Chapter 1: 'Like a Predator...'

“No!” I screamed, my broken voice echoing on the walls and into my mother’s room were she stood glaring at me through narrowed eyes.

I was leaving.

It was the final straw, the last time I could take it; I was finished with her.

Of course… usually the next thing you heard about them was either that they had committed some kind of horrible crime, or died.

The next sound I heard somehow wasn’t even a shock to me. Why not? Of course it would be my luck to get run over by a U.PS. truck the moment I ran away from home… WHY not?!

Reality struck not a moment to soon. I sent my entire frame flying to the woods; trying to avoid death… while it stalked me like an angry predator.

I hit the ground with a thud and I could almost hear the ribs cracking. Gasping in pain; I pushed my arm down onto the hard surface.

To tired, to stressed; I laid my head back onto the cold pavement. Not even bothered by the fact that I was laying in the middle of the road at night.

It didn’t matter.

It didn’t.

I stood up; gasping in pain when my sides reacted like stabbing knives; cutting into my chest.

Groaning; I limped into the forest… yearning to lay down. I didn’t care that it was dark, that I was in the woods alone, that there could be wolves or something in the woods right now; I was too tired.

“What are you doing out here so late at night?” The voice asked; feigning sympathy.

It continued on and on until I finally stopped counting around twelve times.

Slowly, I turned around, not wanting to catch whoever it was by surprise. I’d been under attack enough times to realize when you’re caught, you don’t surprise you captors unless you’re absolutely positive you can escape by doing so.

I froze as it’s hot breath blew down my neck.