Nighttime Chase

Run

Everybody called me crazy. They swore they could never feel the things I felt or hear the things I heard. Which was why I realized that being alone in a forest was a bad thing.

The second I heard the crunch of a branch behind me, I felt my heart beat quicker. My muscles tensed up and I got a sense of dread as the hairs on my arm seemed to rise, skin prickling. I turn behind me and I find myself staring into the eyes of an animal.

It's a wolf-like creature, but it doesn't entirely look like a wolf. Its muzzle was much larger than a wolf's, and the teeth were much sharper. It was a stormy gray color, its piercing gold eyes staring deep into my own. It moved forward, ready to attack. It was like it could sense my fear.

Without anything else to do, I turned back around and took off at full sprint. I could hear the creature behind me (judging by the leaves crunching), and I knew it would catch up. I didn't have much of a chance when it came to strength either. I was screwed.

But I never stopped running. When I tripped over a branch, I got back up despite my leg aching. That unfortunately slowed me down. However, nothing was behind me now. I felt a sense of relief. I'd finally lost the beast.

"Well now that was something," I said to myself, smiling in success. Surely, it found a new target to hunt down, attack, maybe devour. I just felt relief it wasn't me.

Then I heard a growl and I couldn't help but scream. Goddammit, it was back! I started to sprint again, avoiding my newfound pounding headache and the throbbing pain in my leg from when I'd tripped. I kept running, never looking back.

Focusing only on the world in front of me, I tried avoiding rocks or stones, branches, and trees best I could. My vision started to blur from tears of panic forming. I had to outrun this...thing. I had to live. I HAD to!

My breaths were becoming more and more panicky as I started losing my breath. My heart was beating incredibly fast as I continued running. Eventually, my unprecedented pause of running came when I tripped over yet another branch. 

"Ugh..." I groaned, picking myself up. My leg felt so sore, my heart was beating very fast, and when I put my hand on my forehead, I felt sweat. Great. Out of breath, sweaty, tired...is this how athletes feel?

I heard nothing behind me and felt a sense of relief. "Finally!" I cheered, excited. I'd actually outrun a wild beast. Take that animal!

And then I felt a hot, wet breath on my back. I froze up. Shoot. I'd been fooled. I turned around, seeing the beast on its hind legs as it growled loudly.

That was the last thing I heard before it slashed my throat.