It was a dark and stormy September night, the stars were nearly invisible through the dark fog that had silently crept over the unaware people of Newport, North Carolina. I was with my best friends Hannah and Emily at the movie theater, the movie was now over and we were starting the long walk to where we were going to be picked up. Emily stayed behind at the movie theater, her brother was picking her up there. Hannah is a naturally quiet person so we walked in silence down the old dirt road. As I looked around I realized that we were totally surrounded by towering trees. I stumbled and almost fell over a long root poking up through the soft ground. When I caught myself I realized that I was still wearing Emily’s jacket. I spun around and started running back. Hannah called out to me asking where I was going? I yelled back over my shoulder for her to wait and that I would be right back, I then jokingly told her that if wasn't back in thirty minutes to call the police. I chuckled to myself and picked up my already vigorous pace, I needed to get back before she left with her brother. I sped around a sharp corner and smacked right into something that felt like a brick wall.

I staggered back and regained my footing. I looked up and I saw a group of five guys from school. There was a bittersweet smell to the air that would later be identified as weed and there was alcohol on their breath. They started to jeer at me calling me all types of names. I tried to scoot by them but they just grabbed me and threw me back, laughing even harder. It was dark so I could hardly make anything out and even worse, it was getting darker by the minute. They were drunk and high, I was hoping that would slow then down; I was counting on it. I faked left and flew right, heading straight into the woods.

Soon after, I heard multiple footsteps following me. I dodged in and out of the forest life as fast as I could, trying to ignore the scrapes and scratches of the branches ripping through my clothes and skin. I ran fast with my hands out in front of my face because I could hardly see anything, hoping that I wouldn’t hit a tree or worse step on a snake. There were so many things that could have gone wrong but nothing in my imagination would conquer up could match what would happen if they caught me and that is saying something. So I ran and they were closing in on me with every step. It sounded like a heard of elephants stomping through the forest. My lungs were burning, my arms and legs were on fire and I was breathing hard enough to start a snow storm in Antarctica but still I ran on. I twisted, turned and was completely lost. It was damp and eventually where I ended up was running through this marsh area. My shoes and pants were soaked, crickets and frogs were flying this way and that trying to escape my path of destruction. Despite all the noise I was making I could still hear them closing in behind me. Oh God, it burns, I can’t breath, I started choking I knew I had to stop soon or I was going to pass out.

The wind changed directions and I heard a slight noise of what sounded like a diesel engine! It was coming from in front of me. I headed straight for the sound, but wait I can’t make it, they are right on my tail and they will surely catch me on the road. I am light on my feet and can turn faster than them but they are faster on a straight away. I moaned as I realized that escape wasn’t as close as I thought. I twisted around to the right and started goingg away fromt the road and freedom. After about two minutes of looking I found the perfect climbing tree with enough branches to hide me. I barreled to it and with the last of my energy I hauled myself up there as high as I could go. I made it just in time too, just as I got myself up there so I wouldn’t fall I blacked out. I remember vaguely hearing footsteps right under my guardian tree, then my pursuers fighting about which way I went.

When I finally woke up again it was early morning, the sky was turning lighter shades of pink by the second. I lay there wondering what happened and then it all came back to me with a jolt big enough that I almost fell out of the tree. I heard heavy snoring from what sounded like several people. I slowly looked down to the ground hoping to not attract attention. As I twisted around to see if there were more I met the eyes of one of them. He jumped up, groaned, and fell almost gracefully back to the ground. Guess he forgot he had been drinking last night. Satisfied that he wouldn’t be goingg anywhere for a while I slithered down the tree hovering on the last branch to make sure that there wasn’t anyone coming for me. I hit the ground with I dull thud. I collapsed to the ground almost immediately. My legs just would not hold my weight up. I couldn’t hardly even stand up, I had to use the tree for support my legs were so sore. My whole body hurt worse that even you can think of. I knew that I had to get moving soon so I started the slow process of stretching. It was nerve racking, like standing in the middle of a battle field with only a knife against guys with guns. It was antagonizing.

Soon enough I was able to walk, but I was extremely dehydrated, I needed water. I started as fast as I could in the direction of what I remembered the truck sounds coming from. I took my time to pick through the bushes this time seeing as there was nobody following me yet (yet being the operative word). Soon enough I made it to a dirt road that seemed endless in both directions. I examined the ground around me and saw that there had been a vehicle down this road and recently. I couldn’t determine the direction that it was goingg so I started the way that was wider and looked used the most. My pace was rather slow but I couldn’t go much faster. I continually scanned behind me for signs that somebody was following me and my ears strained the whole time. Besides on lookout for pursuers I was also looking for signs of life and water. After about an hour of painfully slow wondering I saw smoke in the distance. I started in that direction, hoping and praying the whole way that there was help. I increased my pace somewhat. By the time I could actually see the little wood cottage that looked as if it was going to fall ever any second it was mid day and I was sunburnt to a crisp. I was a little out of it because I remember thinking that the big, mean, old, wolf was goingg to come and blow the house down before I could get to it, and eat all the food. I ran and stumbled down to where the cottage lay and burst through the door.

I immediately scoured around for water which I saw in the corner on a little stool. I hurried over and drank almost half the bucket, which I promptly threw up. This time I drank a little bit slower and found some bread that was lying on the table. It was then that I finally looked around; starting at me was a little old woman with a scared look in her eyes. For the first time in hours I looked down at myself and what I saw scared me! I couldn’t imagine what was goingg through her head. I turned the rest of my body around slowly to face her. I immediately apologized for my actions and then I asked her if I could maybe lay down to rest somewhere. To which she promptly replied with something like this, “Not unless you clean up first it will not be said that I housed a heathen!”, then she grinned and said, “Not that anybody would know what I do way out here.” So I let her lead me outside to the hose to wash.

The water was freezing and she made me strip down all the way to my underwear. She threw me a hand cloth and told me to get started. She came back about five minutes later with a clean pair of men’s clothes. She threw them at me and said she would get a rope to hold the pans up, I told her that it wasn’t necessary because the shirt itself came down to my knees. She told me to follow her into the house for something decent to eat. At the prospect of food I hurried in behind her. Just as I was about to take my first bite I heard heavy footsteps, I froze in mid air. Then there was a voice that sounded familiar. He said, “Hey Ma what’s for lunch?” by the time he had said lunch he was through the door and my spoon was rattling on the ground. He was one of the five that had been following me last night. Here in the light were I could see what he looked like, he was scarier than I thought possible.