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You knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
The thought echoed in your mind, relentlessly as you pushed your way through the underbrush. Your breathing was heavy, your steps loud and clumsy. But you couldn't afford to care. Whether you moved like a shadow in the night, or crashed through the woods, it wouldn't matter. They'd find you soon enough. A flash of pale yellow flickered in your peripheral vision and a small sound like a snapping twig sounded out, a signal you nearly missed that meant you needed to change course. You spun around, grabbing hold of a tree to alter the direction of your momentum, only to slip down an unexpected drop. That was the only thing you missed about working for him. At least back then, you had a better sense of direction.
Things had been building to this moment for a while now. At first, you relished in the freedom, the special treatment, the loose reins. It made the others resent you, but that didn't bother you at the time. Just much freedom as an outsider, but all the perks that came with those of your position. You flaunted it at first, but once the novelty wore off, you started to think. Think about how you had gotten with something that others would kill for: a chance at freedom. And now, one of his other prized pawns had given you the golden opportunity you'd been waiting for. You'd love to see that arrogant fucker try to catch up with you, especially now with that mangled leg. It served him right.
You silently thanked whatever fate was guiding you, grateful you wouldn't have to dodge bullets, now you just had to worry about the others.
Hours had passed- or at least, that’s what it felt like. You’d started with a casual walk, then a jog, and now it was a sprint. You didn't know how much time had passed, it didn't really matter to you. Earlier, the ever-present buzzing in your head had seemed to get softer and quieter the further away you got, almost pushing you further along.
Now though, you could feel the buzzing static in your head, growing louder as the others chased after you. Some part of you took note of the fact the sun was likely to rise soon if the color of the sky was anything to go off of. You didn't want to be out here long enough to find out whether daylight would help or hinder you. A noise from your left jerked your focus back to the present, a reminder that someone was still on your tail. The sound came again, closer this time as a rustle in the trees, not the same one already chasing you. You grinded your teeth together, holding back an aggravated huff, and forced yourself to keep moving, something in your head pushing you to continue on. The air felt thick with anticipation, and you knew it wouldn't be long before they closed in, but you'd be damned if you gave up now. You could almost feel them, every time you looked back you half expected a gloved hand to wrap itself around you and pin you down.
You continued pushed through the underbrush, your legs burning and chest heaving, heart pounding in your chest. The trees were getting denser now, the canopy thicker, blocking out the light. At first you were concerned you'd lose your way or find a part you couldn't pass through, but at some point as you went if felt as if someone better suited for this had kicked you out of your own head and took over your body to make all the hard decisions on where to go. Or so you thought anyways- because now you were faced to face with a section of trees so dense you would never make it through before getting caught. And then, As you were back in your body and choking on your own panic, you noticed it.
A narrow gap between a cluster of thick trees, draped in foliage, barely wide enough to slip through. It wasn’t much, under any other circumstances it would be a pretty shitty hiding spot, but the size alone might make it too easy to overlook.
You glanced over your shoulder. He had to be close by now, too close for your comfort anyway. There wasn’t time to deliberate. Without hesitation, you tore at the tangled vines and branches blocking the way you would usually go, turned, and dove into the tight space, praying the remaining darkness would cover you.
It was cramped, the air thick and stifling. Even through the rush of adrenaline, you felt something jabbing painfully into your back. You shifted, trying to dislodge it, but it instead moved with you. You tried to be as quiet as possible while you continued to push, eventually ending up in a small clearing.
The foliage here was just as dense, but the space gave you room to breathe. For a brief moment, you thought you might have a chance to move forward, to find an exit.
But voices distantly off your left had you quickly positioning yourself behind one of the trees. You peeked out, having to strain your ears to catch their conversation. Guess your heightened senses were done in too.
"-on, please!" A girls voice. You think you've heard it before but honestly you couldn't care to place it. "You don't understand- I... I can't stay here!"
"You're right about one thing, I don't understand. But what I do understand is that you’re in deeper trouble than you realize" You paled. Maybe you shouldn't have been so sure a simple messed up leg would be enough to stop this guy because here he was in that faded yellow hoodie. Luckily though, he hadn't noticed you, you could still get away and lose the other guy in the process but...
"I wasn’t thinking, ok?! I thought if they were leaving, it wouldn’t matter if I slipped away too- No one would notice! I’d disappear, and-" She would have continued her rambling if he didn't interrupt by shifting the grip he had on his gun, silencing her.
"Do you honestly think it’s that simple? That nobody’s watching?" He huffed out a laugh. "You underestimate him."
"He doesn’t have to know! You could say I was..." The girl paused, thinking. She swallowed thickly before continuing. "killed during the commotion. He’d believe you! You’re- you’re closer to him right?"
