Her

Prologue

The fire from the village could be seen for miles. No matter how far I ran the heat seemed to be seeping onto the pads of my feet.

My breaths were short, rapid. My vision was beginning to get blurry. 

"A little further." I rasped out.

Its funny how one begins to come to terms with their fate. I have come to grips with mine. 

Soon, I will be dead. 

It is not death I fear, I have a home in the afterlife. 

In the land of the living... that is where I find myself. That is where the source of my troubles began.

The cabin.

I was beginning to see it in a clearing just across the river, over the bridge.

Every breath I took was beginning to get harder and harder.

I looked down at the baby in my arms. 

It is funny how children have a way of making everything, even the promise of your violent demise, seems so small, when I look at the infinities in her eyes.

I could feel my muscles crying out at the strain, my mind seeming to slip farther and farther. I gently squeeze the little being in my arms and surge of determination enters me. 

Just a few miles away. I can see the cabin.

I can see it. We 're almost there. 

 I can hear the loud pounding of hooves. They are gaining.

"Joseph!"

"Joseph!" I screech as far as my lungs will allow me.

"Mourina" I hear him yell out.

I see a figure over head emerge from the house.

I feeling of relief flows through me.

He's made it.

My feet begin to slow. I look down at my baby. 

My little Ariya.

I slip a letter into her blanket. She won't know me in this life but, maybe...

An ungodly howl, slices through the air.

"MOURINA!"

His voice is like ice in my veins.

My mind briefly shrinks into nothing and suddenly I want nothing more than to beg for his mercy.

"Mourina, you can't run from me." His voice as terrifying as I remembered.

A crushing sense of doom encroaches me, and I can't move.

A soft cry shakes me from my daze. Ariyah.

For her.

I must.

I can hear him and his pack approaching. We won't last much longer like this.

I push my tired legs as fast as they could go, moving with a speed, I knew I didn't possess, a power that wasn't mine.

Chi.

Where was this coming from?

I look down at Ariyah, her eyes glowing.

Tears pour down my face and a unbelieving smile forms.

"My girl. My sweet, sweet girl."

With renewed strength, I run with unnatural speed to the cabin.