Space is Vast

Chapter 2 - Intermission

The cold frost glinted off the forest of trees creating monstrosities in the corner of ones eye. The moon hung in the night air shedding its light, and illuminating the path of one man running through the damp snow. His short breaths came and went, condensing in the air before him and steaming upwards into the night. He allowed his eyes to wander for a moment, to forget for the briefest of seconds what he was doing in the woods at this hour of the night. He watched entranced as his eyes followed the patch of steamed air. His eyes lifted more and more until he was staring directly into the trees…. and at a figure peering down at him. He felt his heart skip a beat and again he took off running. He had caught up. He had thought he had lost him. How close is he now? Where is he? Am I going to die? John allowed these thoughts to flow around his mind and let his legs take him wherever they felt best. He glanced into the trees every few seconds but this did not reassure his thoughts as every glint of moonlight, and every rustling branch was, in his mind, his pursuer. He began running again and felt as a branch snagged onto his over coat. In his fear he threw it off and did not look back to see what, or who, his attacker was. His mind reeled and he no longer paid attention to where he was running, a fatal mistake. John felt a sharp pain as his foot caught on something and he fell face first into the cold snow. Cursing himself for his clumsiness he elbowed his way up to a sitting position and saw what he had tripped over. A rope had been set out in his path between two trees, and he had no doubt who had made this simple trap. He sat there for many minutes, and yet nothing happened. Slowly and cautiously he stood up. He gave a quick look around and when he found he couldn’t decipher anything from the darkness took a careful step forward. John never heard the muffled shot as he took his first step into what he thought was freedom. He fell to one knee grasping his calf, which now had a rather large hole in the side of it. He cursed once more as blood began running down his leg under his pants. He tried to stand and felt his leg give way and fell on his side in pain wondering when this torture would end. Soft footsteps approached, he could hear his pursuers controlled breathing as well. John held his breath hoping they would mistake him for already dead. He nearly whimpered as the cold voice spoke to him.

“Mr. Edwards, I hope you don’t think that I’m stupid enough to take you for dead. I’d of thought you much more intelligent than that.” 

John cringed as he felt the figure lean over him and place a strong hand on his side and roughly turn him over. 

“Y- you can’t be real… th- none of this can be happening to me!” He cried out as he looked at the face of the man in horror.

He was answered only with a smile, cold and emotionless. John could see the eyes; they were a cold gray, which was a strange mix for a man with such dark skin. In horror he watched as the figure stood up and un-slung a large rifle from his back. Silently he held it in one hand and pressed the silenced muzzle against John’s forehead.

“Good bye Mr. Edwards.” He heard the assassin say before everything went black. And before Adam woke up.