Chapter 4

The valley I walked down was steep sided and enclosed, a small stream, more like just a trickle of water, flowed down between the hills. The stream itself was barely the width of my foot, but I followed it down. Anything to hide my footsteps the better.

The trees towered high above me, making me paranoid that at any moment, the man dressed in black would jump out and get me. Every noise made me jump, I was shaking. The shadows cast by the branches, even though at midday, appeared like something off a horror movie. The claws of darkness scratching away at any sanity I had left.

Only now did I realize the extent of my injuries, with some pieces of glass still in my hands from when I climbed out the window. My left knee was bandaged up with a support, the bandage was a deep crimson red but dry. It had stopped bleeding a while ago. My ribs were also now sore, from both the parachute and my abduction. The club used was still fresh in my mind, deep blue with a red, the same colour as my bandage, snake printed on.

The stream I was walking down met at a confluence with a small river. I was still high in the mountains and a long way from the coast.

Civilisation and settlement populated the coasts and river sides, that's what I learned in geography, that it's easy links with communications, so if ever I was lost I should head downstream. But downstream is where he'd expect me to go.

I'd head up stream and wait out, only for a couple of days, just long enough that they'd leave me alone.

I heard the roar of a helicopter overhead, this one smaller than the one I jump from. It just flew over me, it didn't slow down or change directions, just flew away. Did they not see me?

I started heading up the river, trying to get as far away as I could. The current was surprisingly strong for such a small flow, or maybe I was just tied.

The woodland was full of pines and ash trees, and the cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. It wasn't the Arctic but it had to be close, possibly Southern Canada or Russia. Not cold enough for snow to settle but cold never the less.

The ground quickly became marshy with a potent smell of stale water from either side of the river. I could see through the trees now the large expanse of woodland to my right. In the far distance I could see a parachute draped over the trees, my parachute. I stopped to congratulate my self, I hadn't realised I had walked so far. It was only a dot on the green sea from where I stood.

Surely I had walked far enough. Looking up I assessed the gentle slope. It wasn't very steep but it did keep going for what seemed like miles. Just a little but further, just to find some shelter, just a little bit further.

The night drew in and the cold with it. Darkness and a bitter wind. Off my path, across from the river stood a large tree with exposed roots. It was close to toppling, but it looked stable enough. The ditch at its base, facing up the hill and away from the parachute, seemed such a good idea.

Collecting foliage and fresh leaves, I filled the trough so that it made a bed. The tree itself was perfect, offering any number of branches to climb up if someone did come, but I felt far enough away to be safe.

The sky above showed no signs of rain or bad weather, and the warmth within the ditch was comforting and welcoming. I felt secure, safe amongst the trees.

Just as I start to fall asleep a noise alarms me, wide awake and ready to pounce, I find I'm faced by a startled rabbit. It scampered off into the ground a fair distance from where I laid.

If there's one, there's bound to be more.

Finding the hole I stick my hand in, reaching as far as I could I felt nothing. As I pulled out my arm I realised how hungry I was. My stomach was cramping but I pushed that feeling away. The more I think of it, the more hungry I will get.

I moved away from the rabbit hole, crouching down and peering in, I could see nothing. Jiving up, I crawled back to my ditch, the less I think about food the better.

All I could hear was insects, the buzz of their wings through the air and piercing the night. There were lizards and frogs as well, placed amongst the branches and foliage, almost invisible until they pounced. One elegant and majestic movement, so quick and agile but deadly to the prey. First it's long tongue, then the jaws, then nothing experienced by the victim, so sudden, so unexpected.

I got up slowly and made my way towards the rabbit hole. Last time it was expected, it was slow, it was clumsy. But not this time.

My hand advanced, plunging deep into the ground. A soft fur scurried under my palm yet I didn't let go. Instead I pulled it out so that I could hold it in both hands.

It scratched and clawed at my hands, the cuts from the glass extended and worsened. I held it tighter, determined not to let go. I had to kill it. It had to die for that I could eat.

"I'm so sorry" I told it, it's small cries echoing in the night. I heard the woods fall silent, like the world was watching, judging me on the crime I was going to commit.

It stopped moving.

It's blooded and battered head drooped lifeless as I moved my fist away.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry" I whispered.

I placed the rabbit under one of the roots, wrapped up in my jacket so no animals could take it. I had done some horrible act, I deserved a meal from it.

I couldn't just eat it like it was, I had to prepare and cook it. Cooking would require a fire but if I lit one, my pursuer would easily find me. So I decided to leave it until morning and until then I would sleep.

Secure in my bed it seemed, the forest became restless. The insects resumed their buzz, the lizards and frogs continued to feast, my prey had been beaten and the prospect of food kept my hunger at bay. As the night continued, the larger animals came out. I didn't see them, they hunted within the shadows, but the sound of their battle cries, the howls of wolves and the hoots from the owls overhead, was enough to put me on edge. I wasn't just being hunted by a man dressed head to toe in black, but the entire woods could be my enemy.