Run! He screamed at me, a blood-curtling scream. My heart beat faster as I forced myself to turn around. To turn away from him. My legs wouldn't move, my thoughts wouldn't unjumble. But as he screamed to run, I knew I had to give up and go. To leave behind that place. OUR place.
Forgive me, I thought, stretching my heart to his, my soul to reach his soul. Run!, his words repeated in my mind, over and over. My legs were getting tired, I turned around. The flames. They were but a mere lightshow above what once was sacred to us. My heart slowed down, it's rhythm becoming more normal - not that any of this was normal. Beyond anything normal. A frightening scream, a man screaming, the sound was terrifying. Like someone had ripped out his throat. Oh god. It can't be. My thoughts raced as I began moving down the previous route. Run! RUN! The memory of his face when he had told me to leave him behind was never going to leave my mind. Clenching my fists, I began back the way I was to go, he wouldn't want me there. He wants me safe, safe from this... from everything that was behind me. All I could do now was trust him and run.
It's been a day now, it's dark just like last night, the stars sparkling oblivious to the havack that was wrought the past night. Is he safe? Is he alive? What will happen to us? To me? Thoughts were passing through my head in quick glimpses - only revealing themselves to me in time for me to forget again. Sounds clattered around me, I wondered if they were human or animal. Did someone follow me? Was it him? I stopped and looked around, something trembling in the bush. Marching up to it, I pushed it apart. No. Nothing but a baby wolf. I picked her up, her paw was bent in an odd angle, maybe she was scared by all the commossion and she paniced and hurt herself. Poor little thing. "Hey there, are you alright little fella?", seeing that I meant no harm, she curled into my chest, shivering from the cold. Now that I could see him up close, it was a boy. Not a girl as I had thought. Where was his mother? Did they get hurt or did he run off from the rest? Did they leave him behind - scared for their own lives? Either way, he needs me. It was a cold night, the mood just a night past it's peak - no sounds eminated from the forest anymore. Nothing that could be human. A child or an adult would never have been ignored here. A hooting of an owl as it sweaped up it's prey with it's mighty grasp - poor little creature. The circle of life was so cruel to those who weren't strong, isn't that right, little guy? He was still. Quiet. Perhaps he was scared, not of me, but of the forest he was left in. "I understand, it's scary out here by yourself. But you have me now, so it'll be alright.", putting on a smile I pranced down the long dark path; my legs were getting weak, my arms tired from carrying another life, my stomach growled and my head hurt. So many questions I wanted to ask, but no one to answer them but the lonely little wolf and the forest that taunted us.
A sudden snap startled me, and Wolfy's head popped up at the sudden jolt from me. What was that? Wait - listen. Isn't that it again? But it's shuffling. Oh god! They found us, Wolfy! We have to run! Silently, we ran. My heart raced and Wolfy hid himself in my chest again. It was moving quicker now. It wasn't being careful of being heard. That wasn't good, they were prepared. Keep running, I muttered. Keep going, you have to keep going. I quickly stole a glance backwards, only to feel myself fall. On the hard ground, I had tripped on a root that had moved above ground. I landed on my back, good. Wolfy can get away. "Go on, Wolfy. Go go. You'll be okay. You can survive.", whispering to him was no good, he wouldn't go. He gave me this look that told me that he wasn't going anywehere. As I began to realise I was going to die, my mind became useless. I was tired, I hadn't eaten in a day, my arms were sore and my legs were weak. Maybe death is better than being like this. Maybe it'll be better, with all the people who left me before. We'll all be together again. Before I could think anymore, my body shut down, it was getting darker - no, my eyes were closing. "Sleep, wolfy, sleep.", muttering the last bit of reasurance I could before everything went black. A deep voice was the last I heard before I lost conciousness. "Miss?". Hmm. Miss. He didn't know me. I was alive still? Or was this death? An endless darkness that overtakes you and leaves you to nothing but your thoughts. Miss.. I remember when I was called that.. when he had called me that.. such a long time...
I was back into the world again, so I hadn't died. My eyelids are closed, but the sun is beaming through them. It hurts. There was a movement to my side, something was nuzzling my waist. Wolfy, maybe? There it was again. Must be wofly. Am I still in the forest? It seems too soft where I'm laying to be the forest ground, or perhaps I just got used to it. Hmm. Brushing my hands down, I felt soft fur. A little whimper sounded when I moved my hand away again. Oh no, don't get sad. I opened my eyes, only to be blinded again by the sun. It wasn't as bright though, maybe it was the afternoon sun, but why wouldn't anyone run across me - oh yeah. Right. I remember. I ran, and something was chasing me, and I fell. I slowly opened my eyes again, this time they didn't shut again. There wasn't sky where I was looking, it was wood. A roof. Someone lives here then, that person! The one that called me miss! Did he bring me to his house? I sat up, much to my remorse. Wolfy wouldn't stop nuzzling my shoulder, so sadly. I gave up and lifted him into my lap. He was clean, and dry. His silver fur shining in the sunlight. Had he washed him? Wolfy decided that I was hungry, and went off in search of food - chasing a butterfly all around the room until he gave up with a whimper and sat lazily against my thigh. "Oh! You're awake! How are you feeling?", a young voice said as the room lightened up with the rays of outside. I saw a young girl, she hid behind a basket of vegetables - home grown I presume as they were still a bit dirty. I was feeling a bit confused but how could I say that to someone I never met? "Uh, I'm fine thankyou. A bit hungry I suppose.", she got that look of realisation when I said that, like a tiny lightbulb went off in her head. "Yes yes, I'm sorry. I should have known you'd be hungry - but I didn't get much time to prepare for you. See my brother was the one who found you. Ah! I should go get him.", quick as a flash she was out the door again, the basket sitting on the floor and Wolfy just laying on me giving me a look of utter confusion. Poor lil guy. Been through all the stuff in the forest and now he's stuck here with me while I get looked after by a stranger and his sister. I was getting tired, I could feel it in my eyelids. I didn't get enough sleep - must have been very restless to have made it through an entire night and still be tired. I think Wolfy is feeling the same, he's starting to doze off. I'll meet this 'brother' when I wake up. I'm way too tired to make it through the wait. With a quick glance towards the door one more time, I picked up Wolfy and layed him under the edge of the blanket then joined him and fell quietly back to sleep.
