Silver Stone Woods

I was running, pushing as fast and hard as my shaking knees would carry me, branches latching at my arms, my face, or any piece of vulnerable flesh they came in contact with. I was frightened beyond all recognition and my breathing was shallow. I know I can’t make it much further, and right here and now I almost stop.

A blood curdling scream echoes through the dense forest around me, my heartbeat pulses and my mind races. This only reassures me that I cannot stop, not now, not soon. Not as long as he was still in this forest. I tried to un-jumble the mess I’ve gotten myself into but I can’t; I desperately need to know who he is and why he wants me dead.

In the evening light I trip as the toe of my converse violently catches a tree root. I tumbled across the ground and my body slammed into the rough base of the nearest tree. A strangled scream caught in my throat when three piercing black ravens flocked noisily from the tree. My ribs ached and there was a gash on my right side, worst of all now he knew where I was. I stood, grinding my teeth from the pain, and tried to take off again; not only did I not make it very far before collapsing, but I could hear his footsteps echoing nearer and nearer.

My body trembled and my eyes darted around quickly, spotting a trampled dirty newspaper; I urged my moves to be deathly silent as I reached out for it. From what I could read the head line said, “Mentally Ill Man Escapes”. Below the page was ragged and torn and I could only read spare words here and there: ‘Dangerous’, ‘possibly armed’, ‘delusional’, ‘if found keep away and call the social service center immediately.’ I gasped, the paper was only dated from a week ago; I committed the picture of the man to memory and cowered behind the tree.

The first thought that crossed my mind was, “I know it’s him, it has to be.”Which was closely followed by, “Who in the world knows the number to the social service center?” In my frenzied panic I dialed the only number that was resonating around in my head: 911.

“911, please state you’re emergency?”

I hesitated and stated as clearly as my horrified brain could produce, my nerve racking situation. “I’m in Silver Stone Woods and I believe an escapee from the nearby institute may be trying to…,” before I could finish my story a scream erupted from my throat, he was there… right in front of me.

“Miss? Miss? Are you okay?” Her voice was urgent, but I didn’t respond, how could I? He was staggering ever closer to me; his clothes in rags, and his skin covered in filth. He had a large branch in his left hand, and his smile was sadistic as he said, “Time to go bye-bye.” Frozen with fear my wide eyes could only watch as he coldheartedly swung the timber in his hand directly toward my head.

I collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap, and my cell phone skittered away. The last thing I heard was, “Miss stay with us. Can you hear me? Help is on the way.” Then I saw the man laughing hysterically and everything went black.

My whole body shook and my eyes darted open, relentlessly my lungs pulled in air. I could feel the sting from my ribs, and then I realized I was in a room, a white room to be exact. I began to panic all over again until I saw a figure in the recliner beside the bed I had been placed in. My mother! Sobs began to wrack my petite frame uncontrollably, and as she noticed my sudden alertness she hurried to my bedside.

“Shhh Dear, it’ll be alright.” She said in the way only a mother can, “The bad man won’t bother you anymore, I promise. He’s gone forever.” I believed her, but never in my life will I ever wander into Silver Stone Woods again. The memories will forever haunt me.