Write to Rank Entries

Yellow Belt Entry: 2

      I tore open the front door and ran down the walk. I skidded across the gravel while my mind whirred at a thousand miles on hour, trying to decide where to hide. Suddenly, the slam of the door rent through the cool night like a gun shot. I ducked through the dead bushes. In the back of my mind I heard the light clicking on the concrete of the dog's nails. My heart shuddered with fear of what the large canine would do to me if it caught up.

I could barely see where I was going.  I dashed across the large yard. My hair caught in the weeping willow and I had to yank my head, ignoring the stinging on my scalp, to get free. The low branches whipped my face until I had passed the tree.

I ran across the yard and rolled into the dry ditch. I lay panting but I could spare no time. I  raised my head to look through the strands of grass to see if he had come out. I could see his figure step out onto the porch with the dog sniffing in the bushes. He looked around and when he was facing the other way, I crawled out of the ditch and I kept running for my life.

I leapt over the fence, stumbling on my weak and aching legs. My throat tasted like blood from my breathing hard. I coughed suddenly; I couldn't help it. The dog barked and I heard the man shout.

Tears were streaming down my face as I fell into the marsh. My legs became stuck and I struggled to move them. I sobbed loudly, no longer caring if he heard me. It was like in a dream when you couldn't run fast enough. Only I couldn't wake up from this.

I knew he knew where I was, dog or no dog. I cried hysterically as I tried to pull myself out. I could hear him approaching, laughing. I finally reached a hand out to the bank and was able to pull myself out. I heard him give a shout of surprise as I burst out of the mud. I was caked from the chest down with cold, thick mud. I couldn't move fast enough. The dog barked and I felt a ripping sensation in my right calf. I cried out in pain and fell, too tired and in too much pain to go on.

 Blood loosened the mud around my leg. As I stared up at the pitch sky, he knelt down by my head. He chuckled as he lifted a strand of my dirty hair. "You were quick, little rabbit," he said. "You're getting better."

I whimpered, hot tears warming my pale cheeks. He would take me inside and lock me in the basement to rest and tomorrow night, I would do it all again. Just for his pleasure. He gave me a chance to escape every time. And every time, he caught me.