Soon I had to run for my life in a cold, wet dress. Noah said he was packing me some clothes, but we couldn’t stop to change until we knew we’d lost them. I had no idea how long it would be before I could change. Or how cold it was going to get in the forest at night.
In the distance, I could just about see their lips moving but I had to strain. Some of them had their eyes closed again. Why couldn’t they all do that? My heart started to pound. How long would they chant for, and why hadn’t Noah called me yet? Had someone realised that he’d slipped away? He said they’d be so focused on what they had to do to that he didn’t see a problem with getting away. I couldn’t be so confident – this was my life on the line.
Where was he? Gulping as my stomach churned with petrified nerves, I glanced around, still trying to make it look like I was just moving to get more comfortable and flattening the floating skirt of the dress.
When their chant felt like it’d entered the third minute, I started to panic. I didn’t know how many more opportunities I was going to get to escape. My hands shook, and I felt like crying. I clenched my trembling lip.
Run now.
I should just go now. This was my last chance and Noah wasn’t here. I officially had nothing to lose. Just when I was about to go it alone, I heard him. His voice was like an answered prayer.
Looking over my shoulder, I twisted my body in the direction of his voice. It took a minute but after another whisper and rustling of a bush I saw him.
“Now!” he hissed.
I took off, wading through the water as fast as I could. It was difficult, and I burst into tears as the water fought against me, determined to keep me there. I pushed myself harder, and it was when the water reached the bottom of my knees that I heard shouting. Noah stood up, dashing forwards with his hand outstretched.
I whimpered, terrified that they would catch me up. We were stupid; they were going to get us. It felt like ages before I was out and Noah was tugging me forwards. My ankle length dress weighed a ton, and I was instantly freezing as the wind nipped at my skin. But none of that mattered because I was free and had a chance.
“Faster, Scarlett,” Noah snapped.
They were behind us, but there was no way I was turning around to see how far. Their footsteps and voices were quiet so hopefully we still had a good head start. Noah didn’t seem to care about where they were; he ran with sheer determination, half dragging me behind him.
Loose branches snapped under my bare feet, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they broke my skin. I pushed myself, ignoring the burn as my calf muscles screamed in protest. There was no time to care about anything but reaching safety.
“How far behind us do you think they are?” I asked, holding onto his hand so tight I could feel myself crushing his bones together.
There were so many of them and just two of us. They’re going to catch us! My heart hurt as it beat too fast, too hard. Adrenaline and fear coursed through my veins.
They couldn’t be too far back.
Oh God, oh God, they’re going to catch us, and I’m going to die.
I tensed as much as I could, terrified that I’d feel a hand grip my shoulder at any second.
I wanted to be home.
“Probably not far, keep going.” He didn’t sound as out of breath as me but he was close, and it had only been a few minutes.
Five minutes in, and I was completely overwhelmed and exhausted. I felt tears stab my eyes like I was being prickled with hundred of needles. My vision blurred. My side stung, lungs burned, legs hurt, feet throbbed and I was chilled to the bone, but the worst part was the fear of being chased down, caught and taken back.
“You okay?” he puffed after we’d run another ten or fifteen minutes, going deeper into the woods.
I blinked rapidly and replied, “Yeah.” Not seeing wasn’t helping with the panic but it was dark under the trees anyway and we were running fast, so there wasn’t a lot to see. “We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?” I asked, wheezing.
I’d forgotten how my PE teacher had told me to breathe when running. It was either breathe in through your nose and out with your mouth or the other way around. I tried both, and my lungs and throat still burned.
Everything burned and ached.
“We’ll be fine, don’t slow down.”
Not once while we were sprinting towards the unknown did he let go of my hand. He would never know how much I appreciated that. I forgave him, right then and there, while he risked everything and turned his back on all he’d ever known to save my life.
I forgave him.
One agonising hour later, I couldn’t do it anymore. “Noah, I need a break,” I said, doubling over. I gagged. He stopped immediately and dropped to his knees as I slumped to the floor. My legs were now completely unable to support my weight. We’d been slowing for some time now, but I’d run faster and for longer than I ever had before.