Fire
Fire.
It's everywhere.
Panting, he stopped running to check on the baby. Asleep. The spell was still working. Prepared to start running again, he heard a sound. Though the forest all around him was burning, he heard a sound.
"Give up!" said a figure. Turning around, he already knew who it was.
"No," he said plainly.
"Please, you've been running for three and a half days. Haven't you noticed this fire? All me." said the figure almost gloatingly "Now hand over the kid".
"Why don't you come and take him from me?" The figure hesitated.
"What's wrong? I wasn't born yesterday; I know you're just projecting yourself and you can't touch me."
"You do realize your life is almost through?"
"Believe what you want…"
"There's something you never knew about me…I see death and Joey, you've mocked me for the last time". With that the figure vanished and the fire increased tenfold.
Subconsciously Joey felt fear once again. He started running. Fire licked out and lashed his legs. Embers fell and burned his eyes and trees were beginning to collapse. Dodging the trees wouldn't normally be a problem but carrying an infant in arms and running three plus days were beginning to wear on him. Joey attempted to jump sideways, dive back, and flip forward, but he had become klutzy through lack of sleep and when finally a branch caught and slashed his cheek and he fell to his knees. It was over. Huddling over the baby, he used his body as a shield to protect him.
"I'm sorry" he whispered to the baby boy, and with that he used the last of his power to protect him. Suddenly the giant willow he was under collapsed.