Forest

8.

|Hope|

Racing through the forest, I breathe heavily. Although my lungs are burning and my legs are aching, something is beckoning me forward and it kind of terrifies me.

A burst of adrenaline hits me and I lurch, running faster and faster. Why the fuck did I leave Adam and Mel?! What's happening?

The least I can do is think straight, but it's not much when my legs are continually propelling me forward. Spots dance in my vision and I gasp for breath.

With all of the willpower that I have left, I scream as loudly as I can, squeezing my eyes shut.

A force slams into me, knocking the breath out of me and throwing me to the ground. My forehead throbs with pain, and I feel a warm substance drip down my nose.

"Ow, what the hell!" I murmur, pain tearing through my body. The thrill of being alone in a forest must have gotten to me or something. Why else would I have not been able to stop my own legs?

Slipping my sleek, dark bag off of my back, I unzip it. My heart continues to beat out of my chest. The pain in my head flares as I move it to look into my pack.

I knew I should've brought that emergency medical kit with me. Don't know why I was being so careless.

Regardless, I still had my clothes and a water bottle.

Pulling out my go-to sweater, I realize that it's the only soft fabric that I packed. It glides over my finger tips and I let out a sigh that agitates my brain.

It's whatever. I can always buy a new one.

Sloshing water over the shirt, it immediately absorbs it and turns a dark salmon color.

The wound burns as I press the fabric onto it.

Fantastic.