My feet hit the ground hard.
The world around me is silent,
Dead to me as I focus on the pounding of my heart,
The sharp intake of my breathing.
The branches reach out to me, clawing at my clothing.
But I keep running, barely feeling them scratch at my skin.
I'm close now; I can see it on the horizon,
In a minute I'll be safe, past the boundary.
A grin slips onto my face as I push myself further,
Willing my feet to carry me faster.
I can taste victory on my tongue, so close and sweet.
Boom!
I feel the impact on my abdomen as I fall back,
The wind knocked out of me.
I look around for the source of the attack,
After seconds of confusion a groan escapes my lips.
"Wise Girl!"
She suddenly appears,
Standing above me with a satisfied smirk,
Clutching a baseball cap,
Her grey eyes glimmering with triumph.
She crouches down beside me, her lips centimeters from mine.
I feel her breath tickling my nose when she whispers,
"Sorry, Seaweed Brain. Better luck next time."
She leans closer her lips brushing against mine,
Barely keeping the gap between us.
Cheers break out from somewhere south of us,
And she pulls away quickly smiling.
"No fair! You distracted me!"
I say, before pulling myself up.
"I never said I played fair."
She wipes her brow with the back of her arm,
And takes of running to meet her team.
I follow quickly and meet my team,
They're standing aside and glowering at me.
"Percy! What happened back there? Connor said he saw you get the flag!"
I grimace and reply,
"My girlfriend doesn't play fair."