Elizabeth's Diary pg. 32, Jan 14, 1997

Elizabeth takes a short hike

--rushing past. I hid in a bush, and heard staff calling out around me. Their shouting echoed through the forest. I didn't know if it was a trick of my ears but I could hear them all around me. I was so tense, every muscle pulled tight so I couldn't make a sound. I noticed how hard I was breathing, so I tried to breath slower. I kept myself quiet until the only sound came from my own heartbeat in my ears. The shouting was more distant now, farther into the woods. I still couldn't tell which direction though, and I lost track of which way I came from. I was told this place was secluded, and that I wouldn't be able to get far on foot. I think they lied to me, but I'm not really sure anymore.

For the middle of January, I was warm. There was snow on the ground, but if I didn't see it I wouldn't notice. I peaked up from the bush and looked around me. The shouting was very distant. No one was around. I picked up my bag and ran further the way I thought I'd came. I tried to pace myself, checked my breathing and my footing. Then I realized the shouting was gone. I stopped dead, and crouched down low. Then the shouting started back again.

I could finally tell where it was coming from, and they were much louder now. I looked around me to see where I could hide, but I had reached a clearing and the only thing I could think to do was to climb a tree. I tried climbing, and the first branch I grabbed snapped before I even got up to it. I ran to another tree, this one too wouldn't support my weight. The shouting was louder, they must have heard me. I panicked and tried to run halfway up a tree, but fell back down into the snow. I hit my tailbone hard, and when I got up I realized that this entire time I'd been leaving a trail in the snow behind me.

I heard the men approaching even closer, so I just ran. I didn't care about the noise I was making, I pushed through brush, and twigs slashed at my face. The warmth I was feeling turned into a terrible burning. Everything was burning. The more I ran, the more the snow climbed up my legs, until I couldn't run anymore. I was now trudging through snow up to my knees, and I couldn't move any faster. I had made some distance between me and the men, but they were behind me, and were tracking my footprints. I kept going. Snow was falling all around me but everything was on fire. I felt nothing but smoldering flames encompassing me, nothing but fire. Smoke swirled all around and filled my vision. Then nothing.

I woke up in my cot, sore over my entire body. My groaning got the attention of a nurse, who closed my door. Tears swelled in my eyes and I sobbed until--

Author's Note

30 minute writing sprint