She ignored the flashing pain of the nettles brushing against her bare legs as she ran, her heart thumping in her chest so hard that she felt it could burst through her skin at any moment. Her shirt, damp with sweat, clung to the small of her back and breaths were fast and ragged.

A cracking sound caused her to freeze. The sound of a dry branch breaking underfoot. An animal? Or was it him? Forcin...