Not long now.
My heart beat in time with my long strokes. My legs stretched as far as they possibly could, my arms pushed forward. I propelled forward in bounds and leaps. My breath struggled and my chest heaved. My body protested, it wanted to collapse beneath me, tumble to the ground and gasp the sweet oxygen in.
An ache spread through my ankle and up my leg, it tugged at my thighs trying to drag me down. I couldn't stop. Not now, not ever. I had to keep going, further and farther. The wind caused by my extreme speed caressed my face, it's fingers running through my long hair and fanning it out behind me like swift river currents.
I jumped from branch to branch, tree to tree, from ground to air. I zigzagged through the dense forest, hoping I didn't leave a followable trail behind me. The rough deep green leaves stroked me as I passed them by, the branches rattled slightly almost undetectable. I had spent my life in these colourful forests and I knew them so well, but so did they.
Oh god. Please don't find me.
I had been running for so long. I didn't know for sure who was chasing me but if they saw me they would pounce without a second thought. It could be anyone of them. I couldn't trust anybody, I just had to keep running and hope... hope. I knew someone was following me, it would be a fatal mistake to think I could escape them for ever.
They were all ninjas. Stealthy and deadly. I just had to keep running as fast as I can for as long as I can. I could hide, find shelter in a tree or bush but that felt wrong somehow, like I was giving up and waiting for my fate. If I hid they would find me eventually. No, I had to keep running.
Everything was speeding by in a blur of colour but I managed to keep going without slowing but the endless running was beginning to ware me out. The ache had spread to every part of my body and my breathing became even more shallow.
I should rest – only for a moment. Relax my muscles and take a proper breath. I could find shelter, just for a second. It wouldn't make that much difference, would it? I'd only stay for a second, just enough to catch my breath. My pace slowed and the wind that whistled loudly in my ear lost some of it's strength. That's when I heard it.
The rustle of leaves behind me. A slight creak of a branch. It came from a direction parallel to my path. I was being followed and they were gaining on me. There was no time to hide. Not time to catch my breath or rest my throbbing muscles. Panic filled my throat.
Not long now.
I ran faster than I had before. I shot through the trees trying to throw my pursuer off my trail. I was alert now and I could hear the faint signs of someone following me. I leapt further than I could have normally, I zigzagged sharper, turning half way through a jump. I did everything I could think of to throw him off.
He refused to give up. I could feel his predatory eyes on me and resisted the urge to look back. I didn't need to see his face, not really. I wanted to make sure, absolutely sure but I couldn't. If I looked over my shoulder I'd lose my gait, I'd slow and he could make his move. It could only be him, no one else would follow me so intensely.
I won't look. I won't look, I chanted in my head. I forced my weak limbs to keep going. Just a while longer. He was gaining on me, little by little. The adrenalin pumping through my system would not be enough to save me. My stamina could not compare.
Not long now.
The thick grass spiked into my feet as I thudded to the ground. I didn't stop my pace, I was still running even as I touched the ground. I weaved through the dark brown trunks scattered through out this section of forest. I couldn't let him catch me. It would be as good as death. I wouldn't be able to live through that. Under no circumstances could I be caught.
I could nearly feel his breath on my neck. Cold rippled down my back like soft strokes of a ghostly hand. It felt odd compared to the aching heat in my muscles and the rough gasping of my throat. My vision was blurring and not from my movements. I knew it wouldn't be long now. I could feel the heat from his body, strangely soothing. And the temptation to look back was too much for me.
I threw my head backwards, glancing over my shoulder, I was expecting to see his face squished in determination. But I saw nothing. He was not there. Had he ever been there? It was just empty non-threatening forest. Those ghostly hands gripped my heart and squeezed. My eyes widened.
It was now.
My feet left the ground as my breath whooshed from my body. Heavy hands fell on me and I was tumbling, spinning in swirls of green and brown and blue. Just as quickly as the world had tilted on it's axis, it settled again. The bright summer sky was blotted from my vision.
His blue eyes sparkled and his shocking blonde hair waved, his grin caught the sunlight like he had caught me. I wondered if the sun was as embarrassed as I was. If it was, it didn't show it, not like I did. Bright pink was etched across my cheeks.
He leaned down, his ramen breath warming my already hot face. His mouth a fingers distance from mine and he whispered – so odd on his lips.
"You're it."