The Cost for Freedom

Sequel: Fight for Freedom

Just because I know it's easier to swipe down on a story than to have to go all the way over to my profile to load the next one (yes I am lazy too lol), here is the first part to the sequel of this story!

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The grass crunches under my feet, my boots constricting around my ankles with each determined step. My lungs are screaming, pulling for oxygen in the suffocating, warm, summer air around me. My shirt rides up over my abdomen as my swinging arms twist my torso in a rhythmic motion from the run. Small strands of hair begin to fall over my eyes, which continuously survey the landscape for the route of least resistance.

The tall, towering trees on either side of me seem to get taller and closer, growing in wild directions. The large trunks were only a portion of the various obstacles blocking my way, their roots altering my path constantly. Branches from the bushes, and weeds at my feet, continue their torment on my body, beginning to feel exhausted from the run. Various scratches maar my body, each new one barely able to settle in before another is made.

My foot catches on a root, unable to foresee its presence, and I roughly fall forward onto my hands, new scrapes covering my already weakened joints. The dirt covers my hands and knees as I quickly get myself back up without wasting another thought. I shake my hand off absentmindedly when I feel a throbbing pain start in my palm.

A large tree trunk falls over on my left and I am forced to stop, wasting precious seconds as it falls and thuds, resonating loudly on the wet forest floor. I step back a few paces and jolt forward, gaining just enough momentum to jump over the newly fallen hurdle. The height of the jump gives a harsh fall as I land on the other side, stumbling to regain my feet before I can move again.

Slowly, I am able to regain my quickened pace from before as I lunge down the mossy hill. Sounds of footfalls behind me push me forward even faster, although my strides seemed to have reached their peak distance long before. My breath is short, and the extra exertion was costing me, a dull pain growing in my side. I focus on my breathing as I attempt to make myself calm despite the precarious situation I had found myself in.

Moments pass, in seconds or minutes I was unable to tell. The only distinct sounds was of the heavy, labored breathing coming from my own mouth and the wailing wind whipping around my hair and trees.

A howling in the distance causes me to stop momentarily, the resulting pause welcomed. The seconds tick by as I try to ascertain the direction it came from. Then it sounds again, yet from a completely different direction, causing my head to snap back around. With a frustrated grunt, I face the darkness ahead of me as I once more propel my body forward.

The hairs on my legs and back stand straight up, erect, as if sensing the imposing danger coming ever closer behind me. I stretch my arms farther, and straighten my previously fisted hands in small attempts to increase my speed yet again. But a possible lack of speed was not my only enemy, as the woods seemed to grow denser the further I ran, showing more wild and intricate foliage.

"Alexis!" A shout rings out, of no indication whether it was male or female, seeming to resonate and echo all over the forest. I hesitate barely a moment, only taking a half a second to turn my head about. Nothing; No one. Even though my stomach sank with an ominous feeling. I keep going, imagining lightning coursing through me, helping me to go even faster.

I could not stop, I had to keep going; that much I knew. But the thought of not being able to stop was hard, because I knew the second I did, I would... I would... My mind was drawing a blank. I couldn't remember why I had started running, only that I had to run; had to get away. But away from what?

Beside me, a wolf shape appears, morphing out of the darkness, running alongside me, dodging plants, jumping over and around the rocks. Its' lithe, athletic form ran easily, sidestepping around the undergrowth, and wet, sinking mud. Studying its movements further simply confused me; it seemed as if they were running from something as well, turning about every few seconds. But what was weird, they did not see me. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get any closer to them. Hopping over a fallen tree toward it, I still was just as far away. My shaky and scared, forced movements barely seemed to phase it. They showed no behavioral change after looking my way, even though I made eye contact.

It was as if I were a ghost. But then why were we both running from... Loud sirens ring around about us, startling both the wolf and myself. I stop, almost involuntarily, upon instinct and jump around in a one-eighty. Bright lights blind my vision and the forest fades around me, my body seems weak, tired, and I fall into unconsciousness, a name repeating in my head, over and over: Selene.

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A/N: Ok this story has about 30 chapters done so far and 23 are uploaded - go check it out and let me know what you think! Votes are highly appreciated :)

-E