Page 14 of Kat Bethel

I stopped running, against my better judgement, knowing another injury would only make the situation worse. When I turned the flashlight toward myself it was at the brightness level I would expect.

The light was working, but it wasn’t illuminating.

It didn’t burn my retinas. Something swallowed the rays of light.

He’d already caught me.

The darkness I stood in was the same ancient fear that drove men to discover and harness one of the most destructive elements on earth. It created the stories and legends of things that would eat you in the night.

He was everywhere.

I pulled a small candle from my tool bag and lit it. A lemon balm candle that fit perfectly in the palm of my hand, and I knew wouldn’t harm him. Still, humanity claimed fire for a reason.

I lit my candle with my lighter, and let the small flame give a faint glow to the area. The oppressive energy around me lessened as the fire pushed the shadows back, even if it was just an inch.It made it easier to think.

I used the mediocre light to walk through the Dark Entry Forest. It didn’t give me much visibility, but it was enough to put one foot in front of the other. I hated how much my handsshook, and I had to force deep calming breaths to keep my head straight.

The presence hovered over me like a guillotine, but I didn’t dare look up.

The wind picked up, making the flame of my candle flicker. I cupped my hand around it to protect the only thing preventing me from being snuffed out by the darkness.

I clutched the candle to my chest like a safety blanket.

My eyes scanned the area, but it was useless. I was fumbling blind.

The hair on my arms stood on end. Every instinct screamed that I was prey, but I was unable to figure out exactly where the threat was.

An ice-cold tendril wrapped around my ankle. Panic made my throat tight and I held the candle protectively to me.

My knee hit the ground with a painful thump that sent a flash of agony up my thigh and back. My upper body smashed into the ground. Hot wax that had gathered on top of the candle poured over my hands. The reflex to release the source of pain hit hard, but I refused to loosen my grip on it.

If I had to set myself on fire to keep it burning, I would.

I rolled onto my ass and moved the light toward my feet to see what root brought me down, only to find nothing that could have caused the fall.

I got my feet back under me and kept walking. Every step felt like vines were wrapping around my limbs, rooting me to the earth, but I knew it was him.

What exactly he was trying to accomplish I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t decide to live so this fucker could kill me. He could kiss my ass. I would crawl if I had to.

When he couldn’t trip me up, tendrils snaked further up my thighs just short of indecent. It made a need I refused to name bubble low in my gut. My body betraying me.

The tendrils tightened and I knew I’d be a smear of bruises if I got out of this. My thighs burned from the force I used to move one single step forward. A free hand would have helped, but the wind picked up, threatening to blow out my makeshift torch.

I gritted my teeth as the weight holding me grew heavier. Each leg was a hundred pounds. The ground was wet cement.

I’d die on my terms. Not his.

“Go fuck yourself,” I grunted.

He chuckled in amusement, and the sound came from everywhere. He was a cage wrapped around me like a prison.

How long had I struggled to escape? Seconds? Hours? Days?

What was the point?

Focus on one thing. Just one to keep yourself ground, my aunt’s voice filled my mind.

I couldn’t see anything. All I had was this candle dripping hot wax all over my fingers.