Alpha Brutus ✔

2 - run & escape

Ember Harper's POV:

The loud familiar voice ringed painfully in my ears, well known shock taking over my body and freezing me in place.

Looking back at his window opening, I noticed that he suddenly was no longer there.

Which only could mean one thing.

My theory was proven as soon as he slammed open the front door and stood furiously. His dark hair bushed around, his eyes being more angry than ever.

Pure hell fire was mirroring in them, his breathing heavy and harsh.

"This is your last chance to come inside before I come there and drag you inside!" he shouted, gritting his yellowish rotting teeth.

My knees buckled, my eyes feeling like they were about to pop out of their place.

And in that very moment, i came to a decision that was about to either ruin my life or free me.

I ran.

My weak legs carrying my body weight as i started jumping over exposed tree roots. Tripping over would be a deadly mistake, especially when you had a raging man running after you in full speed.

"I am going to rip your throat out, you ungrateful brat!" he spat, every single one of his words sounding truthful and promising.

And that was exactly what I feared.

My lungs were now pulsating, begging for me to stop running. My leg muscles burned, my whole body radiating with ache.

With a cry, i pushed forward. Looking behind me for a split second, I could see him slowing down.

He was bending over, his smoker lungs not allowing him to continue with the harsh activity.

"When I find you, I'm going to kill you! I can fucking promise you that!" i heard his faint shout in the distance, tears now starting to run down my face.

From happiness, shock, fear, overwhelming pain in most of my muscles. When it all together mixed up and exploded, i fell to the ground.

My palms and knees hitting the mushy ground first, I was thankfully not hurt.

Pulling myself against the roots of a big pine tree, I let my head fall back and my body to rest a bit.

My heart was ramming against my ribcage, my lungs aching from all the deep breaths I took in the spam of these ten minutes of running. 

I was completely and utterly exhausted, my mind still processing what happened not so long ago.

I was still equally as shocked, but succeeded in moving as i wiped the big warm tears off my cold cheeks.

Sniffling, I picked myself off the damp ground. My bag was no longer on my back, which meant he probably took it with him.

He thought I was going to come back to get it.

Feeling my legs almost give up on me, I still continued walking in an unknown direction. I did not know these woods at all, so all I could do was to hope.

Hope that I would find a civilization that I can finally settle and feel welcomed in.

I often tripped over the logs and rocks, but did not fall somehow. I was clumsy, to say the least. That's why the woods are not quite my scenery.

But I did not really have any choice. It was either this or rotting in that house with a drunk old man.

•

Peeling open my heavy eyes, I was instantly greeted with a strong sunlight.

What time is it?

Covering my eyes with my hand and letting them slowly adjust, i quieted and took some time to listen around me.

Bird chirping. Blowing wind. A heavy flowing river.

Finally looking around, I got to finally take in the beautiful scenery around me that I did not notice last night.

Wanting to get up and move, I felt my limbs being stretched out again. I groaned in pain loudly, leaning on the rough tree bark.

It almost felt soothing under my fingertips.

With nothing but an alive spirit, I started moving again. Slower this time, since my body did not let me do much.

I was slow and aching.

Stomach empty and throat dry, I needed to find some resource of food and drink. Even though I had a river not so far away from me, it was more dirt than water.

So, I had to pass on that.

Passing a lot of same looking trees and bushes, I almost lost hope that I would ever find some kind of a human to help me.

This was a big set of woods, after all.

•

Curled up in a ball, I started spilling my tears again. Emotion flooded around me, coming crashing in me like a strong and overwhelming wave of sadness.

Cold air surrounded me as the night slowly took over. The moon was just rising, but it's silvery glow showed much.

Maybe much more than needed.

"I'm gonna have to go to that house again." I mumbled to myself, now coming to a horrific realization.
I was going to get a worst beating of my whole life.

For a moment, I could swear I felt the places bruises were going to be in. The usual ones, after all.

And right when I was about to push myself off the cold ground, I heard a faint crunchy noise.

Branches were breaking under someone's big and heavy feet, making me almost loose my breath for a shift second.

"Who is there?" I asked, my voice now shaking in fear.

Maybe it was Andrew, my step father.

"Father, is that you? P-please don't hurt me, I'm s-" i began stuttering and tripping over my weak words, but all of my actions stopped as soon as I saw what stepped out of a tree's shadow.

A wolf. or was it?

a big, bulky animal was now directly facing me, it's golden pair or eyes staring me down.

I was hopeless in that moment and cursed at myself for even taking a step in this damn forest in the forest.

the animal suddenly leaped forward, the massive body about to land on my fragile one.

And in that moment, before I could feel a single thing, I passed out.

•
Word count:1030