stench, I threw up again. I held my nose as I rummaged through my backpack for my pocket knife. I cut off the parts of my shirt that were covered in vomit or blood. There was no time for modesty. Then with a dramatic gesture, I cut off my ponytail too. It would just get in the way.

Sighing, I balled up my shirt and the excess hair and put it in my backpack. I had to try to calm down. My breathing was still abnormally fast and my heart was beating a trillion beats a minute. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep. I knew that would be a bad idea though. My pursuers could be waiting for me to doze off so they could have a midnight snack. There was no way I was going to let that happen. I had made it this far. I couldn't give up now.

I waited silently in the tree for what seemed like hours, pinching myself to stay awake. Finally the sun went down and I was able to relax. That's when I became incredibly thirsty. Thirstier then I had ever been in my whole entire life. It was as if the freaking desert had made a new home in my mouth. I needed to find water. I massaged my arms and reached up to grab the branch above me. Good, my arms still seemed to work. I pulled my backpack back on and summoned up all my strength to swing down from the tree.

It was pitch black outside. It was highly unlikely that I would be spotted if I walked around now. So I walked. And walked. And walked. It seemed like I was going in circles. The trees all looked the same in the dark, especially without a flashlight.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, I arrived at the outskirts of a town. Well, it looked like it had used to be a town. Now it was more like a ghost town. Most the houses had caved in or were burned to the ground. The only standing building had broken windows and was missing half a wall.

Towns like this were notoriously dangerous. Most people called them Luna towns, named after the lunatics known to inhabit them.

This town seemed quieter than usual though. Maybe it was abandoned entirely? Either way, I didn't have a choice. It was either find food and water or die.

I shook off the thought of death and slowly made my way down, closer to the town. As I walked through the deserted streets, I heard a sound. It was a sort of rustling.

Before I could think to run, I was tackled. I grabbed the air, trying to grab onto anything that might hurt my attacker but my attempt was unsuccessful. One punch to my jaw had me lying on my back, facing up toward a grubby, rabid-looking boy. I screamed and tried to get away but the boy had pinned me down well. I was going to die. This 15 year old boy was going to murder me.