Corey Crawford

Suni

Hands first, I dive into the hollow of an over turned rotting tree. Rotating my body, I fold my long legs as quickly as I can in behind me, briefly catching my right ankle on a sliver of wood and tearing my pants, and then work my arms and hands in between my legs. With my knees up to my ears my breath begins to haunt me. Much too loud, much too fast. I squeeze my eyelids tight and begin to count. One, two, three, four - calm down heart - five, six, seven…. I hold my breath for 8 and try to let out the air slowly for 9. A snap of a twig tweaks all my senses and a prickle of adrenaline runs under my skin. Stop breathing. Another crunch of some leaves, louder than my breath, and a few more foot steps. I pull my knees in tight against my head, hoping to muffle the sounds of my breath. The trunk of the tree reverberates and I flinch. Tree matter crumbles in flakes onto my hair and my pants, the thick smell of decay filling my senses. My hiding spot was kicked by the Burner.