Prologue
Emma sprinted through the trees, pine needles whipping her faces as she pushed stray branches aside. Her heart raced as her breath deepened. She could hear her footsteps as she ran over rocks and tree stumps. The sounds from behind her grew dimmer and dimmer as she ran faster and longer. She couldn’t stop. Not yet. Not until she was sure. Sure that her pursuers were far behind her and had given up the chase. She leaped over a tangled mess of roots as she crashed through a bush, the forest growing ever thicker around her. There was no way to know where she was going or if she was even going somewhere at all. She just ran. She ran for her freedom. For her life. And for her future.
AS she sprinted she heard the sound of running water from somewhere off in the distance. If only she could get to the source in time. Just a little bit farther. She used the last of her energy sprinting through the last of the trees, but as she passed the last one she stumbled and tripped on a rock, falling on the hard rocky ground. Her heart raced as she tried to get up, but the pain in her ankle soon overwhelmed her. She managed to stand and turn around to see the landscape in which she emerged. As she turned the sound of the ringing in her ears soon drowned the rushing water out. She turned and began to run forwards, barley stopping her before she would have tumbled over the cliff she found herself on, and into the foamy white waters at the base of the waterfall.
They would be here soon. There was no doubt in her mind. She was finished. Dead. If only she was afforded that luxury. Her breathing slowed and her vision blurred as she saw the first of them emerge through the trees. Her head throbbed as the dogs tore into her clothes, as they smiled wickedly.
She began to sleep deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, only able to make out the movement of one of their mouths before going completely under.
