Into the Woods

Prologue

My face is against the damp earth. I breathe the musty smell of the dirt into my nostrils; it's suffocating. I remain still as I hear footsteps getting closer and closer. The crisp crunch of the autumn leaves gives him away. I hold my breath as I hide in the dense brush hoping to stay out of his view. I silently beg for him to pass me by without noticing me. Crunch, crunch, he is so close to me now that I can hear his heavy breathing.

He stops; I can see his boots from my eyeline. They're muddy and bloody, and I can't prevent the tears from spilling down my face onto the earth below me. What was supposed to be a nice hike through the woods turned into the biggest nightmare of my entire life.

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A/N: There will be moments of violence and crimes against women. I will place a trigger warning before each chapter containing those scenarios. I hope you enjoy this short novella. I loosely based it on my group of friends and our spouses.