Running for Cover

A sob stuck in my throat as I stumbled out the back door, the light from the kitchen window flooding into the yard to guide me toward the only escape my frantic thoughts could summon. The woods. 

Constantly shrouded in shadow and uncertainty, they had my stomach clinching with fear even as I grew closer to the thick wall of underbrush. As much as my mind shied away from any contact between  the forest and I, I knew that if I chose to say here, I would not escaped the night unscathed. 

My father would make sure of that. 

I cried harder thinking of him slumped on the cold tile floor, the glass from the bottle cutting deep into his hand, the amber liquid pooling around him. 

"No!" I whispered harshly to myself. "I'm going to keep myself safe for once."

And then all light was gone, darkness like an unforgiving sea before me. 

Shaking violently, I picked my way past vines and roots as carefully as I could, hissing in pain when uncaring thorns ripped at my tender flesh. Frigid night air seeped through my thin night clothes. 

I wasn't able to be sure which direction I was headed. Fear and revulsion still clouded my thoughts, making it altogether impossible to take a second and think. The need to get away - far away, is what continued to drive me on. Even as my lungs and aching muscles shuddered in protest. 

Every sound caused my heart to race faster, every shadow I caught stretching across the littered forest floor coaxed a slightly hysterical scream to claw its way out of my throat. Nothing here was safe.

An owl hooted somewhere to my right, causing me to lose my footing and try to regain my balance before sprinting off again. Something disturbed the autumn leaves that clung to the frozen ground-either coming toward me or away I wasn't sure, but it was a struggle with my eyes not to track the shadow. I closed my lids tightly, forcing them to obey me, then fighting for them to open again. 

Exhaustion had taken a back seat to the primitive reflex to flea from what I couldn't fight, but after what seemed to be hours of running, my body took control over my mind. 

I stumbled once before all that I had been striving to keep at bay - the pain, the terror, the memories - succumbed to the blackness. 

Author's Note

Alright, so this isn't really a story, I plan on expanding on it, so this is like the prologue/first chapter. What I'm looking for is feedback, so feel free to comment. :) Thanks for reading me!

Reviews

[Ella]

I might as well copy and paste what I just posted xD It was good, it would be better if it didn't confuse me. Again it is lacking detail and this one is lacking some emotion, but it is still very powerful. I would be curious to see where you are taking this.

[Skye]

xD thanks. though i'm not sure when i'm going to pick it up again.

[Ella]

Welcome :3
Haha, if you are going too :P

[♥ Kinnixk]

Very well written. You have spiked my curiousity. :)

[Renée]

great work ! I shouldn't have read it before bed .. If I have a night mare it will be all your fault! lol

[Dark Tower]

So far brilliant Eagerly anticipating more.

[Dark and Mysterious]

That was great. Keep me updated for more

[T. Logan]

I'm glad this will be a book, and not just this. It's good alone, but i know it'll be amazing when expanded. Keep it coming!