The forest leaves crunch under my feet, I keep hearing his voice echoing in my ear, “just keep running, don’t stop till your safe, whatever you do, don’t ever stop running!” The last words my father ever said to me before they took him and my family away.
I don’t dare look behind my shoulder, I know they're right behind me. I can hear the dogs pounding paws against the forest floor and feel their drool at the nape of my neck. “Stop! Stop, in the name of King Richard surrender!” Tripping over crocked roots, slamming face-first into the base of an oak tree. Pushing up against the bark coughing, I struggle to catch my breath -a howl from the hounds propels my legs to move again. Reluctantly, my blistered feet protest as I push to move faster, a numbness begins to spread like fire through my body. Tears thread on my bottom lashes threatening to leave a path behind. Adrenaline courses through my body driving me forward.
Already regretting it, I glance back seeing the head of a big black beast of a dog. I swing my head just in the nick of time before running right into another tree. Stumbling over small rocks and roots scanning the forest ahead searching for a miracle -I just need a moment to breathe. A few branches above me snap, before I can see what large bird or arrows are souring toward me, the ground rushes to greet my beat red face. I stubble rolling a few feet down the steep incline. With the wind knocked out I lay motionless, the forest spins round and round, the fall amber leaves bleed together as I shut my eyes. Hunger claws at my stomach while my aching muscles scream out in pain to rest atop the moist loose, dirt.
I stumble to push myself up, my knees finally buckle. I’m forced to face the music; I can’t run anymore. I hear a soft thump echo from the ground, inches beside me, my mind races to figure out what animal could be barring its hungry curious eyes at my tiny fragile, figure. A brush of leaves alerts me to the pair of hands lifting me up onto what feels like a slate of flesh. Sweaty rough palms tug my arms against my body and the warm nap of a neck tickles against my cheek while strands of hair, brush against my radiating, beat red forehead. I grasp at any fleeting strength, to try prying my eyelids open, just long enough to focus on if I’m being saved. But it’s no use, my muscles start tingling as my limbs go numb.
A fire crackles and hisses, roasting meat penetrates my nostrils, a wool blanket itches against my bare arms. My senses slowly begin to creep upon me, cracking one eye open I can clearly make out, the insides of a cave. Holding my head in the palms of my hands, I’m alerted to a slight shuffle just a few feet to my right. I’m not alone.
“What’s your name?” A boy says running a sharp pocketknife across the end of a stick, I can see the point getting sharper with each cut. A dry gulp crawls towards my grumbling stomach. Quickly my eyes scan around for anything that could be used as a weapon. What did father always say, “if you don't have a weapon look around for any object that can take your opponent down. Don’t underestimate anyone, hunger can be enough to kill.” I slowly pat down the ground around me, my fingers trailing through the dirt like snakes as I stare daggers at the boy. He gazes back at me, and for a few painfully awkward moments were locked in a stare-down. To create a more uncomfortable moment of silence he begins to study my petite figure up and down. My fingers stop dead in their tracks.
“I won’t hurt you I promise, just tell me what your name is.”
“Why.”
I snap back not believing him for a second. Why should I, everyone has motives, and the last person I trust, let me down. Another moment of silence as his eyes continue to trail up and down before he lets out a chuckle. “Well, I want to know who I just rescued. I risked my life to carry you in here if the sheriff and his men were to find out I could be sharing the same fate. What if you’re a thief or worse, a murder!” Letting out a loud sigh I try to keep an authoritative stance, but with every passing second, I can feel my energy dwindling again. “I’m not a thief or a murder, my father and I were falsely accused by some neighbors.” Tears well up along my bottom lashes, fighting to hold the tears back I glance away.
“Huh, interesting. Well, last time I checked the sheriff doesn’t send that many men for a false accusation. Well, whatever keeps your little dirty secret, the less I know the better. Oh, and your welcome for saving your life.” I squint my eyes at him, I suddenly have no desire to be in his company anymore. The noose looks better than being stuck in this cave-dwelling, with his pompous ass. I peel my eyes away from his plastered chastise, grin. Looking around me I mumble a “thank you” under my breath. I can hear his light chuckle as my eyes drift back over to him.
He sits with his right shoulder pointing in my direction. He looks to be the same age as me, about 10 or 11? “My name's Charlie, now your turn.” He says smiling, I can’t help but scrunch my face in disgust.
His smile only grows, “I like you, you're different from other girls.” He blurts out. I perk up hugging my knees closer to my chest and forcing a fake smile in return, before rolling my eyes again. He just laughs it off, it seems every rude gesture I throw at him he eats it up. This only fuels me to poke at him more.
To be continued...
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