1

Running. Running. Just keep running. It's all I could do. With my hands weaponless and my assassin close on my tail, I had no choice but to run. My lungs felt like they were about to burst, and the sweat trickling down my forehead blinded my eyes. But to stop now was to die. My blistered feet crunched loudly with each step as I trekked through the dense woods. I could hear him behind me- driven by anger and starvation. He grasped a sharp, bloody knife ready for his next victim: Me. I was dead meat. My family would be watching the moment the knife slit my throat in a bloody, gory death. Tears clouded my eyes. The only plan of escape I had in mind was a matter of life or death. But I knew I couldn't keep running forever.

I stopped dead in the midst of the dark woods. If I could be as silent as possible, he wouldn't be able to find me. In this midnight forest, the only sense of the hunter was sound. I slithered silently behind a tree. I had no idea where he could be. His footsteps had disappeared as mine had. It was dead silent in the woods. The only light source was the sliver of a distant moon behind the treetops, the only sound being the soft quick breaths I took in.

The cold was unbearable. My feet were bare and numb, and even in the intense darkness I could see my breath in the freezing air. My teeth clattered silently as my heart pounded against my chest. Relaxation was impossible. My mind raced with pure terror. I knew I didn't have a chance from the start. Among the twenty-four, there was a zero-percent chance of me making it out alive. Behind the tree I felt safe for the moment. His footsteps had disintegrated and there was no sign or sound of any movement. Was it true? Had I lost him? I slowly peeked my head out from behind the tree.

A sharp horrendous pain attacked my shoulder. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even scream. My trembling hand slowly reached for the silver blade implanted in my left shoulder. I didn't have enough strength to yank it out. I kneeled down, feeling the warmth of my blood drown my filthy tattered clothes. The crunching of boots on dead leaves slowly approached my bowed head. With all the strength I had left, I glanced up as he smirked down upon me with a slight chuckle. He withdrew another silver knife from his coat.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" he began as he prepared to slice my neck. "You can run, but you can't hide." My eyes slowly closed tight with tears as my brother brought the knife down upon my throat.