Unknown Title

The damp branches snapped and flung at her face as she frantically raced through the thick forest. She dared not look behind her, afraid doing so would slow her escape. Frantic panic surged through her veins. All she could hear was her wild heartbeat pounding in her ears and the cracking of the branches as she pushed them out of her way. Suddenly she felt a strong hold on her arm. She began to let out a yelp of pure panic but was quickly silenced by a large hand cupping over her open mouth. She was abruptly dragged down into the brush and scooted under a large fallen log covered with forest debris. The large warm hand remained tightly clenched over her mouth, her body trembling with fear, as a large booted foot stepped into view just feet in front of her hiding place. She attempted to hold her breath. Oh God! He can hear me! She could hear her heartbeat pounding as if it would beat out of her body. Another hand came to the back of her head and caressed her hair, which distracted her from the boot before her terrified face. She sensed the warm body beside her. She suddenly realized she was not alone. A second boot stepped into view, the two now facing her secret place.

“Where are they?!” a stern voice echoed down to her. “We must find them! They cannot escape!” Muffled answers of uncertainty were returned from throughout the forest beyond Maggie’s hiding place. “They’ve got to be here somewhere! Keep searching!”

The booted man turned and continued his search deeper into the forest. Other figures throughout the forest came running past Maggie’s view, each time a tinge of panic racing through her body. The soft thuds of their heavy boots and the crashing of tree branches echoed through the forest as the men angrily searched through the forest for Maggie and her companion.

Suddenly with a loud thud, another large figure jumped atop the log under which they were hiding, causing a terrifying echo to vibrate through their snug little cavern. Chunks of damp dirt and log rot fell down on top of the hidden escapees. Maggie’s companion came in closer, moving partially over her to protect her from the falling log rot. A large snap was heard as the log began to break above their heads from the weight of the large man. As it began to cave in toward them, her companion threw his arm around her waist and scooped her under his body. The last thing she saw as the log, dirt and forest debris tumbled down around them was the body of their pursuer tumbling into the brush in front of their now collapsing hiding place. Then all went black.