I could feel my blood thumping in my ears, my ragged breath was the only thing I could hear in this dark forest. They were behind me, I knew it, I could feel it. Like a rabbit, I was running as fast as I could, trying hard not to stumble upon the rocks or the branches scattered on the ground. The path I was following was also covered with white magnolias, my favorite flowers. I almost considered the idea of staying there, stopping this stupid game of mouse and cat, and just admiring the beauty of nature. But then, I heard one of them shout and the work of art Nature offered me turned into a nightmare as the sweet fragrance of the magnolias was burning my lungs, and the branches were hitting my face, probably covering it with red marks as if I was being mauled by the said branches. I was now feeling nauseous with the deep sense that I was about to vomit whatever I had eaten but the desire to hug my mother Lauren, kiss my son, Diego, and tell my husband Jorge how much I loved him one last time was stronger than any nauseous feeling. My desire to live was stronger. So I didn't stop running, only for them. I didn't want to fail them.
I reached a place that I found oddly familiar, it was like a small clearing where magnolias were almost everywhere, again this sensation of peace was controlling me and I slowed down until I stopped. My knees couldn't carry me anymore and I fell down. I looked to my right and met piercing green eyes, similar to mine. They were empty, with no life, no feelings, nothing. Just green eyes looking back at me. She (because it was a woman) seemed to be at peace, with her brownish hair covering her face, and I touched her. Her face seemed calm, if I hadn't seen the hole in the side of her head I would think that she was sleeping. I looked at her body and my memory took me back to this moment when I thought that I'd be able to see my loved ones one last time. My memory took me back to this moment and the idea of surviving vanished in the air when I met those green eyes... My eyes... Staring back at me.
