Broken Arteries

Prologue

I slid across the dirt, my feet pounding on the grass. Paffe, paffe, paffe. It was the only thing I could hear besides my loud, drawn-out panting, I could see my breath as it pushed away the straw-like strands of curly brown-almost-black curly-curls that was my hair. It was early fall and the temperature not that low. But with my boney frame and weak body, I could barely keep my breathing even. And if I couldn't do that I couldn't keep myself from feeling like I'd freeze to death any minute.

I ducked under a branch, still huffing and wheezing. The leaves and sticks smacking, grabbing, and clawing at my clothing and bare skin, I didn't even notice that small sting you got when you accidentally ran across something semi-sharp.

Finally, I don't know how far or how long I was running for, I stopped and looked at the sun. I had started running at around 10:45 in the morning. It was probably around 1:00 now... That'd make my run maybe, uh, three-ish hours..? I don't know, not good at math, never have been. My thirteen-year-old brain scrambling to recount. Maybe I had done the math wrong?- Wait, no, that didn't matter right now. I had to keep going! At least another hour or two before I meet up with James, my best friend, well... And twin, but that wasn't important now, was it?

I kept on going, only to realize my legs couldn't carry me much faster than an eager trot, to which I slowed down the pace to a lazy jog, conserving energy in a time like this was important.

I finally was slowed down enough to get a good picture of my current environment. The trees were lush, tall, and thick. There was barely any space between the trunks, perfect. Those dogs wouldn't, or would it be couldn't? Whatever it was I was unreachable, the dogs would be unable to get me, they're too fat! Haha! Were they fat, though? Or were they just broad-bodied? Okay, losing train of thought, focus Maria, focus! What else do you notice?

It was dark, the cavern of leaves above my head blocked out most of the sunlight, I looked over my shoulder and noticed that the reason why I could tell the time was that there was a big carved out hole in the middle of the leaves. How I did not notice I didn't know.

Circling in a one-eighty I noticed how dangerous the woods looked, dark, musty, the air thick and humid. It was like a jungle. Vines crawling up and around the tree trunks.

I just then realized how helpless I was.

Sure, the dogs couldn't get me. But the people could, and that was a terrifying thought. It was life or death out here now. Either I die or something... What if it's someone? Dies.

I began to hyperventilate. I had never been able to keep a cool head for more than fifteen minutes. Was that how long I had been walking? I could still see where I stopped.

I wanted to go faster. But my legs hurt, everything hurt. I just wanted to lie down and rest. Maybe get a good day-through-the-night sleep. That sounded nice. But I knew I couldn't, not yet.

I pushed forwards, I just needed enough distance between me and them. I couldn't be in range for long. They're probably close behind. And that wasn't good.

Finally, my body couldn't take it anymore. I stumbled over near a large tree and practically collapsed into its vines. The strong, sappy smell would keep my scent hidden. And the vines seemed easy enough to hide in. Seeing as they were huge.

Suddenly my eyes were closing, they weren't supposed to. But they were. They're doing it. They're doing it. And they did.

I fell asleep right there.