"Hey! Wait up!", he ran after me, his arm outstretched as he smiled a 20 watt smile. He was out of breathe, completely tired of running around, but I couldn't stop. I wanted this to last forever. It was my 14th birthday - one of the best days of my life (so far). "Nope! You gotta catch up! Haha", I kept running and running, I was leading him to the lake, it was almost sunset. "You're such a brat! Wait for me!", it was getting misty as we ran, our whitened silk clothes getting soaked from the vapor hanging in the air. It was one of the most drilling days we had, after going to a dinner with my folks - we managed to sneak out into the trees. Hiding in the underbrush of the ferns, we had seen and heard the creatures scuttering around us - searching for warmth in the naturally wet surroundings; I would have stayed there forever but we had to move before someone discovered us and dragged us back into that compressing environment. The talk about my future and my husband was something I rather not have ever been involved in, no one noticed it when I became anxious and quiet. No one but him. He knew me inside and out, it had been that way since I was a baby. I remember it was chilling to the bone, wearing that white silk gown and flimsy shoes. We got closer to the lake, passing by all the animals of this wood. The creatures were all rushing into their homes by now.
The forest opened up, showing a gleaming lake of gold, the sun was just setting into the horizon as he ran up behind me. "Caught ya!", his smile could be compared to the sun, in a way it was brighter. It caught me off guard whenever he smiled. "Yeah yeah, just because I let you. I could have kept going if I really had wanted to.", at that moment the sun shimmered onto him. His hair became this purple-ish black swirl, his eyes becoming knowing and enveloping me in a complete warmth. That's when he picked me up and swung me around and around in his arms, lifting me like you would a feather. He kissed me lightly on the forehead and began to say something unheard by my wakening ears.
Argh! Breathing heavily, I sat up and looked out the door, it was darker and still. Nothing was making light except the moon, it's an earie atmosphere to wake up to. Wolfy was still laying asleep, careful not to wake him I lifted him and walked outside. My body aches, every muscle and bone feels like it'll collapse. I can't walk more, it'll only make me slow. There has to be some - suddenly a horse's neigh sounded from next to the house. A horse! How lucky! Leaving a scrawled note and a few gold coins, I sat wolfy on the saddle and pulled myself up. She moved a little underneath me, her hooves stirring a bit. With a quick shove, I rode. I rode as it began to rain, the light fog I remember being only a far off memory. Riding on, memories from home flashed through my head. His smile, the sunset, the last night of humanity. The clouds swirled above me, darkening with every passing minute. A warning that it would be a strong storm this time. I began to freeze on the inside, my heart becoming cold and empty. His touch was so far away, those summer days with eachother may never pass again. The drops of rain transforming into my tears, they streaked down my face; I pulled the horse over, this weather was too much for her. I found an abandoned hut - leading her inside I layed wolfy inside my coat. Thunder roared creating a powerful image of the clouds smashing together in a war to win over the sky. Taking a sigh and walking back into the rain, I stared over the lands. Green fields spreading beyond the clouds and rain, beyond the woods and animals. Past all the paths I had ridden or walked, back to him. The mountains of blue were fogged up by smoke and mist. I shouldn't have ran, I should have stayed. Then I wouldn't have so many unanswered questions. I would know. I would know..
"Hey! You!". A man riding a war horse, clad in armor and blood stains was heading towards me. I wasn't about to lead him to Wolfy and my stead. I ran again, adrenaline flooding through my body. I had to run. He risked everything for me to run. If it's the last thing I do, I have to run!
He was close behind me, I just HAD to lose him. Out of nowhere, an idea bolted into my head. I ran into a close-knit forest. Striped down my clothes to just my underwear and found a sharp stick. I sliced my hand open and let the blood drip onto my clothes and made a trail of blood to an abandoned cave. He was following me closely behind, I needed to be quick. I practically jumped into the thorn bushes as he rode in - he must have came to the same judgement any man would have made. I had to have been dragged away by an animal - after all I was a woman, I couldn't look after myself.