‘Breathe.’

I tell myself placing my hand over my slightly opened lips. ‘I can’t be the first one found because I simply cannot stop breathing so loud’.

I hear my heartbeat strumming heavy in my ears and i’m squatted down under the pile of all of my friends sweatshirts. I look up slightly to see if anyone coming through the door yet when a large man with and even larger knife comes into view. I hold in my gasp as I watch the knife drip.

Splat. Splat. Splat.

Deep maroon splatters on my hardwood floor while I clench my hand even tighter around my mouth.

“Come out come out wherever you are” A deep gravely voice sings. ‘Who is this man? What is he doing in my house? Is that blood? Whose blood is it?! BREATHE!’ I take a slow deep and silent breathe. My eyes flit over as I hear the man’s footsteps. I watch as he drags the knife over the wall. I tilt my head to see what he’s drawing. I furrow my brows when I see it’s a heart. ‘What is this man doing in my house drawing a heart with blood?’ I think trying to slow the thumping in my ears.

Clatter.

The man’s eyes dart up and he smiles. “Well finally! Some fun!” He starts heading toward the kitchen. ‘I have to run!But my friends.’ my thoughts rush as I try and make this decision. I look over at the window slightly ajar. ‘I can get through it’ I decide as I move slowly towards it silent as I can be.

‘Breathe’.

I open it slightly larger and step out onto our lawn. My eyes sweep over the forest land surrounding us. Then I see it. A flutter of movement and a lock of auburn hair running through the green. My best friend Cecelia is making a run for it through our forests.

I see why.

Emma.

Blair.

Holly.

River.

Bloody and crumpled placed in the shape of a heart. Dead.

‘Run.’ Is all I think as I take off in a different direction than Cecelia. I take off towards the road running as fast as my legs will allow towards a car. Parked with its key still in it. No. More than its key a body in the passenger seat. I gasp tears running down my face as I hop in. ‘I don’t know how to drive!’ I close the door ignoring the body next to me and hit the gas. I look into the mirror and see, Auburn hair being held up so proudly by a man. As he carves a heart into her chest all I can hear in my ears is ‘Breathe’.