Snatched

Chloe & Tor

The leaves whipped against Chloe's face as she sped through the trees. Her bare feet pounded the soft earth. Her lungs were already burning from the effort but her terror and panic kept the pain tolerable. She wasn't a fast runner but at least she'd gotten through the open field safely; the open field where they could easily snatch her away and do whatever they wanted with her.

She could hear the cows mooing in distress, their hooves thudding heavily against the ground as they, too, tried to run away in fright. She really hoped they were going to be all right. She'd seen plenty of movies and read enough books to know what happened to livestock in this particular situation.

Not to mention humans.

With a strangled sob, she kept running. Her feet were starting to get sore against the cold ground. It was late at night and the temperature was brisk. Her skin was freezing but she hardly felt it as the heat of her surging blood pounded through her veins. She screamed when something wrenched at her hair, only to discover that it was just the end of a dead branch. Regretting her outburst, she stopped to untangle herself.

She needed to be more careful. She couldn't make noise or they would find her! The sobs caught in her throat as she tried to control herself. What did they want with them? What could they possibly want with a lowly farming family like them? They were nothing!

Chloe turned with a gasp at a loud crack! which echoed across the fields and empty sky. Crack! Crack! Crack!

'No!' She clapped a hand to her mouth. Dad, Simon no!

They were back there. They were back there, her brother and father, defending her and their home against these ... things. Whatever they were.

'Run!' her father had told her as he'd loaded his gun, his face set. 'Run for the trees. Keep to the darkness. Don't let them see you.'

She hadn't even had time to grab a sweater or shoes as she crashed through the back door, that terrible light shining brightly from above.

A fifth gunshot reminded her that she had to move, but her fingers were so cold and shaking so violently that she finally gave up trying to untangle herself. Instead, she yanked her head hard enough that the hair tore from her scalp.

Her knees buckled and she almost fell to the ground but she regained her balance and sped onwards. She sucked in a burning breath at a flash of bright light. She didn't dare look. She couldn't look. Another bright flash. Bats squawked and flew from the branches, beating their wings loudly in the quiet of the night. She could hear rustling as something fled through the grass.

If only she could do the same.

She was slowing down now as she staggered and tripped and weaved her way drunkenly ahead, weak with helplessness, breathless with distress. It was over! They were following. Why were they following? What had they done with her brother and father?!

A third blinding flash dropped her to her hands and knees. The trees weren't doing anything. There was no protection. There was no safety. The nearest neighbour was miles away. She was alone. They had her. This time the light stayed upon her, so dazzling that it brightened the dewy grass to silver. Her brown hair turned white.

Her shoulders were trembling. Her chest was aching. It took every bit of stamina she had to keep herself upright. Saliva hung from her lip. Tears pattered the ground. Her ears were ringing in the eery quiet.

'Leave me alone,' she croaked.

Her ears pricked up and she raised her head at the sound of something moving up ahead. She stared, her heart pounding so hard she thought she was going to faint. It was a figure, dark against the bright light. It was just standing there, watching her, as though studying her like she it. It looked like a man. For a moment, her heart lifted at the thought that it might be her father. But her relief was short lived. It couldn't possibly be him. He should be coming up from behind, not ahead. Besides, she could tell it wasn't him. It was way too big. Way too broad. Far too frightening.