Last Breath

The scent of blood fills the cold air. I don't know where I am or how I got here. I hear footsteps. Whatever it is, I know that it won't turn out well. The footsteps are heavy and exhausted. They marched into the snow like it was an entire army. I jump as quickly as I can, but I immediately fall due to the dizziness that fills my brain. I put my hands on both sides of my head to steady myself. I feel something wet and warm. It started to soothe me at first, but I then realize that it is blood. My brain scatters even more than before. I look up through the woods to find a somewhat reasonable solution, but there is nothing---only the footsteps growing closer to my location. All the blood will be like bread crumbs right to where I sit. I have to stop the bleeding. I rip a long part of my shirt sleeve off and try to tie it around my wound. I feel around my head and cringe when I feel the gash. I tie the fabric tightly around my head, almost cutting off my circulation. Now I have to run.

I look up at the sky. I remember something about the sky. What was it? The North Star! My friend told me about it once. Was I with him? Is he nearby? I have to find him. If that's all I can remember, then he must have more answers. I have to find him. I know that he wasn't the man walking in the snow. The man in the snow was too... beastly. I could feel it from a mile away. His presence is almost murderous to the point which, I am terrified. I can start to connect a few of the dots. I must've been running from that man with my friend. I must've slipped on a tree stump and landed in a bush. That must be why I'm bleeding. The gash had a very random shape. I know that it wasn't a domestic object. If that is what happened, then what happened to him? Where is my friend? He probably ran farther away to save himself. Unless... he fell with me. There is only one way to check. I have to look nearby for his body. I stand up, trying to steady myself. I step over the stump and wrap myself around the tree. Somehow, the air grows colder. The world is still. His body lay there behind the tree, lifeless. His face is pale with small icicles hanging from his eyelids. The blood coming from his stomach has completely frozen over. How long was I out? Am I next? No, I must find the police. They can save me. I look back down at the still body. I swallow my vomit. The smell is absolutely putrid. The footsteps are coming closer; I have to go now before it's too late.

I have some trouble running, but as I am getting closer to the end of the forest, I can hear some cars going by. Should I scream out to them? Would the man be able to find me? I have to play it safe and keep on running. My head aches more, but I refuse to stop. I have to make it out alive, or my friend would have died for nothing. I can only remember him so far. I think his name was Nathan. Yes, Nathan was it! I remember him being very smart. He had always helped me. Oh no, did he die trying to help me. I slow down to a stop. My mind tells my legs to keep moving, but they give out and I fall into the cold snow. I'm starting to remember everything. My family, my friends, my teachers, and the man after me. Nathan and I went to a party in the man's cabin. It turned out to be only the three of us. He started chasing Nathan and me, but I fell. I saw Nathan tackle him and be thrown to the ground beside me. The man walked away. He probably thought that I was dead. He must've come back to hide the bodies and realized that I was gone. Not only that, I can remember who I am. My name is Willa Smith. I'm in the eleventh grade. I have two siblings, a brother and a sister. My parents are divorced and haven't remarried yet. Will I ever see them again? Yes, I will. I will destroy this man. He murdered my best friend. He took me away from my family. He will regret ever talking to us. Everyone will know who he is and will be aware of him. He will rot in some prison cell. I stand up as rage fills my blood. He will not go to prison; he will suffer from my hands. I can't let him get away with killing my best friend. I turn to face the direction where my friend lies dead. I start to walk, but my legs go into a full on sprint. My body is running on nothing but adrenaline. I will find this man and kill him myself. Even if I die in the process, it will be worth everything. Tears roll down my cheek, but I ignore them. I am on a mission, and nothing will get in my way. I come to a stop when I see his body shadowing over me.

This is my one chance I'll get. He is surprised by me. I jump on him, and he loses his balance and falls to the ground. I look around for a weapon, and I spot a blood-stained knife on the white ground. My first thought is that it is the knife he used to kill Nathan. Even more rage fills my mind, but I suddenly feel the delayed pain in my stomach. I look down to see nothing but blood. He stabbed me once I jumped on him. He expected me this whole time. He's going to kill me the same way he killed Nathan and leave me to freeze and bleed out in the snow. I pick up the knife. There is no way of me getting out of this alive. I fall to my knees beside him and look at his petrified body. All of my anger gives me strength to jam the knife into his stomach. If Nathan and I die, then he will die too. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of my death, so I stand up and drop the knife into the snow. The snow is no longer white; it is stained with blood. It is a devil's red. I start walking only to find Nathan still frozen in the snow. I lie beside him. All of the adrenaline leaves my body, and the real pain kicks in. I can't move a muscle in my body; everything hurts. Something else must've happened before I fell. What was it? I guess it's too late now. I will not live to see dawn. I open my mouth to let a breath escape my lips. I guess this is how I will die: frozen, bleeding, and crying. All of the pain leaves my body. I remember my whole childhood from my first birthday party to my first car. I only see brightness. Is it daylight? Did I live? I give out a breath of relief. I then realize that was my last breath.