Chapter 1

Chapter 2

I took in the sights around me and coughed a laugh. I'm free...no I can't be. Sir would never let me go. This must be a new test of his. I wonder what he's going to make me do this time. More importantly what's he going to do to me? And if I did escape...what's going to be my punishment? The last time I tried to leave...He was so angry. Scary. He went crazy there for a second. Well more crazy than he normally does. He almost killed me that night...he hasn't gone that far since. I realized then he wanted to keep me alive. I've always wondered why, but I was never stupid enough to ask. How angry will he be this time? Will he be able to stop himself from killing me? Despite my fear of him finding me I still hope he won't. And how long will it be until he finds me again. Through all my fear I couldn't stop thinking 'I'm free.'

After so many years of hell. I made it. I escaped!

"But...how?" I wondered to myself.

The last thing I remember is my consciousness fading. Is this heaven? Did I die? How about hell? No... I don't think I would still be covered in blood if this were heaven. And if I were in hell, shouldn't everything be burning or something? But then where am I?

I looked around for a sign as to how I got here and where exactly here is. There's nothing. No blood except for where I'm lying now, there are no broken shards of the tall grass...nothing. I couldn't have just appeared. Could I? Sir did say I have unimaginable power. But he was delusional. Right?

As I sat there confusing myself I heard a noise in the trees. I lie back down and listened for whatever was approaching. No not an it, they. I could hear the leaves crunching under their feet as they slowly grew closer. Then I heard it, a voice. Not any of the voices I'm used to hearing... a voice of someone new.

I tried to get up, thinking I could hide behind a tree, the adrenaline causing me to forget about my injuries. I silently cried out and fell back to the ground. I held in the cries making tears fill my eyes. I wanted to hold the part that hurt. Like when you smash your finger you quickly cradle it with your other hand. That's what I wanted.' Hearing the steady crunch of leaves stop helped draw my focus away from the pain. I bit my bottom lip waiting for them to make their next move.

"Did you hear that?" A deep voice asked.

"Yeah, sounds like a wounded animal." The other with a softer voice replied.

"That didn't sound like any animal I know of." The deep voice whispered back. "And I've hunted every animal in this forest."

"Go see what it is sir." The soft voice encouraged.

"Ha! Me? Why don't you go...seeing as you are a better warrior than me." The deep voice said arrogantly.

"I mean no disrespect sir... but you have to be mad if you think, I'm capable of protecting you."

"What does that mean?" Deep voice demanded.

"...it's hard to keep an idiot safe... Sir" Soft voice answered innocently.

I heard hear a thump.

"Ow! Hey... stop. I said I meant no disrespect. And shouldn't you be going to see what made that noise?"

'Damn...I was hoping they would forget about me.'

Now I could hear some shuffling and a large thump on the ground then another. And the leaves started crunching again as the men moved closer.

I held my breath and tried pressing myself flatter to the ground hoping they wouldn't spot me. But being in a clearing that is all green and tan, the red of my blood stood out like the sun in the bright sky.

"Wow!" Soft voice exclaimed.

"Looks like whatever it is, is still there." Deep voice examined.

"Hu? What do you mean it's still there?" Soft voice asked sounding frightened.

"There's only blood in that one spot. No sign of it leaving. If it left there would be a trail of blood wherever it went." Deep voice explained.

The sound of the tall grass swaying as the men moved closer made my heart rate increase. All I could do was lay there and wait. Wait for what? What are these men going to be like? Then I heard one of them gasp.

"Shit." Deep voice exclaimed. I tensed and listened to the pound of their feet as they ran to me.