Shorts

I am dying.

The fire crackled as we all huddled closer toward it. It was a cold night, one of the coldest we had had in a while, and one of us had the brilliant idea to camp out. Stupidly the rest of us agreed resulting with us seeking warmth from the fire and nobody having any real fun. The worst part of this all is that I really had to go to pee, unfortunately for me there was no toilet and the bushes were the best I was going to get. Deciding I couldn't hold on I stood up telling everyone that I was going to the 'toilet'. I walked far enough from the campfire and was instantly meet with the chill of the night air. Finishing my business I hear a rustle in the bushes to my left.

"Hello?" I call out my voice seemingly echoing off the tress around me. The only answer to my call was another rustle, the eerie situation made goosebumps rise on my arms. I start to head toward the noise for some unknown reason. I always shake my head at the person who goes toward the sound in horror movie because they always die first, but I couldn't just ignore the noise. Stepping past a tree I look out on a little meadow. The meadow was clear and there was nothing out of the ordinary or anything that may have made the noise. Suddenly in the moonlight I saw a silhouette on the ground before me. Spinning around I find no one standing behind me, but as I look back the shadow is still there. A strong wind blew through the trees and the shadow moved along with it. A drop of liquid landed on my hand, wiping it off I lifted my hand to the light only to discover the liquid was in fact blood. Turning slowly I looked up at the tree behind me.

My heart began beating wildly in my chest and I felt like I was about to pass out. Trying to scream proved futile as all that come out was an airy screech that was quickly swept away by the wind. Swinging form the branches was a body, blood dripping from the corpse at a steady rate. The body's face was disfigured beyond belief but I could still clearly identify a smile curved into its face. The gender was clear through the bright pink dress and the heels kept on by their straps. The body yet again swang violently as the wind picked up, blood sprayed on my hand and I vigorously tried to shake it off. The blood only seemed to spread more. I can't stand looking at the figure any longer so I spun around my back facing it. The breeze blew again and I saw something that made my heart stop again. The body's shadow was not the only one this time, instead there were two distinct shadows.

Not wanting to find out if the second figure was alive or not I ran out into the field and only once I had made it safely to the other side did I turn around. Only the corpse was up in the tree. If it's still there were is the second person? Suddenly I heard screams of horror. I knew at once it was my friends, and my previous question had been answered. I wondered if they were meeting the fate like the lady in the tree. Being a coward I didn't go back to find out. Instead I ran knowing there was a road somewhere close by. The screams continued to echo in my ears, making it hard to distinguish if they were real are simply a figment of my imagination. Guilt coursed through me as they screams sounded. How could I just leave them? People I have known for years, and I just left! I paused for a moment debating whether I should go back or not. The silence consumed my in large tidal waves, making me realize that the screams had stopped. In fact every noise around me had stopped.

I knew at this moment there is no way I could save them. I hear a noise to my right and listen carefully. Recognizing it immediately I head toward it. The road I had been running for was so close, if I could get there in one piece I could flag a car down and call the police. Short sharp pants exited my mouth, and my heart hammered against my chest. I knew the killer would be looking for me because they had seen me before. I could see the road in front of me, only a few meters and I would be safe. Running I failed to notice the sound of a second pair of footsteps or the hand that extended out for me. I ran for the lights that I knew was my ticket out. As I reached the road I ran out, the hand drew back into the shadows, the screeching of tires sounded as a car come to a stop.

"Hey lady! What the hell are you doing?!"

I let a sob out, mostly out of relief and the other partly out of terror. Before I could respond another car came screeching around the stopped one, colliding into my body. Time seemed to stand still, as I was half way in the air. I knew I was going to die, this was it. I had plans, so many plans, but at this moment they seemed irrelevant. The only thing that seemed important was that I wouldn't be able to say a final 'I love you' to my loved ones. The things I took for granted suddenly seemed to be screaming in my face. Yet no images come forward, no flashes of my life, just the cold hard truth that I will die. I am dying.

And then it was over. And the silence washed over me like a tidal wave, the terror was gone and my pain finished. I am dying.

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"The details of a mass murder in the state national park were released. Last night 12 bodies were found but one has remained undiscovered."

"The body of a 17 year old girl has yet to be discovered after the murder. Witnesses reported seeing her on the main high way before a vehicle collided with the girl and it is said a man jumped out taking the girl before speeding off."

"The man has yet to be identified. The 17 year old girl has been claimed a victim by police, it is said to be one of the worst murders in state history."

"Police have released a statement claiming that it was one of the most gruesome scenes, in many of our state policemen's careers."

I am dying.