Masks

Chapter 5

The unnatural obsidian black trees rushed by me and shifted into a dark, moonlit forest as I fled. The snap of branches behind me told me the proxy was still fast on my trail. I was running out of breath and trying not to constantly stumble over hidden roots and rocks as I sprinted through the tall trees.

"Three months of this... would think I'd be... used to this..." I didn't bother to glance behind me, mostly out of fear I'd find a hatchet a little too close to my head. "...Fuck... where am I? I need to get out of this damn forest!"

I scanned the area around me, not able to make out much in the moonlight, and continued on my semi-straight path. Even if this was the long way, eventually the trees had to end. As time wore on however, I began wondering if I was just going in circles and could feel myself slowing down... hear the proxy behind me gaining on me.

"I have to give him the sli-" Pain broke my thoughts as I crashed to the ground after a fallen branch tripped me up. I could taste blood from where my teeth had pierced the inside of my lip in the fall. "Shit..."

Now that I'd stopped running the energy drain I'd been feeling hit even harder- upon trying to stand once more, I only collapsed back to my knees as they buckled under my weight. I slumped down, trying to listen for where the proxy had gone while expecting a sharp blade to embed into my spine at any second. Everything had fallen silent.

I covered my mouth with the sleeve of my jacket to muffle my panting as I looked around, barely able to make out the lanky figure standing a few trees back holding his hatchets down at his sides while he looked for me. I shivered and pressed closer to the nearest tree trunk in hopes he would start walking in a different direction.

"C...Come ou-t... I know y...you're ar-ound here!" The proxy's voice almost sounded friendly as he called out to me, and unfortunately started to draw closer to my location. Seconds later he shouted out for me again, this time sounding much more sinister. "Show yourself... or t-this will h...hurt you a lot m-more than it w-ill m...me!"

I tensed and waited until his back was turned once more before carefully shifting further under some low hanging branches, now completely engulfing myself in the shadows. I watched as he continued searching the area, occasionally twitching and cracking his neck.

"I can't hide here forever... gotta run for it." I shifted once more and continued watching his movements. "...any second... he'll be far enough away... come on..."

I anxiously shifted again, flinching as leaves crinkled under my shoes, before bolting out of hiding. There was a moment of quiet from behind me that was swiftly broken by a furious shout and the sounds of the proxy once more giving chase. Around me the trees began thinning out and I burst out of the woods to find myself on a narrow grassy strip at the edge of the road with a cloudy sky blocking most of the pale moonlight.

I glanced over my shoulder and inhaled sharply, alarmed to see he was almost close enough to swing one of the hatchets and hit me. Without thinking I immediately darted onto the road in hopes of losing him in the trees on the other side. I barely made it past the middle of the road before car lights blinded me. My mind went blank from terror as the sound of screeching brakes filled the night.

I found myself on the ground, my vision blurring and growing dimmer while shock and adrenaline shoved any hint of the damage away. My heart felt like it was going to give out at any moment at the pace it was pumping. The last thing I was aware of was the proxy retreating back into the forest.

***

The first thing I noticed upon regaining consciousness was the feeling of something rumbling and moving beneath me. I groggily opened my eyes to find I was lying on my side in the backseat of a car.