Grimm Fantasies: Little Red

Faster,

I must reach safety,

I can’t let them catch me,

Keep,

Moving,

Faster.

The forest rushed by in a blur, trees whipping by, he’s sure he’d have smashed into one of the many trees before if he hadn’t heightened senses. The sounds of RVs from behind egged him on, keeping him moving forward. He forced the fear down as adrenaline pushed him onward. He couldn’t afford to break down now, no we wouldn’t. Pushing through thick underbrush ignoring the way his legs almost gave out as the vines tugged him back tangling under foot and nearly tripped him.

He leapt over fallen trees giving no attempt to cover his tracks as he skipped across the damp muddy ground, they were simply too close to bother with it and he was most likely bleeding everywhere.

With the crescent moon over head supplied little light and leaking through the canopy helped him more than it helped the bastards behind him. Though he was sure night vision goggles were in use, along with any and all high tech gadgets they had on them. He was just too good of a prize to hold anything back, too good to play around. This wasn’t for the fun of it, he wasn’t just any game he was the top prize.

Panting out his breaths, he scented the air more on instinct than really looking for anything. They were down wind and following his trail. Scent was meaningless right now; instead he listened hard for the whistle of arrows or the crash of bipedal morons running after him. The engines slowly started to fade away changing direction as if they’d turned around. He wasn’t going to chance slowing down any time soon. He’d be damned if he was going to fall for any tricks. He’d done that before, they’d have to be stupider then he gave them credit for if they thought he’d fall for that again.

No, he wasn’t going to slow down while they ambushed him down wind. Though he wouldn’t admit it he was worried. In the back of his mind, the human part, wondered if he should slow to think about it for a moment. No, he was too crazed with pain, fear and pure anger he was in no mood to be analytical about anything right now.

Shots rang out,

Bursts of light exploded just behind him and off to the right.

Faster!

He veered to the left to dodge any more shots. He skidded across the ground creating long claw marks in the mud and kicking up dead leaves. Anyone who cared to look could’ve followed his trail with stupid ease. He hated it, he hated running for his life.

Why was this, his life?

Since when was looking over his shoulder and keeping a low profile part of something he had to do?

He knew the answer to that but he wasn’t about to start thinking about it. Hell he’d be happy to never think about it again. He’d be happy if he could just rest for five minutes, two if they’d let him. He was already breathing hard even for his superior body. If he survived, he was going to be hurting in the morning.

After hours of running the tug and pull of the arrows sticking out of him ached with pain, as his skin tried to heal over the foreign objects, constantly jabbing him in his wavering fluid movements to escape. He couldn’t stop, wouldn’t let them take him, he couldn’t. He liked breathing and basically living in general. Sure he didn’t have many friends and his family, well they weren’t around anymore but he still had reasons to live.

The lights came into view, he’d be safe soon he could find a place to hide. They wouldn’t follow him into the city, or at least he thought so. He wouldn’t think about that, he’d have to take the rumors for granted he couldn’t let the doubts cloud his mind as he continued on. He caught sight of the road leading into town and followed it, staying to the darker parts of the forest as much as he could. He could no longer hear the RVs but that meant nothing to him.

Only to late did he notice the trip wire.

Damn.