I was running, running for my life, running despite it was hopeless, running despite the fact that she would get me. My lungs hurt like hell, like someone had set them on fire. I continued to gasp desperately for air. My feet were throbbing as they pounded against the rough and uneven ground of the forest. Every step was like jumping on hot shards of glass but I knew that I couldn't stop, not if I wanted to lure her away. I had to get her away.
I looked behind again to check if she was still there. I could see her through the claw-like arms of the towering trees. Constantly behind me, she was gliding along at her own pace, one that never sped up, or slowed down. The kind that was relentless.
Her long hair was exact colour of death and darkness, covering her eyes. Her skin was as pale as her snow white dress that was stained with crimson coloured blood at the hem. But frankly, what terrified me the most was that she glowed, like a bright, white light in the darkness of the forest.
I kept going, telling myself just a little longer, as I hastily pushed tree branches out of the way and changed my direction after twenty or so steps. If I was going down, I wasn't going to make it that easy for her and I definitely wasn't going to give up just yet - which was funny considering how I was the type who was always ready to give up, crawl into a little ball and die (probably in a ditch).
Suddenly, there was a rush of warmth on my face and I saw the sun was rising once more in the sky. I checked my watch and realised how determined I was to stay alive because had been running for ages without stopping once. It also meant that I had lured her far enough and if I could lose her, I could go back, become a long distance runner, run a marathon and actually be able to finish it. Another tick on the bucket list.
Or maybe not. Lost in my stupid and improbable long-distance runner fantasy, I tripped on some tree roots that were clearly sticking out of the ground. Bloody idiot. The fall knocked the breath out of me but looking on the slightly brighter side, I hadn't fallen flat on my face.
Crap, she's gonna catch up... Need to get up now... I tried but instead, I screamed in agony. I had sprained my bloody ankle. No, no, no, this cannot be happening I need to get away from her. I tried to get up again but the pain was even worse. Tears began to roll down my cheeks, salty tears of defeat. This wasn't the way that I pictured myself going. I was meant to be surrounded by family, not being killed by something like, like her.
I could see her a few metres away smiling, like a sly fox who has caught its prey, knowing she had finally won, once more. As she glided closer, the cold within her reached out eagerly, consuming my legs first before climbing higher up my body. It was a brain freeze, just like when I used to eat my ice cream in a rush, but it wasn't just my brain that was freezing. Wait, did I just say used to?
My mind struggled to cope and work properly, knowing that death was inevitable and collapsed on itself, creating a black hole. Then and only then, I saw it. I understood. The final pieces had been put together. After all this time, I should have known. It all made sense. I took my last breath and did what I had to do, to end my suffering and pain. I turned to face her and looked into her eyes, that were darker than the night and filled with sorrow and whispered "Ariel" once, looking straight into my soul, watching as the cold pierced my heart...
