Wilder [h.s.]

Run.

"Not many places to hide in here, doll."

I cringed as the husky voice filled the silence of the upstairs loft. This room had once been empty, now filled with trinkets and memories that the only person I can trust in the new world and I have collected and created. My final memory of it now though will be full of fear and trembling.

From my hiding spot behind the couch I could see in the mirror hanging above's reflection a man with a black mask and black hoodie slowly entering the room.

I struggled to hold my breath and stay still as my arm continued to bleed out. I held shakily onto the kitchen knife in my hand waiting for him to get closer. Ugh, please don't get any closer. Just leave.

I watched as he trashed the loft, making me jump with every crash. My hate rising as he carelessly and unmercifully undid all that we had built together to not only survive but live as we navigated this new world.

"Shame you have to live here all alone. Must be lonely, we can... take care of that for you."

I could hear the smirk as he finished his sentence and my fear grew as well as disgust. I didn't want to know what he or his friends had in mind and I wasn't planning on staying out any longer.

My heartbeat accelerated with each step and as soon as he could meet my eyes in the mirror I jumped up. Turning as I dashed to go around the couch, he gripped my wounded arm making me cry out in pain.

I took the knife and with all my strength lodged it in his shoulder. He immediately released my arm and cursed, but I didn't stick around.

I bolted for the the stairs practically flying down them as I made my way to the back door. I heard hard footsteps running from the front of the house and continued out the back entering the woods and ran.

I could hear maniacal laughing and shouting as I started to slow down. Running was never my strong suit. Is this some sort of sick game to them? I'm not playing.

I paused as the world grew silent again. Did they give up? Are they going to return? I started to get lightheaded with my arm still losing blood.

I heard a twig snap behind me. I gasped and turned to see ten feet ahead of me a man in a black hoodie but with a red mask tilting his head tauntingly.

He straightened his head and said in an eerily calm voice, "Run."

I didn't hesitate to obey. I turned back around and ran straight into a wall of a man with the black mask who didn't budge at all from the impact.

I stumbled back a couple steps as a cloth bag was placed on my head. I screamed as loud as I could and the last thing I heard were the triumphant shouts of the four to five masked men before I was knocked unconscious.