The Laughing Trees

The heat escalates in my limbs as my feet pound the ground relentlessly. I've been running since the darkness took over the sky, which seems like a lifetime ago. My lungs scream for oxygen as the moon begins to decrease into the treeline. Shadows of the forest surround me in a blur of threats and taunts, masking themselves as the thing I'm running from. I spot a dip in the ground and dive towards it, hearing the dead leaves crunch under my weight as I slap my back against the ground. My breath fans in small, sporadic clouds in front of me. My chest heaves rapidly as I gulp down air. The same thought screams on repeat: ‘he can't find me, I can't let him find me!’ A flash of wind makes my knees crunch in closer, trying to get warm. I shiver, and grit my teeth; ‘keep going’ I tell myself. Closing my eyes I allow myself a slow deep breath; then push myself off the ground with a grunt, and continue my running pace. I remind myself to try and keep my breathing under control, since I don't know when I’ll be able to stop next.

It had been -what i presume to be- four days since he yanked me out of my life, and into fearing for my survival. I clench my fists together tightly, as I recall the events.

I had just sat into my driver's seat when I felt a pair of massive hands slide around my shoulders and force me back to the ground. My arms shot out in front of me, wildly trying to grasp anything to help get my body off the floor. My fingers just closed around my still open door handle, when I scream in surprise as I am dragged across the ground away from my car. My shirt pulls backwards, and my hands fly to the collar trying to free the closing fabric from my neck. I reach around behind me and freeze when I feel flesh, and suddenly realise what's happening. My feet kick frantically in front of me, searching for anything to slow the process of my capture. I fling my head up, and catch a glimpse of a red baseball hat with a name on it I couldn't quite catch. Just as I try to look again, a sharp pain sears across my skull, and everything goes black.

A sound jolts me from my memories and back to the dead leaves under my steps. I scramble to a nearby tree and scrape my back against it, disguising my body behind the wide trunk. I tilt my head to the side, and slam my mouth shut to silence my gasping. The air is thick as I listen to every movement, and disturbance in the woods. The branches above me suddenly creak through the wind, like they're laughing at my attempts to escape. ‘Even the forest is against me’ I think quickly. My eyes whip around while I beg the blood in my ears to stop pounding. Leaves crunch under my heels as I lean around the trunk. The sky is starting to turn grey with the coming sunrise, which only increases my panic. He will be able to see me now.

I stay still against the tree until my breathing has evened out, and make sure the sound wasn't my pursuer. With a surge of adrenaline, I push my back off the tree and stumble back into running. I keep my ears trained behind me, in case the noise happens again. My legs start to burn and shake, protesting the constant friction of my muscles. I won't be able to go much longer.

The forest begins to thin out and I slow my running to a jog. A clearing is dangerous. I will be a target with nowhere to hide; a beacon calling for him to grab me. My mind screams for me to go around, but the quivering in my legs hasn't stopped. A warning sign that I've almost pushed my body too far, I need to rest. I peak my head out in front of the last tree camouflaging me, and slowly take in the clearing.

The grass only comes up to my knees, so I rule out crouching. I could make a sprint for it, but I only see the horizon, so who knows how far the other side of the forest is. Something shines off the rising sun and catches my eye. Squinting, I lean forward and gasp. It's a roof! Someone can help me! Immediately my heart soars and I have hope. I can see myself back home and thinking this was all a horrible dream. My fingertips just leave the bark, when my wrist catches in the air.

I screech into the clearing as I whip around. Harsh blue eyes meet mine, and I fling my caught wrist desperately trying to get free of his grip. His red hat is still on his head. I hate that hat. I kick at his knees over and over, trying to break the human towering over me. He grunts, but doesn't budge, like I'm a fly against an impossible swatter, ready to swipe at me.

I catch a glance of what must be a broken branch on the ground, and reach for it. He starts pulling my body away from the clearing and my face contorts as I fight against him. My fingers brush the rough surface of the branch and I scream. Almost...there. My hand grasps around my weapon and I close the distance between the enemy; swinging wildly at his head. The branch makes contact with a satisfying crack. He stumbles and releases me. I just have time to see the dark red liquid leak from his forehead as I sprint away towards the roof in the distance. My legs no longer shake with my panic, pushing me towards the hope in the distance. I leap over a hill and I catch a glimpse of the structure under the metal roof. A barn.

The grass turns to dirt as I near it, and a wooden fence comes into view. With my last bit of stamina, I use my hands to jump over the obstacle. I can see the doors of the barn. The used to be red is now the color of dried rust, telling of the years of sun. The large windows on either side of the doors are cracked, and beaten, with memories of a storm. I land against the side of the barn with a thud, unable to stop my feet in time. My hands scramble for the handle to open my only option of refuge. The wood creaks in complaint as it slides against the dirt, my feet digging into the ground with the struggle. I finally get them open just enough for me to slide in.

“Help! Help!” I yell.

Only silence meets my call and my heart sinks into my stomach. It's abandoned. The smell of hay and something wet hits my nose. A pail of water sits in the center of the room, the only object in the barn besides a wad of hay in the corner. I look up and see several holes about as big as a human's hand in the ceiling. Shadows from the sunrise cast an eerie look to the corners of the structure, and make a knot form in my chest. This isn't safe. I race to the end of the room and pull against the other pair of doors, but meet too much resistance for me to make them open. I pound my fists against the wood in a plea to let me out.

A crash echoes behind me and I stop my advance against the barn walls. My arms turn ice cold as fear flows into my body. I turn towards the entrance of the barn and see the same blue eyes staring back at me. His foot stands at the end of a puddle of water where the pail was knocked over. He smiles, turning his face into a wrinkled monstrosity that doesn't belong. I drop to my knees in defeat. There's nowhere to run. I hear his steps come closer slowly, enjoying the capture of his prey. I keep my eyes on the floor, not giving him the satisfaction of the fear plastered on my face. I watch as the puddle of water reaches towards me, as if it's trying to save me. A ripple causes the water to morphe, and I see a small object under the puddle. I tilt my head and gasp as I recognize what it is. A nail.

A weapon.

I will fight.