Rustling

It's coming from behind me and I'm trying to get away from it

And from the ones making the noise.

The woods before my eyes are barely visible due to the lack of light

I also don't know whereto I'm trying to escape, but I know that I need to escape somewhere

Else wise...

"Faster! Run faster!" I cry to myself

My whole body is shaking and my already red eyes become redder from crying

I'm scared. Really scared

Adrenaline is being pumped throughout my body

Or at least that's what it feels like

Every second that passes feels like an hour

If this were a normal game of catch, I most likely would have fallen to my knees a long time ago due to exhaustion

But I am not allowed to do that here

My mind tells me to run as fast as I can

I can't stop now.

The next moment I hear an ear-screeching scream coming from behind which makes my body move even faster

My breathing becomes more ragged

But I don't care

I don't have the time to care.

As I run I feel fluids flowing down my face

Sweat, tears, snot

Blood

"Haa, Ha, Haaa"

My breathing becomes more rampant by the second.

What even are those things chasing me?

No, I don't even want to know

But of one fact I am sure, they are not human.

It all started when I decided to pick some herbs and mushrooms on my way home.

But, if I had just known it was going to turn out like this, I wouldn't have even dared to come near the forest.

"Go away, go away! I don't want this! Please just leave me be!"

Never before did my lungs release such a sound before

My mind can't follow the instinctive actions of my body any longer

Panic wells up deep inside me.

My vision slightly blurs and so many thoughts whirl around in my head that I almost tumble to the ground

I avoid falling for now.

If I just keep running, I'll eventually be helped

Such foolish thoughts occupy my mind

But deep down I know I can't just keep running forever

They'll catch up to me

They are faster than me.

I have to do something while I'm still able to

With that thought emerging I hastily move my eyes, which now adjusted to the darkness, in hope of finding something

Anything, I desperately search for ways that will help me out of this situation

As I turn my head I see an old, mossy rock entering my sight

Almost automatically my body takes a sharp turn to the right, running for the hiding-spot

I get to the other side of the rock, crouch down immediately and try to catch my breath

The exhaustion and pain are catching up to me and I feel my whole body trembling

I don't have the energy to even move a muscle anymore.

I look around again, trying to find some clues on what way leads home

But everything I see are strangely shaped, bare trees

No light sources in proximity

Only the moon and stars.

Suddenly, I hear steps approaching

At once I cover my mouth with both hands to reduce the noise I make ever so slightly.

The steps' amount increases, but whatever makes the sound doesn't seem to come towards my location

Yet

Slowly, while being as careful as possible, I peek out from behind the rock.

My eyes widen

Instantly I get myself behind the rock again

My heartbeat intensifies

I almost can't discern if my heart or my breathing is louder

I hold my knees with all of my strength as black dots begin dancing in my already unsteady vision.

My pursuers, they are man eaters

I never have seen one of these disgusting creatures with my own eyes before, but I'm certain those are man eaters

Large, emaciated, obscene humanoid beings with sharp claws and fangs, bones protruding their pale and thin skin

"Please, dear god, I'm begging you, don't let them find me, don't let them find me..." I plea to the being I never believed in before

"I'm scared, I don't want this, why can't all of this just be a bad dream, Mama"

I hear a cry from one of the monsters

I wince and try to suppress my whining and breathing even more than I already did

But

Low footsteps approach my hiding-spot

No, No NO! nO!no NonONOno!!

Please don't come here, leave me alone, don't find me

The movements my body does can't be considered mere shaking no more

"Quiet! Be quieter!" I weep to myself

In vain

It's too late

I turn my head up...

As if in slow-motion I see sharp claws swinging down on me

"It's over" I think

At this point I've felt so much fear I can't endure any more

I no longer want to feel this

Dying a quick death is better.

I shut my eyes

...

...

No

I can't give up just yet.

I still need to live, no, I still want to live!

I want to see all people at home again, I want to see mom again. I can't just leave her behind on her own!

But it's already too late

I won't be able to dodge the hand swinging at my head

I prepare for the impact

Then, all I can hear is a loud sound.

But... it is not the sound of my head being torn to peaces?

Immediately I'm blown away and sent flying in the air until I land on the dark and cold ground with my face

In the corner of my eyes I see the hand which was trying to take my live flying through the air

The man eater lets out a dreadful, yet agonized scream.

A figure I can't make out appears between the man eaters and me

It rises its left hand and multiple dark balls, which seem to suck in the already little amount of light, burst out of it, massacring all the monsters which were chasing me throughout the forest.

Then, the figure turns

Its blood red eyes look straight into my soul

With steady steps it comes closer

"NO DON'T COME GO AWAY GO AWAY NO NO NO!" I cry out as loud as my lungs permit me to

But it never intended to stop.

Then, suddenly, a ball of light appears in the palm of the figure which allows me to see its whole appearance

No, her full appearance

What?

My brain blanks out for a second.

"You... You are"

I can't finish my sentence

Because of my earlier crying it feels as if a knife gouged out my lungs

In front of me stands a girl

A majestic yet beautiful appearance with long black hair and crimson red eyes

No, this can't be real

I can't let myself be fooled

There's no way she could eradicate those monsters in mere seconds

Unless she herself is a monster.

While sitting on my rear I try to move backwards and stand up, but miserably fail

Repeatedly I attempt to get on my feet

Again and again

At this point the girl is already crouching before the small me

She tightly grabs my hand.

Just as I try to loose out of her grip a gleaming light shines in her unoccupied hand

Warmth starts to flow through me

Soothing my entire body as if I were swimming in warm water

From one second to the next I feel my strength return

"What?" I say irritated as her hand pulls me back to a standing position

I look up in her eyes and she looks down right back at me, whispering something in a language I don't know

But

Although I don't understand what she says, I know what she is trying to convey.

Her soothing voice turns my fear and exhaustion into calmness and for the first time in what felt like an eternity... I am able to relax

Then, unexpectedly, she gently hugs me

Due to our height difference my head gets pressed against her body

I am confused, again

A soft hand tenderly strokes my head and I hear her voice again

Saying something in her strange language

I still don't understand what she says, though: "Shhh, it's gonna be okay, everything is fine now" is what her tone conveys

Suddenly, a bundle of emotions erupts from the depths of my heart

And for a very long time, which feels even longer than my escape from the man eaters, I cry my heart out in her arms.