Under Attack

Alone in the forest

My legs couldn't keep up with myself. Everything about this was crazy. Me running away. My family still missing. Something wasn't right. It was very very wrong. The message. And the phone call. And now I'm here in the middle of nowhere trying to find my family.

I sit down for a little break. I knew I'd never find them. It was a given. I just couldn't stand being in that house. I just needed some peace and quiet. Away from everything and everyone. It's not like they'd come looking for a crazy stranger that stormed out their house.

Something about the forest was calming though. Part of me never wanted to leave. But in my mind I knew that I was lost. There was a light breeze that swept across the leaves and grass. The further I walked the stronger the wind was. My eyes wandered around the forest. The trees, the flowers, the bushes and then. A man riding a horse started trotting towards me. I could hear the thuds and neighs from a mile away. His eyes were fixed on me. Like I was prey or something. My mind was going a million miles per hour. Was he going to kill me? Did I do something? I didn't know. The only thing I knew was that I had to run. NOW.

Before I knew it my legs flung me forwards. My feet sweeping the grass with every leap. Every part of my body was pulsing. I beat myself against the ground and charged to the end of the forest, wherever that was. He was after something. Or someone. And right now all I can do is run.

The neighs rang round my head. I knew that this was a stupid idea. What was I thinking? Well I wasn't. I was running. I was starting to feel faint. My running changed to walking. And thinking turned to nothing. The trotting got louder and louder until the man was right next to me. I fell to the floor and rested my head on the ground.

"If you're going to kill me just do it already." I said. Heavily breathing between every word. "I'd rather be dead than live this stupid life anyway."
The man got off from his horse and towered over me.  The man wasn't a man he was in fact a boy. Around 16-18 but my eyes were too blurry to tell. After a minute or two he finally spoke.
"You know it's not healthy to be out of breathe for less than 100 meter run." He laughs.

"Yeah well I've been running miles before you showed up. At least I don't use a horse to travel round."

"Am I sensing an attitude?"

"Am I sensing a loser?"

"Look I don't want to fight Miss..."

"Maggie,"

"Miss Maggie, why are you here anyway?"

"I-I don't know. Also why is everyone calling me Miss like your seventeen I'm not older than you."

"First of all I'm 18. Secondly, we call you Miss to be polite. Are you new here?"

"Moved in yesterday."

"That makes sense. We rarely get newcomers in Hivey Lea so I knew you weren't familiar."

"Congratulations do you want a medal?" He chuckles .

"Actually I've already got five so I'm okay."

"Whatever"

"You still haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"

"I moved here remember?"

"I don't mean here as in Hivey Lea. I mean why are you here in the forest?"

"Oh um... well I ran off." I looked down. Waiting for this conversation to be over.

"Why?"

"Oh my gosh. Why so many questions? It's none of your business you're not my dad." I was done waiting for the conversation to be over. If he wasn't going to end it, I was.

I stood to my feet and ran off. I had to get out of here. NOW.