The chase

My heart is drumming against my ribs, a caged animal fighting to escape. My jeans catch on a nearby branch - I almost scream. Almost. I catch it on the tip of my tongue and I breathe a sigh of relief. Deathly silence drowns me as I creep through the woods, wary of my every step. Then I sense it and I stop dead. A high pitched screech tears ruthlessly through the silence and I am running for my life. I feel hot breath on my heels and I hear its feet pounding the earth behind me. It’s enjoying itself.