Into Darkness

Chapter 1

Ryler:

I'm running. It's dark and I can barely see three inches in front of me but I'm running. I'm running because my life depends on it. My feet fly across the ground, thankfully not giving up even though my body feels heavy. Each breath I take in is difficult but I force myself to keep breathing even though the pain in my ribs begs me not to. I'm currently extremely grateful for the wonders of adrenaline because without it I wouldn't have made it this far. I just pray my body doesn't go into shock.

Just a little further, I tell myself even though it's probably a lie because I'm in the woods and have no idea how much further I need to go until I reach civilization or help. I force back the voice in my head telling me I'm going to die in these woods and no one will ever find me. I can't listen to that voice. If I do I surely will die out here.

My feet continue to pound on the ground relentlessly and the pain in my body begins to become too much. I slow my pace slightly hating myself for slowing down, slightly hating myself for a lot of the decisions I made today. I suddenly feel my foot catch on a rock and I tumble to the ground rolling down a hill crying out as my body crashes into rocks and sticks. I hear a crack and I briefly wonder if it was a stick that broke or another one of my ribs. I'm not sure I would be able to tell with the amount of damage my body has suffered today.

When I finally come to a stop I look up at the stars and the world spins around me. I can't pass out though. I can't. I need to stay awake. I need to get up and keep moving. I can't let him find me. If he finds me, he'll kill me. I have no doubts about that and I am too weak now to fight him off. I try to stand but every muscle and bone in my body protests with the movement and I come to a halt. I lie back down in defeat and stare back up at the stars. They are really beautiful out here. They shine so magnificently since there are no buildings out here to dull their light.

As I look at the stars a sudden calmness takes place and I'm sure this means I am going to die. I think about my parents and how my death will affect them, how they'll grieve and probably never move on from losing their only daughter. I think about Nikki and how she will miss me, her best friend, her sister not by blood but by choice. I think about Connor's family and how today will surely destroy them. I think about the countless others I am leaving behind and as I think of them an unbearable ache stabs at my heart and it's different from the other levels of pain I have felt today. I don't want to leave them, not any of them. I want to live. I want to grow up and have a life. I want to grow old.

As this realization hits me a sudden burst of energy strikes me, and I move to stand. I'm going to get up and run out of these woods. I'm going to get help. Most importantly, I'm going to live. At least that's what I tell myself until I see the dark figure looming over me. I scream even though I know no one will hear me. As he leans down over me, compressing me with his weight I feel more of my ribs crack and a pathetic whimper escapes my lips. He offers a sinister smile in response as his hands move to my throat. I try to thrash underneath him but it's useless. He is nearly twice my size and my body is too broken to move like it needs to.

He gently runs his fingers along my bruised and cut up jaw line and I want to vomit from the contact. I would rather him stab me with a knife than touch me like that. He smiles sadly at me as his fingers graze my throat, like the idea of killing me is hurting him, but I know it's not. I know because a couple hours ago he told me how he was going to do it. The only reason he wears a sad smile now is because I ruined his plan. That idea makes me smile. I like that I took something from him since he has already taken so much from me.

His hands grab onto my throat more tightly now and just before he begins to squeeze he whispers, "God, you are perfect." I close my eyes not wanting to hear him call me that, not wanting to hear how all my accomplishments in life are what brought me here, to this.