She was looking, first to the right, then to the left - just like her forefathers had taught her.
Her bare feet crunched on the dead leaves as she crept along the tree-lined path. Laura stopped, freezing in her tracks at the sound, worried that someone would have heard her.
Listening intently, she strained her ears. There was nothing. No sounds of other footsteps following along, no one crashing through the trees to catch her.
Slowly letting out her breath, her shoulders fell, releasing the tension she’d held so tightly for so many hours. She must have lost them. Finally.
Peering around the tree she was behind, she saw a clearing. A rabbit nibbled at a patch of grass in the middle, not noticing her.
Surely no one else could be around, she thought to herself, the birds are chirping, the rabbit is unconcerned.
Looking down at the ground, she took a tentative step forward onto a soft patch of grass. The movement made no sound at all.
Another step and another in silence.
She let out a slow breath, stepping out into the open for the first time in days. Maybe she was safe now. Maybe she was free.
Her eyes darted around the edges of the clearing. Always watching, looking, after so many months of being on the run, days of running after she’d nearly been caught.
It was all too much. She just wanted to be able to relax, for even a moment.
Laura finally sank down onto the grass. Tears pricked her eyes as she watched the rabbit. He was staring at her with his wide eyes, but he didn’t move away. He just kept eating the grass while he stared as if to say, “Listen, don’t bother me and I won’t bother you.”
Laura was just sinking down into the soft grass for a rest when she heard it.
Scratching.
The scratching noises became louder and louder and it sounded like wood was splintering.
Laura jumped to her feet, her heart in her throat, her fists clenched, her body ready for flight. If only she could decide where the sounds were coming from. She didn’t know where to run.
It almost sounded as if the sounds were coming from the trees themselves. All of the leaves were rustling as though hundreds or thousands of animals in them had suddenly decided to take flight all at once.
Her heart thudding so loudly in her chest that she was sure everyone could hear it, she turned to her right. There was nothing to see except for the tree branches swaying.
Taking one small step, then another, the crashing grew louder.
Pressing her lips shut tight to avoid screaming in a panic, Laura took a chance. She couldn’t stay here, in the open. There was no way she could hide in this clearing.
She turned and bolted, her feet practically flying over the ground. Darting between two trees, she ran as fast as she possibly could, her heart pounding, her thoughts racing. How had they found her again?
She’d been so damn careful about covering her tracks and yet they kept finding her.
It was as if they had planted some sort of tracking device on her.
That thought stopped her in her tracks. Frantically she tore at her clothes, feeling along every inch for any small thing she might have missed. Tearing off her flannel, she threw it to the ground, her hands running over her tank top, down the sides of her shorts. Her shoes were already gone… it had to be somewhere. There was no other explanation. None.
Her fingers touched the button on her shorts, her finger caught on something sharp on the backside of the button.
Pulling the shorts away from her waist, she saw it. A tiny little chip stuck to the backside of her shorts. Ripping at it with her fingers, she felt it slice through her skin. Blood dripping down her fingers, she managed to wrench the tiny chip free.
Looking around, she tried to think of what to do.
If she just threw it to the ground or destroyed it, they’d immediately know that she’d found it. She needed to stick it somewhere that it would move, if only occasionally.
Her eyes took in the forest surrounding her, the stream flowing among the trees.
Reminded of the old book from elementary school “Paddle to the Sea” she had an idea.
Searching around, she found a short stout log and shoved the chip in between the grooves int he bark. She dropped the wood in the stream and watched as it slowly bobbed and floated down the slow current.
It was fast enough that anyone tracking it would just think she was picking her way through the forest or the water. It wasn’t going to keep her safe forever, but it would take them a lot longer to figure it out.
Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, grabbed her flannel from the ground and took off running. Away from the crashing sounds from the forest, away from the stream.
Maybe this time she would make it to safety.
This time she would expose them all for all of the horrible things they were doing at the compound. She could send help for the others, free them all.
All she had to do was make it to town, to safety.
Then she would be free.
Running as if her life depended on it, she soon burst through the trees and nearly tripped right over the sidewalk.
A dog barked in the neighborhood to her right. The street ahead held the sign that would save her “Police Station” with an arrow to the left.
With a renewed sense of urgency, she turned and ran, bursting through the front door of the station.
“Help! I need help! Please!” She shouted even as she opened the door.
The woman sitting behind the counter jumped to her feet.
Laura rushed forward, “Please! You have to help me. Help all of us!”
The officer pointed back at the door and that’s when Laura saw him.
The man she’d been trying so desperately to escape. He stood to his feet with a grin.
“Annie! My dear! We’ve all been so worried about you back at the Institute. I’m so glad you are safe. Don’t worry, I’m here to pick you up and take you back to safety.”
“No!” Laura screamed, a high, shrill, panicked scream.
“Annie,” The woman came out from behind the counter. “Please, calm down, you’re safe now.”
“My name is Laura and this man is evil! He wants to take me back and torture me! Please,” She grabbed the woman’s hand, pleading with her. “Please don’t make me go back! He’s keeping us prisoner there!”
The man’s voice floated over her head, “I’m so sorry about this Margaret. You know how the patients can get when they’re delusional. As you can see, she doesn’t even know her own name.”
His strong warm hands enveloped her own, gripping them so tight that it sent a chill through her.
“Come now, Annie, it’s time to go back.” She looked up into his eyes. Dead, black eyes. The eyes that haunted her every waking hour, every nightmare. His voice was calm and soothing, in spite of the evil that hid inside. “Thank you, officer, for your help. I’ll just sedate her now and take her back.”
Laura felt the prick of the needle.
As everything went back, she realized she had failed. All of that effort for nothing. She was going back to the Institute.
Back to the tests and experiments.
They would try to gain access to her powers, but she wouldn’t allow it. She would never let them in.
If she could help it.
Her mind went blank as she felt her body being lifted up by strong arms.
