Into the Woods

Chapter 4: Anabel

Anabel stopped and listened. She could have sworn that she had heard a loud rustling in the bushes. She stuck her hand into her cloak pocket and felt for the tube of pepper spray she kept there.

Her fingers closed around the cold metal tube and she looked around the forest.

Nothing.

Probably just a deer or something, she thought in an attempt to calm herself down. She slowly pulled her hand out of her pocket and kept walking.

There was another loud rustle and Anabel looked around again. She could feel someone watching her. She turned in a slow circle, carefully scanning the forest around her.

She saw a black shape in the distance and dropped down into a low crouch. She stared in the direction of the dark shape.

It moved. She could now make out the figure of a muscular man moving slowly in her direction.

Anabel's head went simultaneously hot and cold as she silently leapt to her feet. She knew that she had to move quickly. Muggers and rapists prefer on the innocent in the forest.

Her legs shook beneath her as she walked briskly in the direction of her granny's house. Her hand slipped on the tube of pepper spray as she struggled to remove the lid with her sweaty hand. She was nearly there. The man drew ever closer and Anabel picked up her pace.

The cottage was now in sight. She looked at it, trying to focus her eyes. She peered back every fee steps, keeping an eye on the wild-looking man.

He was now close enough that she could see the branches caught in his wild beard. His hands were stained with dark red smears.

Blood. He had killed.

Anabel ran the last few metres to her granny's house, sweat coating her hot body. She knocked shakily on the door and fumbled with the handle. She fell into the house and quickly shut the door behind her, pulling the latch shut. She breathed deeply. She was safe for now.