A sudden swift movement dashed away the courage of the approaching birds, resulting in a massive flutter of wings and hails of feathers. A low groan followed suit. As if on cue, a scream pierced the air, echoing its high pitched noise. The sound of his beating heart came after the silence settled. With each passing second, it just keeps beating faster. Questions filled his head The eerie cold and the darkness just didn't help. Am I blind? His vision showed him what he wanted to know but his instincts told him otherwise. Not trusting himself to stand, the took a look around, or at least tried to, but no light could reflect unto his retinas, rendering him sightless. Calm down. He repeatedly said so as he tried to make sense of his situation. Possibilities flooded his mind. But even after being able to brush himself off the ground, he still couldn't explain anything. Maybe. He thought, maybe if he started walking, he could at least find someone. Just as he lifted his foot, the same scream pierced the silence again, to be follow not by silence but the sound of fluids dripping onto the ground. It's going to be okay. He told himself, but he knew he was wrong. Suddenly, footsteps were heard, not his but someone else's. Anxiety now filled him as the footsteps came closer. Finally, he was close enough to smell, the pungent smell of rotten flesh, followed with a growl. Losing all sense of logic, he ran. Ran he did and after losing all sense of direction and time he finally stopped. What going on? Dread filled him up as he tried to catch his breath, wiping the sweat off his brows. Sitting, his mind again began wandering about, trying to make sense, but to no avail, he just came up blank. And blank it remained as the footsteps return, this time faster and heavier. Forgetting exhaustion, he ran again. No! He screamed as his tripped, and fell. A twisted ankle sealed his fate as the footsteps closed in. Screaming with all his might he couldn't do anything but remain helpless on the ground, staring at the sound of the footsteps. Inch by inch, it came closer. Step by step, the smell grew thicker. Second by second, it's shadow formed. And he saw it, the unmistakable big red shoes, the fuzzy red hair, and the nose. Red. Laughter filled the air, not the usual but the kind you hear a lot in circus tents. Why? He thought between his tears and pain, and that was all he could do. It came closer. What was left of his anxiety was now replaced by pure fear. And closer. Chills up his spine, cold sweat on his forehead. It reached out. The last thing on his mind was hearing his own scream, and the inhuman touch on him. What came after was total nothingness.
