Don't Give Them What They Want, Give Them What They Ask For

~Chapter One~

Hail was pelting down on me as I desperately panted for air making my way through the forest. Dodging trees this way and that, I'd have the occasional branch obstructing my pathway, possessing leaves with jagged edges that whipped my face as I sprinted through.

My thighs were aching and each contact my feet made with the floor sent tremors up my calves and pulsated up my legs. Twigs snapped and flailed behind me as i made my way further out of the forest.

Not much later I heard his footsteps behind me. No way could I out run him. What was I thinking?

I started to see the clearing where the prairie grass blew in the wind but coward from the hail. An hour before then, the sun was glistening down on emerald blades but at that point, the meadow was engulfed by a dark shadow that beat the ground and battered the trees.

He'd gained on me, I could now hear his breath behind me before he gave an aggressive sigh. I was pushing off the ground as hard as I could and just about to reach the reach the opening he launched himself at me from behind. I face planted the wood chip bark on the floor, and my fingers dug into the earth from his weight on my back. I felt the wind get knocked out of me as my ribcage came in contact with the floor.

"Gotcha" he said, rolling off of me and lying to the side. His arms laid above his head as he caught his breath; his ribcage rising and falling like a sun.

I winced as I rolled to the left to lie on my right side so I could face him. "Ugh..." I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"What's up?" He laughed as he spoke.

"The sky." I said sarcastically, feeling the hail start to soften to rain. We were soaked.

"No smart arse. Why are were you groaning?" He asked, a little concerned.

"Well, if you didn't know, your entire body weight just landed on top of me at speed, you've winded me, I feel like I have a cracked rib and my palms are encrusted with bits of grit. But apart from that I'm ecstatic."

"Oh." He replied.

I brushed myself down and forced myself up off the ground. He just laid there, still, eyes shut, almost embracing the rain that was falling on us.

"Well I am not gonna stay here all day, I'm going to the hut to get cleaned up."

He didn't move, react or say anything.

"Claudius?"

"Hm?" He opened one eye and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to the hut to get cleaned up."

"Ah right, I'll come too, I'm soaked." He finally replied.

The rain stopped and the wind settled, the white birch trees stood proudly in the freshly filtered breeze. I could taste the clarity in the purified air and it cooled my lungs with every breath. I loved the forest after the rain.

The birch leaves were newly jewelled with raindrops and they twinkled like coins with every gentle caress from the wind.

"Sorry, for hurting you back there. I didn't mean to, I just get competitive you know?" Claudius apologised.

"It's okay. I know you couldn't cope with the fact I might actually be faster than you. You know, with me being female and all!" I smirked at him.

"Yeah, yeah!" He sighed.

When we approached the hut, the atmosphere felt different. There was negative energy there. It was quiet. Too quiet. Not a sound could be heard from any woodland creature, no chorus of birds could be heard either. It was very weird.

Claudius and I looked at each other mutely knowing that something was there, or something had been there to scare away the nature. My heart thumped in my chest, a anxiety tingled down my back and twisted in my stomach. My fingers slipped through my sweaty palms, as I clenched my fists moderately.

I started towards the hut first, but Claudius stood ahead of me, his arm like a barrier insisting he would go in first. We crept onto the porch, the old oak wood, creeked with wear. Claudius' fingers wrapped around the door handle, and he opened the towering door slowly. He peered in, I was inches behind him.

He turned to face my, his right finger pressed to his lips to signal to stay silent. His head blocked off the view to see into the doorway.

All of a sudden, Claudius fell towards me, knocking my down like a domino once again. I smacked my head on the wooden steps that descended to the pathway, leading back to the depth of the forest.

Then it was total darkness.