and then came the wolves...

The cell was dark and damp, the air stale and the night cold. A small girl, thin and pale, lay against the hard stone wall. The only sound that could be heard was the petite women's ragged breathing. Even in her sleep each gasp for air made her appear as though she was at death's door.

Suddenly, a piercing howl tore through the silent night. The girl's eyes opened with a start. A small gasp escaped her parched lips. Her brilliant blue eyes raced about, searching for the cause of the alarm.

A second howl broke the silence. She paused listening to it. Was it a friend or foe? Afraid of the latter she stumbled to her feet revealing blood-stained bruised wrists that were shackled to the dull wall.

The shackles appeared to be made of steel or iron and were unrelenting in their tight grip as she stretched and strained at her bonds. Looking about the room there were several objects -a rudimentary toilet, some dry, mouldy bread, wrappers and cans, a large wicker chair and several shards of sheltered glass - seemingly from beer bottles if the dull green pigment was anything to go by…

Then she spotted it.

A small but solid-looking hook in the wall. It held up an outdated calendar. Quickly removing it, the girl gathered up the long-chain connected to her wrists and wrapped it around the hook. At first, it looked like it might give way but as she leaned her weight against it, pulling on the metal cuffs, the hook held fast.

The sounds outside were becoming more and more violent. Frightened shrieks and cries were barely audible under the shouts of the attackers. Spurred on by the violence occurring outside the girl gave one last yank on the chains before collapsing on the floor as the links gave way - split into two.

She was panting heavily now. All her prior energy seemingly had left her. Slowly she propped herself up. Her hands were still bound together by the shackles, but she was free from the wall. Unsteadily, she climbed to her feet, stumbling towards the small, barred window. She reached up and managed to pull herself up onto the sill. She peered outside.

Her decision only took a second. Before she knew what she was doing she had pushed her tiny, malnourished frame through the wrought iron bars of the window. She slid out as quiet as night and dropped gently to the wet earth below.

Two men were patrolling just in front of her, though they were completely unaware of the little escapee.

Fear flooded her chest and she watched in terrified silence as another man called the pair away. Bracing herself she crept slowly towards the edge of her former prison and looked around the corner. The men were now gathered around a large fire, there were women too. The deep orange glow from the fire was casting long shadows against the building startling the girl with every sudden move.

Knowing that if she were to stay here much longer, she would be caught and likely killed on the spot, the girl focused her attention back on the trees. Suddenly, and before she quite knew what she was doing, she had made a run for it! Weaving in and out of the trees she tried to dive deep enough into the woods where she would not be found.

Unfortunately, fate it seemed had a different plan in mind.

A howl rose from the place she had just left and the pounding of paws against the sodden earth floor was unmistakable – wolves!