A shivering and trembling sound came from the rattling bush. Alaya knew that if she couldn’t get a grip on her breathing she would have to relocate spots. But she knew there wasn’t enough time. Alaya was kidnapped a few weeks ago by an unknown figure. They always wore a black ski mask that had almost reindeer-like gold antlers on the sides of its head. Its voice sounded like they were using some type of voice desguisor to mask their true identity and sex. All I knew about this lunatic was that it loved to play games. Real life hunting games to be exact. Earlier this morning I was roughly awoken from the barn I had been staying in. The hunter ungagged me and gave me a piece of toast and a hard-boiled egg. “Eat up honey, you’re gonna need the energy today”. I swear I had never inhaled food so fast. My stomach trembled with hunger and satisfaction. The hunter then dragged me onto a vast field. In every direction I turned in the field went on for miles it seemed like. An infinite playing field. The hunter told me I had 200 seconds to hide. That we were going to be playing one of its favorite childhood games. Hide and Beat. “Hide and what?” I repeated back to the hunter. “You heard me the first time!” I swallowed and gulped my spit. Truly internalizing and understanding what exactly was about to happen. Two simple rules to the game. One, run and hide. Two, if found you are to be beat. As the hunter shot the gun into the air I ran as fast as I possible could muster. Tripping a bit over my feet at first, since I hadn’t ran in weeks. The last time was on my usual trail I would run on in the morning. The place where the hunter took me from at near dawn. As I entered the forest I hurdled over broken branches and tree bark. My eyes searching for a place to hide. I saw a massive bushy bush that I then dove into. If I sunk down deep into it I could mask myself with the branches and dirt. Attempting to blend into the ground. I heard the hunter blare on the microphone 30 seconds remaining. My heart began pounding and my hands would not stop shaking. I shoved my hands under the pockets of my jeans trying to force them to stop. It only resulted in my entire body trembling. The bush was so conspicuous. I knew I didn’t have enough time to find a new spot. “Your time is up. Better run!” I heard the hunter say.