Run
Sweat glistens on her face. She squints from the sun and the drops of sweat that have cascaded into her eyes. She stands, hands on her knees, breathing hard as she takes slow deep breaths to refill her lungs that are being unforgiving. Her eyes close tightly as she concentrates hard on swallowing what little spit there is to quench the dryness of her throat. It's as though it has been lined with a heavy material and she begins to panic. She stands erect and gasps. Clasping both hands over her neck as though to strangle herself, she looks up and swallows. As she feels the collaboration between her tongue and throat pushing the saliva into the dry patches she is relieved. Her hands on her hips, she takes one last deep breath and before that breath is complete, she whips her head around. They are coming and she can hear the clamor of their feet, like a small army behind her in unison. They approach swiftly. She wipes her eyes and begins to run. Her hands shift up and down giving her the speed of a cheetah chasing it's prey. Her face unreadable. Fear? Distress? You hear the brush of leaves hitting her skin and crumpling under her feet in fast like the sound of crushed ice in a paper cup. Her surroundings are a blur as she races through the quiet forest. The trees seem to move from her path as she approaches. She jumps over fallen trees, ducks from hanging branches. She approaches two paths and without hesitation she goes right. Her eyes focused and unwavering. Sweat covers her skin and begins to drop like droplets of rain falling to the ground beneath her. She bites her lip and slowly releases it into a half smile. Her pace picks up once again as she approaches a grassy area. A man wearing what looks like a UPS uniform steps out of the building into her line of sight. He looks around, then yells out, "The one that got away!" As she nears the man, she smiles broadly. "Just get me some water!" she yells back as she plops on the grass and rolls over onto her back. "Unless you want your star runner dying right at your feet." she says sarcastically. "Well, at least you'll die in really awesome shoes." They laugh.