This month I’m taking part in the A-Z Challenge! Which means I’ll be writing 26 posts (on set days through the month) each one corresponding to a letter of the alphabet. Today is day 1, which means letter A.
My theme for the month is: Secret Diary Of A Serial Killer. Each post will be a new chapter in the story – I’m really excited to finally get this novel idea out of my head and into words. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Anna
Branches scratched at her face, their inky blackness stealing the moonlight as she tried to move silently through the woods.
Her breath came in plumes, if she could have seen it.
She was so quiet. She had to be. Moving like liquid as she crawled through open spaces before pressing against each tree. Making her way towards the road, she hoped. Her feet were bare, the leaves and moss cushioned her steps but the chill night air was starting to kill the sensation in her toes.
Keep moving. Keep on moving.
She had to get away. She knew nothing else but that one truth. The woods couldn’t last forever, there had to be salvation somewhere. She couldn’t let herself think of the alternative.
The moon was hiding too, now. Furtively peering between the clouds, giving no help to her plight.
She moved slowly and carefully, so as not to make a sound. Not to draw attention to herself.
Then more crawling. Chest pressed to the ground, the thin vest giving no protection from the damp earth. Finally reaching the next tree she turned and sat with her back pressed to the bark, the rough wood slicing at her bare arms and shoulders. She was scared, more scared than she had ever been.
Why was she free? Why had she been able to escape? She knew it was a trap of some kind but couldn’t pass up her only chance of escaping.
Clamping a hand to her mouth she squeezed her eyes shut. Stifling a scream that had been building up with her terror. How could this be the end of her life? Why her? Why choose her? She shook her head gently. This couldn’t be happening. She reached around to touch her hair. Blonde now. She didn’t like it, and didn’t understand why she had been forced to dye it, to cut it.
For a minute she let herself cry. Knees pulled up to her chest smothering the sounds, trying to be invisible as her body shook with each sob. Then, she stopped. Done with crying. Done with feeling sorry for herself. She wiped her tears away with the back of one mud streaked hand and quietly pushed to her feet, crouching to peer around the tree.
No one in sight. Cautiously she crawled forward, inching towards the next tree.
Behind her a branch snapped underfoot.
Was it just an animal? She had no time to think. Without looking back, she bolted from her hiding place, charging through the brush in desperation to get to a road she hoped was there.
I love it when they run.