Her

Prologue


I trudged on through the dark forest, my legs tired from running who knows how far. I dared not look behind me. I didn’t want to see. I feared what I might see.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, sighing, before looking overhead where interweaving branches greeted me. They bound together so tight that only needle-thin beams of light made it through the branches, and only in sparse patches.

I shouldn’t keep up this lazy gate much longer; I could be caught at any moment. I swung the bag I carried off my shoulders and checked my water bottle. There was barely any remaining, but it would have to do. I swallowed the remainder before deciding to just abandon the bag. Then I took off into the abyss of the wood. I’d long since lost my compass in the confusion, and no longer new where I was headed other than away.

Away.

Away from the house.

Away from these woods.

Away from her.

Away from here.

Away from it all.