Worlds Apart

2. All in My Head

The crisp morning air filled my lungs, taking in the quick inhales and exhales as I sprinted across Kellner trail for the millionth time. My heart was bursting in my chest, having been running at full speed. I lost track of the worries in my head and in my heart. I lost track of the memories and fears as I ran down the trail. Nothing but my heart beat and breathing could be heard.

I slowly stopped at the half mile mark of the trail. A burning sensation in my legs gave me worry but I knew that it was only the muscles. The nerve pain shot through my every one and a while even when sitting, but right now that pain wasn't present.
I let out a cough, my lungs felt like they were swelling up.

Leaning against a tree, I ran my hand over my jacket pockets.

Shit!

I forgot my inhaler. I cursed myself over and over again until I felt myself calmly settle into a normal breathing pattern. The sharp pain in my chest was dissipating. The ringing in my ears stopped suddenly, noise from somewhere else had my head turn to look through the forest behind me.

"Hello?" I called out breathlessly. The leaves rustled and branches broke as something moved within the vast foliage. I took a few steps back, looking for a someone within the green bushes around me. Nothing moved. Fear arose from my chest to the base of my throat like bile. The burning sensation made my dizzy yet alert.

"There's nothing there," I tell myself. The vivid memories of last year come to mind. Had I thought there was nothing there in the forest as the man wearing fishing gear, a dog beside him, came to me? Did I presume that the rustling was wind? Was I making that same mistake yet again?

I shook my head, starting to walk down the trail again. After a minute of walking, I picked up the pace until I was jogging freely yet again. The sound of the wind hitting branches, leaves falling down around the dirt below me. My heart started to clear again, my cheeks flushed, sweat beginning to form across my forehead. The adrenaline picking up in my veins. Like a pushing a syringe into my arm, pushing the drug into my system, I felt the high. I stumbled a little causing me to slowly come to a halt. Relaxation was far from where I was, as my heart thumped so loudly, my chest moving rapidly as I caught my breath. Breathing in and out, harboring an uncomfortable feeling which spiked the hairs on the back of my neck. I felt like I was walking in new skin, my clothes felt tighter and my head felt foggy. Anxiety rushed through me as I calmly settled, standing in the middle of a forest with my hands tight in fists. I clenched my teeth at the uncomfortable feeling, the voice in the back of my head yelling at me, saying something was wrong.

A growl echoed across the forest. The sound took a few seconds to leave, the echo long gone in a mere minute. The echo left only the memory of the faint growl ringing in my ears. My heart pounded away, the same voice in my head screaming at me to run away. I turned around to head back to the house, back down Kellner trail in hopes of getting away from whatever it was that was out there.

Last summer, Kristi had told me that the wolf population on the island was diminished. That there were no wolves in these forests. Yet the idea of a large wolf staring down at me while deciding how to eat me crawled through my brain making my heart rate pick up. The images of a dog eating my flesh, pulling and ripping the life from me one bite at a time. The idea was no longer just an idea but a fear, pure everlasting fear that sprung up from the soil.

I hurtle myself through the forest, past the half mile marker and towards the quarter mile marker. I begged the Gods above for me to make it. I wanted to the safety of my home, the safety that Mads provided me. My chest tightened, another asthma attack accumulating. I could hear the branches and launches of footsteps come from behind me. I knew it was only a matter of seconds before I was eaten whole by a dog. The sound of galloping, like that of a horse yet rough like a bear. The sound stayed in my ears even as I reached the end of the trail. I continued to run for my life side of the street until I hit the entryway of Mads's driveway. I ran faster, I swear I could hear the snarling or a low growl come from behind me.