Princess Avalon of Honey Falls (currently incomplete)

Two Birds, Discovered in Hiding

I go completely silent, not wanting to draw more attention to myself than I already have.

I listen for more sounds of something alive near me but hear nothing.

I count to one hundred and wait.

Nothing.

I count to one hundred again.

Still nothing.

Taking deep, measured breaths, I slowly snake my arms forward and lean on my knees.

I move my head to where the sound initially came from, my hair starts to fall into my face and I tuck it behind my ears.

I peek my body around the tree that's to the right of me and scan the ground. My brow furrowed, seeing nothing, I lean back, carefully making sure no leaves crunch beneath my legs.

I sigh, hoping I'd just imagined it, and swipe a hand over my face, wincing when the burn from my elbow returns.

I start to assemble my twig-filled hair into a ponytail and wipe the dirt off of my face when the snap of a twig makes me cease my movements. And when I hear loud footsteps heading in my direction, I press my back against the harsh bark of a tree, tucking my dress under my legs, concealing myself from view. 

Scooting backward, around the tree, I almost scream when something alive grabs my wrist.

I whip my head around, and can't conceal my gasp of shock when I see my own eyes staring back at mine.

- 

I wrench my hand away, push myself off the ground, and without thinking or looking ahead of me, I run in the direction I came from, in the exact path of the footsteps that are getting closer.

I don't get very far, because a body that wasn't there two seconds ago blocks my path barely three feet ahead of me. 

I collide with the stiff form and knock us both to the ground. 

"Fuck!" I hiss, scrambling away from the figure when they start to reach towards me.

They continue to advance as I shove myself backward, closer to where I was just grabbed my a hand and a face with the same eyes as mine.

"Stop! Please stop! What do you want from me?!" I scream, panting.

Then, the figure speaks, face covered in shadow, "Avalon, stop! It's me!"

I stop moving away, "Atlas?"

He leans down, and I can now see his face, "What are you doing out here?" he asks.

Still panting, I tell him the truth, "I had to get away. I just... I had to be alone."

His lips purse, "In the woods? It isn't safe out here."

I hold my injured arm because it's starting to hurt again, "Why isn't it safe?"

"Because you could get lost."

Suddenly confused, I ask him, "How did you know I was out here?"

"Your mother told me. They saw you run through the garden out Blair's window."

"Oh." I don't hold back when I get the urge to apologize, "I'm sorry."

"What for? Running away?"

"Yes. And for how I acted at the table when you brought out food. I thought you'd get the hint as to why I was acting that way."

"Oh, don't worry. I did."

"You did? You didn't seem all that happy."

"Exactly my point."