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Chapter ??? - Run. Run. Run.

Chapter ??? - Run. Run. Run.

 

We ran for our lives.

Well, Sadie, Sofia and Jordie did. Jordie dragged me behind him, and I was too out of it to realise what was happening. Thoughts were racing through my head like racecars around a track, and all of them about my impending doom.

The others were yelling things to one another, and Sadie had a phone to her ear, looking annoyed, taking it away, and putting it back against her ear. Sofia had her phone out too: using it to show the path, blueish light zigzagging back and forth across the green and brown floor as she ran.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears and my footsteps thudded out of sync with it.

Sadie gave Jordie a panicked look, saying something to him. Jordie said something back to her, as we turned a corner. I kept running straight, however, and my shoulder collided with a thick tree trunk before I was dragged after the others. I couldn’t feel much pain.

Jordie looked back at me and he said something. It was probably an apology of some kind, but my head felt like I was underwater, and the water was murky and cloudy, so I couldn’t see much. Every step I took felt like I was wading through waist deep water, and I struggled. I have no explanations for why this is happening.

I can imagine black smoky tendrils wrapping themselves around me, and if I breathe them in, I succomb to the fear.

Get yourself together, come on Kieran.

We kept running, and I noticed the thick black lines at the edges of my vision - which I assume to be tree trunks -  are becoming more sparse. We must be getting to the long grass. As the long stickly grass collided with my slow moving legs, a suffocating feeling enveloped me.

It was like the tendrils were tightening their grip and filling my lungs with their smoke.

Run. Stupid legs, work!!

Heart pounding.

Run.

Ragged breaths.

Run, for the love of god, run.

My chest heaved as I was dragged along. Sadie looked like she was freaking out, flapping her arms like a flightless bird as she ran. Sofia was out of my line of sight. The murky darkness that had obscured my vision prevented me from seeing any further than Sadie. And I could barely see her.

Run, f*ck, run.

Go faster, stupid, underwater legs!

Suddenly, I felt something grab my ankle. It gripped so tightly it stung as I was pulled onto the floor. I landed with an oomph, and suddenly everything became very real. My vision and hearing cleared up as Jordie let go of my wrist, realising and turning back to get me back up.

A force dragged me across the field like a ragdoll, the grass hitting my face and getting in my mouth. I spat out the seeds that as a child, I thought were wheat, and tried to scream. The silence that came from me scared me. Not even a small noise came from my mouth or I could hear in my ears. I hadn’t gone deaf, as I could hear the yelling of the others, the rustling of the grass, and the dragging sound that happened as I was dragged face down in the dirt, getting scratched all over.

What’s happening to me?!

I opened and closed my mouth like a drowning goldfish.

Stupid drowning goldfish.

It’s about as helpful as it sounds.

Stupid body.

Stupid legs.

I can see the silhouettes of my friends as I am pulled further away from them. There’s no way that they can catch up with me, not at the speed I’m being dragged at. I don't know exactly how fast, but the plants next to me are just a blur.

I looked up at the clear, starless sky.

Uneasiness filled me.

It seemed to be as silent as me.

I’m going to be dragged back to-

I bump over a thick fallen branch, winding me as I entered the forest for the second time. I helplessly tried to take my shaky breaths, but they came thin and far between.

My hand twitched a little, and I curled my fingers into a fist.

No, not this easily. I won’t give up.

I clenched both of my fists, and folded my elbows beneath my chest, leaning forward. My hair dragged along the dirt and needles as I bent my head and dug my free foot into the ground.

What seemed like an invisible hand had a tight hold on my other one, and I couldn’t move it.

The resistance slowed me a little, but against what seems to be the supernatural, nothing really changed.

I looked for roots sticking out of the ground, but it was a coniferous forest, and no such thing was around, so far as I could see. I dug my nails into the ground, scrambling away as best as I could.

Not. Enough.

“Come on!!” I heard Jordie’s voice, crisp and cool in the fuzzy darkness. Pine needles rustled as I was dragged over them, and they formed piles around my legs, crotch and elbows. As my hoodie rode up, the needles filled it and scratched against me.

I bumped over something hard, and man, it hurt. Completely winded once again, I grabbed onto a root, sticking out of the ground. The root was slightly dry and brittle, but still strong enough to keep me from getting dragged back to the hideous version of myself. My paralyzed leg jerked side to side as whatever had a hold of it tried to pull me along. I clinged to the root for dear life, my knuckles going white.

I could see Jordie and the others in the distance, catching up quickly.

My muddy fingers slipped on the root a little.

A little longer, just a little longer.

Jordie came into view, and I tried to cry out for help, but again no sound came from my mouth.

One hard yank, and my fingers slipped from the protruding root. I scrambled to take hold of it again, but just made claw marks in the needles and dirt.

“Hold on, Kieran!! We’re on our way!!” Jordie yelled, tripping and righting himself before he fell over. He looked determined.

I frantically looked around for anything to hold, and nothing showed themselves.

I saw my shadow, and knew I was close. The pale light became brighter and more purple as I was dragged towards it.

Brighter, brighter.

Closer, closer.

My weight was taken off the ground, and I dangled by my paralyzed leg for a moment, before I felt myself fall and was surrounded by purple, fading into black.

Everything was dark, and I felt as if I was being ripped apart.