The Axeman stares as he slowly raises his axe and saunters toward us.
It’s like a taunt.
No matter what we do or how fast we run, he’ll always find us.
“L-Team,” Lochlan says, his voice wobbling like he’s about to throw up again. “We need to run. NOW!” he shouts, grabbing and pulling me up as Lee carries Kristi’s limp body.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
We all take off in the opposite direction of the Axeman, running as fast as we can, which right now isn’t fast enough.
We’re running for what feels like hours, exhaustion slowly eating away at us as we’re forced to run uphill.
We’re never going to outrun this psychopath at the pace we’re moving. Lee is staggering behind Lochlan and me under Kristi’s dead weight.
The Axeman is teasing us with his screams. Far enough away to fool us into thinking we are almost to safety, but close enough to remind us that we aren’t.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
None of us is stupid enough to risk looking backward. That’s literally how you die in a horror movie. But we can’t keep this up. We need a place to hide. To rest. To figure out how to fight back.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
Maybe this is the task Pierce mentioned during dinner. Running for our lives until our bodies give out, until we die the way this crazed author wants us to under his terms.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
My legs keep pumping, my lungs struggling to expand. One foot in front of the other. Just keep going.
It feels like I’ve been running for hours.
The sun is starting to rise, turning the sky shades of lavender and peach.
Maybe I can take my heel off and stab the Axeman in the face for making me run in this condition. Why didn’t I take them off once weregrouped before this crazy person found us again? Because I’m an idiot, that’s why.
At least we are finally going downhill now.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
The shouts never stop. Never let up. Minutes trickle by, feeling like days.
The earth comes to a startling end, and I realize we’ve run out of time. We can’t keep running.
Lochlan goes down first. His body flails like a fish out of water as he missteps and rolls over the steep incline of the hillside, tumbling to what’s sure to be his death. The white envelope that’s meant for me falls out of his pocket as he spins.
“YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE!”
Lee is next. He collapses with a pained groan from behind me. He and Kristi slide down together, like ragdolls stuck in a mudslide. Limbs sprawled in every direction as they tumble down.
I bring myself to a halt and watch my friends land at the bottom of the hillside. I hope they’re alive. I hope they can get away before the Axeman is through with me.
Who would have thought I’d think of these people I got stuck with as friends? Possibly real friends. Friends, I might just sacrifice myself to save.
Taking a shuddering breath, I let the tears flow freely down my face. I’m not going to run. If the Axeman takes me, maybe he’ll leave the rest of them alive.
The sunrise over the Scottish Highlands is one of the most beautiful and enchanting sights I’ve ever seen. I’m glad it’ll be my last.
I hear footsteps. The Axeman stops right behind me.
