The Chase

Running down the path I knew I needed to stop. I'd lost my breath not to long back and it felt like my legs would give out at any second. But I was afraid that if I stopped it would catch up. I didn't know what it was, all I knew was I didn't want it to catch me.

I risked a look back and missed a stray root that jutted out onto the path. I fell face first and slid a short distance which turned me on my side facing the way I had come. At first I was overwhelmed by pain but as I lay there taking note of damages it dawned on me that nothing was behind me.

I slowly sat up, my body aching all over, but nothing seemed broken. My arms and hands were scraped up and I imagined that my face probably wasn't much better. At least my nose hadn't started to bleed.

I sat where I was for a couple minutes as I caught my breath and the pain numbed. There had been something chasing me. I was sure of it up until the moment I had fallen. I had heard foot steps behind me and something that sounded like grunting or maybe growling. And I was sure I had seen something when it all first started, but now I couldn't bring anything to mind.

I slowly stood up with only mild pain. I was too deep in the woods to accurately guess where I was and the sun was getting low. I cursed myself for not wearing a watch. I couldn't even begin to guess how long I had run for.

The only option I seemed to have of getting home before dark was to follow the path back the way I had come, regardless of what had chased me. As I began to shuffle down back down the path, as it hurt to move too much, I didn't see the glowing eyes in the bush just behind me nor did I have time to scream as something tackled me from behind, sinking it's teeth into me.