Body in the Woods

Prologue

The boy ran. It was all he could do to get away from the enemies that pursued him relentlessly. Or at least, he had to make sure they didn’t take back the thing he stole. The thing he clutched with a death grip. If he didn’t get away, if they caught him, then his people would all die. An entire race; gone. He couldn’t let that happen, wouldn’t. He would jump into the river he ran parallel to and ride it over the waterfall before he would let them catch him. As would his brother who ran beside him.

                “We must run faster! They are gaining on us!” his brother yelled over the roaring wind that was also apparently determined to stop them. The odds of survival were not looking good at this point.

                The boy shook his head. He couldn’t run any faster. Neither of them could. They’d been running for hours already, it was a miracle they’d even made it this far. Especially since their enemy was on horseback and they on foot. “We can’t. You know we can’t.” the boy said, defeated. But he didn’t stop or slow. He had to try, at least, before he died. Death had become inevitable. Either he would die by an arrow in his back, or he would die to keep himself from being caught. And to be honest a sliver of him was afraid.

                “It will be fine.” The boy’s brother said, as if reading his thoughts. “At least we will delay the extinction of our people.”

                “Yes. I know.” The boy said quietly, almost in a whisper. Almost immediately after the words were out of his mouth, the boy felt sink into his back and pain exploded throughout his limbs. He stopped abruptly, nearly falling on his face. He’d been hit. He could feel his heart slow dramatically. But he still ran. Even though every movement brought searing pain exploding throughout his body. And when he felt, knew the pain was too much for him, he jumped in the river. The last thing he saw before he went under the water and closed his eyes forever was his brother diving over the waterfall, a hail of arrows chasing after him.

                The boy smiled as his eyes drifted shut and his oxygen was cut off. They may lose the war, but at least they won the battle. And with that in mind, the boy gladly fell into the void that was death. Never to wake.