Running…I'm running for my life….why couldn't they just leave me alone? I've never done anything to them…I'm just a kid…

I duck into the alley, hoping to lose them. No luck. I summon up my strength and climb on top of the corroded dumpster, climbing the rusted, creaking ladder and landing with a grimace on the other side. My breath is coming quickly now, audible and visible in the cold, quiet winter air.

Lord…I hear them chasing me…my ribs hurt, I think I might have cracked one when I slipped up and fell on the curb…

Why are they doing this to me?

I can't do anything about it.

All I can do is run.

So I run.

I run and open the thankfully unlocked door in the middle of the roof. I fling myself down, not caring what I land on and wince in pain as I land badly on my arm. I'll have to get the looked at later.

That's right…keep telling yourself that there's going to be a later…block out the fear…the fear that numbs your mind, freezes your body, keeps you from doing anything but crying in the corner asking for your mother, anyone, to help you. Run on adrenaline…pull out strength and endurance you never knew you had…keep running now….down the hall, down the flights of stairs…out the door…no, one of them's out there, too…run…other door, back door…no, not out into the alley

Run out into the night air…you aren't cold anymore…you aren't hungry, you aren't tired. There's one thing on your mind, and that's fear. Run. Run until you drop dead or until they shoot you. Run until you have no energy, keep, they left someone there…emergency exit, with it's barely visible red tint, grimy under the dirt and rusty from not being used.

Slam yourself against it…no…it's stuck…harder…harder, until your body is aching…finally…it's open. running when the sharp pain in your side doesn't subside…keep running when the taste of blood is all you sense every time you breathe, the oxygen not doing any good to your deprived blood.

The fear is consuming your mind…you can't think…just want to…just wanna….let go…stop fighting, don't run…take the bullet…no more fear…it's better that way.

Vision's fading into bursts…you can't see your feet…can't see…

NO!

Keep running…harder, push yourself harder…footsteps, gaining on you…no, you can't run anymore…keep running…you're dead…keep running…don't let them get close enough to fire…don't look up, just watch your feet so you don't trip…oh god…

Fear is filling your every sense…muscles want to freeze up…you're numb…don't feel anything…

Can’t think…what block are we on? Did we just pass…home? Where are we? How far have I run, how far have I feared? I lost count ages ago…there's a dull ache in my lungs and a sharp ache in my side…my legs…my head…

Everything hurts…my arms are tired…my legs ache…I just wanna stop…but fear's driving me on…

Keep running…faster, faster, push yourself…harder, faster, until you realize you have nothing left to give…you have no oxygen, no energy, you're running on adrenaline, running on fear…running from fear, running to fear, running in fear.

That's your whole world…footsteps, just behind you…why don't they just shoot you? You shoot a glance sideways, then back in front of you…

Too late. a large crack in the sidewalk…the tree's roots pushed it up…should have been watching…shouldn't've looked back…your side hurts, you note absently.

The last thing that registers in your mind is a blind, numbing, fear…overwhelming…

A loud crack echoes.