Run For It

The two girls raced through the dense undergrowth of the woods. Their dirty floral dresses flowed behind them as they leapt over a large moss-covered tree trunk.

‘Come on. Hurry!’ The larger girl hissed between laboured breaths.

‘I’m trying!’ the smaller girl whined. She clutched a ripped portion of her dress tightly to her skinny frame to keep it from snagging on anything.

‘Try harder! He’s gonna kill us!’ she spat under her breath. She grabbed the others hand and started dragging her behind her.

It was dark. The thick leafy canopy blocked most of the low sun’s light. The bigger girl let out a small scream as she stumbled having tripped on a branch that was partially hidden within a clump of fern. She almost kept her footing but fell forward, yanking the other girl before releasing her grasp so as not to pull her down with her. Luckily, her landing was cushioned by more greenery, and not the fungus covered tree stump beside it.

‘Be careful Sarah!’ The younger girl ran and to help the other as she lay prone, pushing her long dark hair out of her face.

‘Be quiet Claire!’ Sarah hissed as she got to her feet, pulling down her dress which had ridden up, revealing a large dark bruise on her meaty thigh. ‘He might hear us.’ She peered back the direction they had come.

‘I don’t see him. Maybe he’s given up?’ whispered Claire.

‘I don’t know. He could still be searching for us. We have to get away from here,’ she said quietly, her breathing becoming less laboured.

‘Where can we go?’

‘I think we can get to the Thomson farm that way.’ Sarah pointed through the trees. ‘It won’t be too far. We can hide in his old barn. It hasn’t been used in years.’

‘Do you think it’ll be safe?’

‘Sure. As safe as anywhere, I guess. Better than the forest at night for sure.’

‘But it might be full of critters. Rats an’ spiders an’ snakes an’…’ Her voice rose with in both pitch and volume with each species until Sarah shoved a hand over her mouth.

‘Quiet!’ She looked intensely into her eyes then slowly removed her hand from Claire’s mouth. ‘We can’t stay out here. The woods have critters too. Bears, cougars, wolves…’ She knew that there were no big predators around here, but she wanted to get her little sister moving. The look of horror on her sister’s face showed that it was working. She gave Claire a reassuring smile and pushed some of her sandy hair away from her eyes.

‘C’mon. Let’s go.’ She held out her hand and Claire nodded and grabbed it tightly.

They moved slowly and quietly between the trees which were gradually spacing out a bit more, suggesting that they were nearing the edge of the woods. Sure enough, the trees came to an end revealing a dirt road and a field of corn on the other side. The sun was hanging just above the horizon, but in the distance, they could make out the silhouette of the old Thomson barn in the distance.

‘There it is!’ Claire excitedly announced, with a bit too much volume.

‘Shhhh!’ Sarah glared at Claire, then dropped into a crouch and looked around furtively. ‘We’ll cut through the field. No-one will see us in the corn. Quickly now.’

They darted across the road and into the field of corn. Harvest time was near, and the corn loomed over them. The air was stifling, and they could hardly see a thing, but Sarah’s sense of direction brought them close to the barn. Another dirt track led to the old barn’s doors. Sarah exhaled loudly in excitement.

‘We’ve made it!’ Claire whispered excitedly and then hugged her sister. Sarah prised Claire of her and then the pair smiled at each other before they trudged towards the barn.

As they reached the huge wooden double doors of the barn, they realised that they had a problem. The doors were secured shut with a thick rusty steel chain and padlock.

‘What do we do now?’ Claire asked softly.

‘Ye’ll get your butts into ma’ truck so’s Ah can get yous home!’

The girls both screamed with surprise at the voice, the owner of which came into view from the far side of the barn.

‘Your ma is gonna be worried sick.’ The man was tall and thick set, with long, unkempt graying facial hair. The last of the setting sun’s rays gave him a menacing silhouette and illuminated his bald head.

‘M-Mr Campbell!’ Sarah stammered as her mind swirled with confusion. ‘How did you find us here?’ she managed to blurt out.

‘Ah saw yous run into them woods when ye were runnin’ fae me. Thur’s nothin’ else here for miles. So, Ah figured...’ He pointed in the direction of his pickup truck. ‘Now get in or Ah’m gonna have words with yer pops. An’ Ah’ve told yous a’ready. Stop feedin’ ma apples tae ma hogs. Got it?’

‘Yes, Mr Campbell,’ they answered in unison, their heads drooped down with shame. They walked with a diminutive hunch to the battered old truck, scuffing their feet as they went and got in, Sarah slammed the door closed with a sour look. He shook his head as he watched.

‘Buckle up,’ he said as he got in. The old V8 roared as he turned the ignition. The truck sped away just as the sun went down.