The Fear

The Fear

The pine forest's thick underbrush forced Tyler to expend every bit of his energy to keep on his feet. They slipped from side to side as he tried not to fall head first into the jagged bark of one of the trunks. The prickly forest canopy hastened dusk's arrival, and without any other source of light, Tyler was keenly aware of what waited for him after night fell.

The sheer sound of his footsteps flooded his mind. Forget about the other brazen sounds behind him. The highway wasn't far away. He had to get to the road, his only safe haven, at least for a little while. Maybe a passing truck or car could rescue him, or better yet shine some light on his body. They hated the light.

He couldn't draw in air fast enough as his entire body wanted to escape the horror behind him.

His foot bumped something. He fell.

Before getting back to his feet, he spotted the fallen branch that tripped him up. He scurried around tree trunk after tree trunk, swiping low-hanging branches out of the way. Up ahead, the terrain rose. The highway was on the other side. All he had to do was climb.

Behind him, the sound of dead pine cones, branches, and other underbrush were being overturned. They weren't far behind. They had the advantage because their feet were capable of gripping the ground while the flat soles of his sneakers made him vulnerable to attack.

He climbed using all four appendages, grasping at the ground and pushing forward. Only a few more feet and he'd be on the road. He heard the faint roar of a big rig. He yelled,

"They're after me!"

Did the driver hear him? Tyler clawed to the top.

The road passed fifty feet below him.