Runaway Rosie.

Twelve.

     Jason came into view and I swung the piece of wood in my hands, missing. It didn't take him long to react. He lunged, trying to tackle me, but I swung again before he could reach me, the board colliding with his head. As he doubled over in pain, I leapt around him and up the stairs. My balance wasn't very stable and I began to bounce off the walls as I tried to steady myself and run at the same time.

        What I assumed to be a door leading out side was now withing reaching distance. I fumbled with the lock and knob, trying to open it as quickly as I could. Once the door opened, I heard a groan from the basement and I bolted, barefoot, into the darkening woods ahead of me. Branches stung as they ripped at my arms and legs, twigs stabbed my feet with every step, bugs clouded my sight, but I continued to run. Almost out of breath, I slowed down, listening for a clue to let me know how close he was. A crackle in the distance meant not too far. 

        A tree with low branches hung above me and I started to climb it, thankful for the years of gymnastics my parents put me through. I shimmied up the bark, swinging limb to limb, getting as high up as I could without causing a branch to sway under the added weight. Just as I had settled, Jason's burly body bounded past me, and then stopped. He was listening, but heard nothing. A rattle in the leaves above me drew his attention to my position. He jumped, grabbing the lower branches and reached for my foot. I hiked my leg back and kicked him in the face, surely breaking his nose. I hurriedly climbed down, landing on my ankle wrong, and started running again.

        "ROSE!" His voice echoed, bouncing around the seemingly dead world around me. Light shone before me, growing bigger and bigger until I knew what it was. A campfire. A few people, laughing and telling ghost stories, quieted when they saw me.

        "Are you okay?" A young woman asked, breaking the group silence, but I couldn't respond. I could only mouth the words 'help' and point to Jason who appeared from trees behind me. The young men that were once sitting down, were now standing up, making their way in front of me.

        "Get out of my way, she belongs to me," Jason barked, anger present in every inch of his body.

        "She's a woman, not a piece of property. I think you should leave." The oldest guy said, hand resting on his gun holster.

        "Give me, my goddamn wife, now!" Jason moved forward, pushing the 2 younger guys out of the way. The older gentleman grabbed hold of Jason, who ripped his way out of the grip and swung at him, causing the man to fight back. A gun shot was fired and the girls cried out behind me, fumbling around for their phones. I turned around and ran.

-x-

        "Breaking news, a camping trip in the woods becomes hostile. Campers claim a scared young woman came running out of the woods, mouthing for help and pointing at a man chasing her. The men that were camping tried to subdue the angered fellow and a gunshot was fired. Here's what an eye witness had to say. 'We were all sitting around the fire, enjoying each other's company when this young girl, with short brown hair and a torn up yellow shirt, comes running towards us, completely shaken up and terrified. We tried to ease the tension, but things got ugly and the man attacked us. After that, the girl ran off again.' Details on any injuries, next." The commercials faded into the background as I processed what I just heard. It didn't take long for the pieces to fit together. She didn't run away, she was taken.

        "ROSE! MOM! I KNOW WHERE ROSE IS! COME ON! I HAVE TO GO FIND HER!" I grabbed my keys and jumped in my car, the boys right behind me. 

        "Hazza, we're coming with you!" Niall screeched, Liam hollering a, "let's go" as I started the car and sped off towards the campgrounds.