The Red Soul

We weren't supposed to be there.

Looking back, I should've known that.

But at the time, neither of us cared.

My best friend and I were messing around, laughing about something stupid, completely unaware that the next few minutes would change everything.

Then we found it.

Something that wasn't meant for us.

Something that belonged to the government.

We didn't even have time to figure out exactly what we'd taken.

A noise came from behind us.

Then another.

Voices.

Footsteps.

My friend looked at me.

I looked at him.

Neither of us said a word.

We ran.

Branches whipped against our faces as we sprinted through the trees. My lungs burned, but I didn't slow down.

“KEEP GOING!” my friend shouted.

I glanced behind us.

People were coming.

We had no idea how close they were.

Ahead of us was a steep slope leading upward.

“Up there!”

We pushed ourselves up the slope, grabbing roots and branches to keep from falling. Every step felt heavier than the last.

But we made it.

At the top, we didn't stop.

We disappeared into the forest.

For a while, there was nothing.

No voices.

No footsteps.

Just the sound of our breathing.

I leaned against a tree, trying to catch my breath.

My friend looked at me.

“Think we lost them?”

I didn't answer.

Something about the forest felt wrong.

The wind had stopped.

The birds were silent.

Even the trees seemed to be holding their breath.

Then I heard it.

A faint sound behind us.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Calm.

Not chasing us.

Approaching.

My friend turned around.

I followed his gaze.

Between the trees, someone was standing there.

A girl.

She didn't move.

She simply watched us.

She was dressed entirely in red.

For some reason, I couldn't look away.

My friend took a step backward.

“Who are you?”

The girl didn't answer.

She only smiled.

And in that moment, I realized something.

She hadn't followed us into the forest.

She had been waiting for us.

And whatever happened next had nothing to do with the government anymore.