Kiss Me Deadly

Prologue

Moonlight trickles through the trees, casting a shadow over the wooded land. A cool night breeze whips my already tangled hair around me wildly. Dead leaves crunch under my bare feet, shoes lost long ago.

My legs burn from running for so long, threatening to give out on me. Still I push on. I've waited for too long to give up now.

Forcing my legs to carry me further, I burst through a break in the trees. Once my eyes adjust to the darkness, I nearly weep with a mixture of joy and relief.

A small house, withered and broken with age, stands abandoned in the middle of the overgrown clearing. The house is a sad sight but it's my own personal miracle tonight. It's not suitable for an extended stay, but it will do for tonight.

Using what's left of my strength, I jog across the clearing up to the house. I push open the ruined door, with it's chipped and faded cherry paint, and step inside. My steps are careful, measured, yet the floor boards still creak beneath my feet. The sound is incredibly loud, shattering the midnight silence.

Standing still, I close my eyes and listen. I sense no movement within the building, so I pick a spot on the floor of the would-be living room and lay down. On my back, I stare up through the holes in the ceiling at the sky above, hoping that the one I seek is underneath a similar sky.

Though the floor is uncomfortable, my fatigue takes over. My eyelids droop, alerting all of my losing battle with sleep. It's not long before I give up, succumbing to sleep's enticing depths.

The last thoughts that run through my conscious mind are the same thoughts that have filled my mind for the past week.

The one whose touch is deadly. I'm so close, so close, so close.