You tensed. It was almost laughable how your situations lined up with hers.
Every instinct screamed at you to stay still, to hold your breath and let this play out without your interference. You’d gotten this far by looking out for yourself, hadn’t you? Why should that change now?
And yet, something about the girl’s voice grated at your resolve. The desperation in her words, the fear in her tone. You couldn’t ignore it. Not entirely, anyway.
She’s not your problem. If you help her, you’ll end up just like her—cornered, captured, maybe worse. Keep moving.
You shifted your weight, eyes darting to a jagged rock half-buried in the dirt at your feet. It wasn’t much, but it’d be enough to make some noise, enough to buy her a window to escape. But at what cost? You? Sacrificed for someone you didn’t even know? Someone you didn't even want to know?
Let it go, you thought to yourself. You didn’t claw your way out just to be dragged back in because of a stranger.
But the girl’s voice pierced through your thoughts again, trembling and pleading.
“I’ll do anything! Just… just give me a chance. Please!”
You squeezed your eyes shut, grinding your teeth together. You didn’t want to care. You didn’t. But dammit, you saw yourself in the same situation, caught in a trap, no good options, hoping for a miracle that wasn’t coming. Hell you were there just a few seconds ago and you're still in it!
She wouldn’t help you, the bitter voice in your mind spat. No one helped you.
And yet, your hand was already moving, curling around the cold, rough surface of the rock.
The guy in the hoodie spoke again, his voice uncaring and about just as cold as the rock in your hands. You wondered if he even knows what remorse means. “You’re out of chances, kid. Should’ve stayed put.”
His words sent a jolt of panic through you, the kind you couldn’t ignore. He hadn't meant you, right? Either way, your fingers tightened around the rock. If you do this, you’ll have to move, and fast. There’s no turning back.
｡𖦹°‧. . . ?
A shot rang out, the sharp sound ricocheting off the leaves. You veered sharply to the left, legs burning as you pushed yourself harder, trying to be faster.
Branches clawed at your arms, legs, and face, roots threatened to trip you up, but you didn’t slow down. You couldn’t. Another shot cracked through the air, closer this time. You stumbled, nearly losing your footing before you caught yourself against a tree. A quick glance over your shoulder confirmed your fears, he was gaining on you.
You idiot, you should’ve-
Another shot sounded off, you didn't have time to stand here and think back on your choices! You still have to get out of here!
The forest blurred around you, the trees now seeming like a maze. And finally, as you sprinted through the dense wilderness, you broke through the trees. Surprised, you stumbled, breathless, and then... thud.
You were on the ground, looking around revealed you to be in what looked like a backyard. Was there always a neighborhood around? You chalked it up to your constant changes in direction. You tried to stand up, surely your pursuers were close behind after all. But all you could do was fall pathetically back onto your side, wheezing, all your running finally catching up with you. The lawn was cool and you almost melted into the grass right there and then. You heard a door open and close, but everything was seeming a little more distant than usual...
You sat there for a while. You could tell it was a while because the sun had finally shown itself. You waited for one of them to emerge after you. To grab you by the ankle and drag your weary form right back to square zero, but no one came. The silence of the early morning surrounded you. The static was fully gone now, replaced with a warm feeling, something in your head telling you that maybe you'd be ok. You were free.
The peace couldn't last forever though. The same sound of the door opening and closing had you tensing up, exhaustion pulled at you, but you couldn't sleep yet. A man who looked about fifty walked into your view. You tried to stand up- to move- to do anything, but you must have looked like a fish out of water trying to walk for the first time while also on drugs.
“Easy, easy,” he said, his voice rough but calm. “What in the hell-”
Before you could even form a response or make another escape attempt, he had you turned over on your side.
“Just what were you runnin' from..?” he asks, the question more to himself than to you. His eyes scanning your tired yet frantic expression moved down to your shoulder. It did hurt a lot now that you were thinking about it. With what little energy you had left you craned your neck to look. Blood covered your sleeve, leaking from your upper arm to your fingertips, How the hell had you not noticed you had gotten shot?! It looked like it was just a graze but still, adrenaline is a double-edged sword.
With your new perspective, you looked behind the man, you saw a small figure- his son? maybe ten years old, standing in the doorway of the house, wide-eyed, guilty looking, and silent.
You didn’t have the words to fight, or the mind to panic further. You were slipping away and you felt it. You
could barely even process anything else before the man turned, his eyes darting between you and the house. You don't remember him picking you up, but he had you in his arms now.
“Jesus- I need to get you inside. Now,” he muttered, his voice firm with urgency. His son didn’t make a sound, but you made eye contact with him. He was scared.
...You didn't like to admit it, but you were too.
That was the last thought you had before you finally gave in to the exhaustion.
You'll wish you remembered this.