I'm On My Way

Chapter 23

An: so this is overdue. I've been writing this for several days. I'm so sorry xx

It's a bit longer, hope you enjoy.

Rhydian yanked her to her feet. He threw his glance around, but all he could see was the occasional man shaped shadow stalking the trees. He held her hand tightly, heart beating.

It was cold, and their breath billowed out in front of them, like a smoke signal. They needed to run, and the adrenaline forced them to go faster, but everything was giving them away. The stomp of their feet, despite them trying to be light footed. Their heavy breathing.

And then there was their scent.

It was dark, so sprinting was hard enough as it was, but, in an attempt to confuse the chaser, they also wove around the wild trunks. Rhydian tried hard not to pull hard at Maddy's arm, and luckily she ran beside him, but the many twists and turns threatened to tear them apart.

They could hear the stranger behind them. Angry footsteps followed their every move, and as they neared the time when they would have to split, they hadn't managed to get rid of the threat. The scent filled their nostrils, and they were being pushed to run faster and faster as the gap got smaller and smaller.

"I have to go that way." Rhydian noted reluctantly, halting behind a bush. His breath was ragged so the words came out in pants as he said what they had both been fearing. The footsteps had stopped, for now, but they knew they had to be fast. Maddy kept glancing round nervously; not being able to hear anything made her more uneasy than before. Rhydian squeezed her hand as he pecked her cheek.

"Go." He whispered in her ear. He offered her a small smile. She gave a defiant nod and grinned back, but inside she was quaking.

As she ran further and further away, she could start to feel her legs shake at each step. The forest seemed even darker now, the shadows blending in with the block darkness. It was a mystery how Maddy could make her way round without smashing into a trunk.

Rhydian had stood to watch her; to make sure she was okay. After a few metres, just before Maddy faded into darkness, she turned around. His straight face was lit slightly, highlighting all the shadows and crevices. Heart thudding, Maddy gave a calm smile which he returned. Suddenly there was another thud, and with one last fleeting glance, they turned round and sprinted off.

Every snap of a twig or screech of a bird would make Maddy's heart freeze, and she was frightened so much that she didn't know where to look next. Too long a time later, she stumbled out of the woods, and hurried down the endless streets to her house.

Giving a sigh of relief as she dashed down her path, Maddy threw open the door and slammed it behind her, shutting her eyes as she struggled to regain breath. Maddy leant against the door and breathed heavily, laughing slightly as she thought how stupid she had been. She didn't have to run ALL the way home; they had stopped following her once she had left the woods. She also found it slightly amusing how she had been frightened at anything and everything.

Only slightly, however, and she was still trying to slow her breathing several minutes later.

Rhydian.

She had spent the whole time worrying about herself when she should have worried about HIM. The stalker probably followed him instead of her! That was why they'd disappeared!

Maddy groaned and hoped that that wasn't true; that it was just her pessimistic side.

Rhydian would be able to defend himself, anyway.

Wouldn't he?

"You alright pet?" Emma's voice tore through Maddy's thoughts, and Maddy jumped, banging her head against the door in the process.