CHASE

    “Go, go, go, GO!” I whispered frantically. I dodged low branches and holes in the uneven, muddy ground. I sprinted through the forest like an animal, never stopping.  I dropped to the ground. Thin flashlight beams swept through the wood. The bright light danced off the trees. Sirens echoed in my ears. The sound turned into a throbbing pain as they grew closer. Closer, closer, closer still. Next, came the lights. Red and blue colors played with the trees. Occasionally, a light would fall and illuminate my body for all to see. I ran. I ran. My legs wouldn’t stop. The earth seemed to fly out under my feet.

      Black. What is this feeling? Black. I dared to open my eyes. The light struck my eyes instantly, almost blinding me. I couldn’t hear anything. Was that a good thing? All my senses came to me at once. I was still in the woods. The sounds of early morning rang out among the trees. I flattened myself out at once, expecting the police to still be searching for me. I got back up, feeling very foolish.  I stood up and stretched. I felt a sharp pain nagging into my lower back. I reached behind myself and pulled a branch of burrs out of my dirty t-shirt. Ugh. I threw them onto the ground, and destroyed them with my foot.

     My stomach growled. Food. I had forgotten long ago the sensation of a full stomach. I walked through the forest, kicking leaves into the air. I loved fall. I came to a clearing in the woods where there was a small stream. I checked to make sure no one was watching me, and I waded in. The water rushed between my legs. Feeling like a child, I washed my face with the clear water. I took a drink. The water streamed into my mouth and down my chin. Little trickles ran down my shirt. I walked to the other side of the river, hoping for some sort of berry bush. Perfect, a raspberry bush! I stuffed myself silly, not knowing the next time I would be able to eat.

     I took a back road into town. The sun dried my clothes, leaving them wrinkled. I walked behind all of the shops. A million different smells drifted in the air. Freshly baked bread, dust, water, flowers, greasy food, popcorn, dirt, people. I sighed. People. They’re such a mystery. I hate watching families walk around in town. It makes me… I don’t know. I guess it makes me jealous. I squinted around in the bright sun. I weaved through the line of buildings. People were starting to give me ‘the look’. I stopped weaving around the building, and sat down in the grass. I made a little stick castle, like I used to do when I was little.

         I left the town and went to the neighborhood. The neighborhood always gave me the creeps because of all the families walking around. I crawled around the neighborhood, looking at the houses. I came to the old McCrawford house. The richest family in the neighborhood lives there. I went around the house, looking through all the windows. Whoa! A swimming pool inside their house! “This is crazy.” I said under my breath. I heard someone approaching me from behind. Before I had time to turn around, they were on top of me, pinning me down. “STOP!” a strong voice commanded me.

    I almost laughed. Stop? That’s the one direction I don’t listen to. I thought. The voice repeated itself, this time louder. “STOP!” I kinda stopped that time. I still squirmed.  The person placed my hands in a pair of handcuffs and spun me around. A police officer. I should have known. He said nothing, and dragged me into the sunlight again. He inspected me, and tossed me into the back of his police car.

    At the station, I waited on a metal bench. Someone came and called my name. I followed them into a room with holding cells. The person pointed to a cell and pushed me inside. I sat down on a dirty plastic bench. I’ve sat on that bench too many times before. A person came in, whistling. I tried to get the person’s attention. I started coughing. By the time the person made it to my cell, I was already pretending to be unconscious on the floor. The person unlocked the door and came in. The person bent down and brushed the hair out of my face. “You! Not again. What did ‘ya do this time? Huh?” the person said. I opened my eyes. “What who are �" You! Again! My luck. Listen you gotta help me. I �"““I know. It’s all over the news. The protector guy is sick, and I’m in his place. Perfect timing.” I smiled. He led me out a back door. “Run, and don’t stop. Now go!” “Thanks Julien!” I yelled back to him.

          I ran. I ran back to the woods, back where I belonged. An animal. That was the one place I was safe. The one place I was free. I ran through the stream, the water splashing up my body. I howled like a wolf. I ran on all fours to my favorite tree. I climbed the tree, and looked out over the forest. I was the queen. “HEY YOU!” said a small shrill voice. It startled me, and I fell out of the tree. A small boy bounded up to the edge of the forest where I was laying face-down in the leaves. His mother called him back home, and he left with an angry look. The sun was already going down in the sky, and I was exhausted. I fell asleep immediately.

      The next morning I woke up with an incredible pain in my leg. I tried to stand, but my leg removed any possibility of that ever happening. I lifted my pant leg and my leg was noticeably not normal. It looked funny too. I hopped up on my right leg, leaving my left dangling behind. I climbed the tree again, using only my arms. I propped my leg up on a higher branch and surveyed the world below me. The sun was just peeking behind the highest mountain top. I found a branch to hold if anyone startled me again. I leaned back, and let the gentle breeze blow the hair over my face.

    I turned my head in annoyance as another figure jumped through the trees. The figure came closer, too close. “Julien?” I whispered. He turned his head towards me. “Luxa.” he whispered.

        

Author's Note

No, there isn't going to be a sequel. You will forever be in suspense. Mwahahahahaha!