She ran as fast as she could for as long as her lungs let her. Only when the silhouette of the city had disappeared below the horizon did she stop. Out of breath, she stood straight for an instant, then fell to the ground gasping for air.

Low in the western sky, the moon informed her daylight was near. Soon, they would wake to see she was gone.

She had to move again. She knew it. Her legs knew it. But exhausted, they didn’t obey her.

Trembling as much from the effort as from fear, she rolled to the edge of the road, then crawled into the dense undergrowth lining it.

Thorns pierced her skin. She kept moving. Broken branches ripped her clothes. She advanced, slowly, deliberately, until she could see the road no more. There, she lay down and closed her eyes. When she op...

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