Falling For The Fallen

Changes

_FOUR YEARS LATER_

I was running from something... My thighs burning with the all too familiar feeling of fear and adrenaline. Trees whipped past me as my bare feet pounded the soft moss and underbrush of the forest floor. The beautiful creatures of the night stopped mid hunt to watch me sprint past them with all I had. I was something's prey and I knew it. My hunter was huge, masculine, and fast... very fast. If I didn't gain speed I knew I would be caught, the thought alone sent a shiver up my spine. A flawless Lunar Eclipse commenced above me, it's glow casting a red haze amongst the forest floor giving me just enough light to jump above the tree stump in front of me. It was almost as if it were crying out to me to run faster, to beat my hunter at his own game.

My lungs were on fire, and my cold feet ached. My breath left my nostrils in a warm steamy haze amongst the crisp night air. 'Please don't die, please don't die, please don't die' I chanted in my head as I pushed myself on, despite the pain. My long hair whipped around my face, tangling in ways I didn't even know were possible. That was going to be hell to brush out later... If I survived this. I can't imagine what my mother would think of my appearance right now. Golden blonde hair in knots, bloodshot eyes brimming with tears, cold blue lips, white night gown littered with grass stains, thorns, and dirt, cold bare feet... I was an absolute mess.

'Only you would be worried about your appearance as you're running for your life.' Gage's voice echoed throughout my mind. My jaw clenched hard. 'Stay the fuck out of my head' I retorted.

A low, menacing snarl erupted behind me as I pushed my legs faster. This was it. I couldn't go any faster, not with all of these obstacles littering the forest floor, trees, rocks, stumps, even the occasional cat. A whole new dose of fear shot throughout my system as the heavy footfalls of my hunter gained on me, and fast. A loud sob slipped past my cold blue lips as my fight slowly began to run out. I didn't even see the fallen tree in front of me. My knees scraped the bark with a sharp sting as my feet were ripped out from under me, it was over. My head hit the forest floor hard as his large form lifted off of the ground, mid tackle. His deep red eyes gleamed with the excitement of the kill. A blood curling scream left my lips as the glow of the moon caught the sharp butcher knife in his hands.

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I shot out of bed with a loud, broken sob. Sunlight invaded my vision as my teary eyes focused on the elegant cream walls of my familiar room. My face fell to my hands as a soft cry wracked my form in complete and utter terror. "Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream." I muttered trying to soothe myself. The last thing I needed was my mother hearing me having a mental breakdown.

My bare feet hit the cold wooden floor as I got out of bed to go clean up. I really wish I had soft, plush carpet. But the wooden floor was cold, just like everything else in this empty house, it fit in nicely. The floorboards creaked loudly under my weight as I made my way over to my bathroom. A hot shower was absolutely calling my name. My mind slowly drifted back to my nightmare, it felt unbelievably real. The way my thighs burned as I ran, the way the forest floor felt underneath my feet, the way my knees stung as I collided with the fallen tree, I felt it all.

I walked right past the mirror, not wanting to see my tear stained cheeks. Steam filled the small room and fogged the mirror as I started the hot shower and began to peel away my nightgown. I winced as something sharp glided over my skin, drawing blood. My eyebrows furrowed as I dropped my nightgown, it was caked in dirt, moss, and thorns. My eyes instantly brimmed with tears. I'm hallucinating, I have to be. It wasn't real. I woke up in my warm bed, not the cold forest floor. I'm alive right now, not dead. "Saphire stop. Just stop" I muttered softly to myself, trying to keep my sanity. I stepped into the hot shower, letting the scalding water run across my skin. I wanted to wash away every thought, every memory of the nightmare. I took a sharp intake of breath as the water dripped down to my knees. It stung. Why did it sting. I closed my eyes hard, not wanting to look down. I have to face this, I have to prove to myself that it wasn't real. I slowly peeled open my eyes, and looked down to my knees... There, on my creamy skin lied dark gashes littered with dirt and grass stains.

A bile rose quickly to my throat, and my heart began to race. I lathered and cleaned my wounds as fast as I could, not wanting to be here anymore. I had to get out of this house. With shaky hands I turned off the shower, and grabbed my towel. My heart stopped the second I stepped out of the shower. Words were written on the steamy mirror, it read "Keep your eyes peeled darling". Angry tears trickled down my face like small waterfalls. Last night was real, and I was unbelievably close to death. How did I survive? Why did I wake up in my bed? A scream left my lips as my fist flew towards the mirror. Shards of glass flew everywhere as I successfully shattered it. Blood dripped down my fingertips as I stepped out of the bathroom. Leaving a bloody mess behind me.

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My stomach growled like a caged animal as I made my way downstairs, fully expecting to find my mother in her office doing stuff for work... Instead I was greeted with a note on the counter that read "Saphire, I left for my business trip this morning (Which I'm sure you forgot about), I'll be gone for two weeks, call me if you need me. My bank card is under this note, don't spend too much. P.S. No boys, no alcohol, no parties, and please don't trash my house". Great. Thanks mother, leave me home all alone so I can get brutally murdered. I couldn't help but to grind my teeth at the thought of being in this haunting, dark house alone for two weeks... Let alone with "The disappearing murderer" hot on my heels. I looked down at my mothers shiny bank card, and looked back up to my cold, haunting house with Victorian furniture. A sly smile pulled at my lips. If I was going to be stuck here for 2 weeks, then this place needed a makeover. I grabbed my keys and an apple, hopped in the car and headed for Home Depot.

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***********PICTURE OF SAPHIRE ON SIDE******************