The darkness surrounded him, choked him, mocked him. The baying of the hounds was creeping closer with every single moment. His feet were mangled and seeping blood, but he couldn’t feel them. Twigs and branches whipped at his face, leaving stinging cuts; he didn’t have time to feel them. Jesse Adams was running for his life.
Hopping over a stray log, Jesse almost stumbled-which would have meant death, or worse. He regained his balance but lost precious time. His heart was beating faster than army drums. His legs were moving faster than he would have ever thought possible. Trying to throw his pursuers off, he changed directions, angling off to the left. The hounds were not fazed, not in the slightest. Jesse could tell they were enjoying this. His master trained them to love killing.
A small stream crossed his path. Jesse leaped over it and continued sprinting. Behind him, the shouts of his master were getting closer with every moment. I can’t get caught. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I won’t! A renewed determination welled up inside him. His legs pumped faster, his heart slammed into his chest with every footfall, and suddenly the darkness did not seem so dark. The North Star was a beacon to him. Just follow the star, and he’d be alright.
Looking at the star meant he wasn’t looking at the ground, where a sizeable rock was in his path. One minute he was running, and the next he was rolling, rolling, till he stopped. But he couldn’t stop, he couldn’t. The hounds, with their deadly teeth and deadly breath, they would tear their deadly claws into him. Run! Get up and run! So he did, picking himself up onto his maimed and bloody feet and scampered away. His vision was foggy, he wasn’t seeing correctly. The trees were monsters; the branches, arms the ripped at him. Nothing was real, at least it didn’t seem so. Blood, realized the rational corner of his brain, Lost too much blood.
“Come back!” came his master’s horrible voice. “Get him, dogs!” He was closer now, much closer. So were the hounds. That scared Jesse more. He didn’t know how much longer he could run. Not much longer.
With a start, Jesse realized he was crying. How long had he been doing that? How long had he been running? Time was nothing, all he knew was the fear that shook his soul. He had stopped sweating a long time ago-that probably wasn’t good.
Jesse collapsed again. No, no, please... Get up! Get up… But his legs had finally gave in. Movement was impossible, the whip was inevitable. Then the hounds were on him, with their deadly teeth and deadly breath and deadly claws. Jesse couldn’t even scream. He was withered down to nothing.
“Nice, try, Jesse Adams.” It was the Master. He only shook his head and tsked. “You have to come with us, now.” Not gonna happen, Jesse resolved. He found the knife in his pocket, the one the kindly farmer had bestowed on him. He gripped the handle firmly and smiled. I will fight. Even if I die, I will fight. As fast as his lead arms would allow, he pounced on the hound closest to him. The knife plunged into its neck without a sound. The hound let out a horrible yelp, and blood showered Jesse from head to toe.
Jesse was moving on to the the second foul beast. That’s when the gunshot exploded through the air. In an instant, Jesse’s leg was on fire-at least it felt so. No pain he had ever felt was so horrible.
“Get up, you d--- pig!” The Master’s hands seized his shirt and yanked him upwards. “I’ll kill you!” The knife was wrested from his hand. It hit the ground with a dull thud. No, Jesse bemoaned internally. Master brought the handle of his gun down on Jesse’s shoulder. Another burst of heart-stopping pain detonated throughout his body. He hit the ground weeping.
“How dare you!” Master roared. “How dare you!” A heavy boot smashed into Jesse’s stomach. Little bursts of colorful starlight bloomed in his eyes. He felt himself cough up blood. Master placed his shotgun onto Jesse’s neck. The cool metal sent a violent shiver throughout his body. “I was gonna take you back,” he informed, his voice oozing with dark malice. “But you gotta’ pay, now.” A noise louder than the loudest explosion ignited the air, but this time there was no pain.