I carefully took in deep breaths and released them slowly, desperately trying to lower my heart rate. I was a nervous wreck, and I had every right to be; I was literally at death's door, a blade against my throat in the middle of a forest. 

There was a prolonged silence and the blade was promptly removed from my throat. My mouth tremored as I tried to stop any petrified whimpers from escaping. He was probably going to slice open my stomach and tear out my entrails with his bare hands then eat them while I watched with the last inkling of life I had.

"Open your eyes," the voice said softly. They weren't as close, so hesitantly, I did as they said.

About five feet away from me was a boy. A tanned boy probably my age with chestnut brown curly hair and umber eyes. He was probably just over 6ft tall and was averagely built wearing black jeans and a red and blue striped t-shirt.

He threw a smile in my direction which concealed his true intentions exceptionally well. He almost could've passed as a normal guy and not a pre-homicidal freak- or already homicidal. He may have been young, but that didn't mean he'd never killed.

"A-are you not going t-t-to kill me?" I stammered, rubbing my throat where the knife was previously resting, grateful that it was still together and connected to my head... for now.

He flung the knife carelessly, lodging it into the decayed wood of the shed just beside my face. My body was still so stiff from fear that I couldn't even react fast enough to flinch.

"N-n-nope. Why would I kill you?" They answered, casually mocking my fear as if nothing had just happened.

He just... threw my blade at me. Not in self-defence, not to kill me, but for no reason. He could've injured me severely, how irresponsible! He really could've injured me.

I glowered heavily at the boy when I realised just what he was playing at and when I recalled what just happened. "You had me in that grotesque shed, for your amusement? I was in there, fearing for my life while you tricked me into thinking I was going to be murdered? What kind of a sicko are you? That's not funny!" I screamed, tearing the knife from the shed and directing it in his direction in a threatening manner. I was so irritated. I wished the knife didn't miss him earlier.

His arms shot up above his head almost immediately and backed away slightly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I live here, I don't get much fun."

"That wasn't funny. That was a stupid prank. Furthermore, if I wanted to, I could've killed you!"

"Then why didn't you?" He arched a puzzled brow when I narrowed my eyes at him in response. "I said I was sorry, OK? Let's start again. I'm Rhyse, I'm 18, and I live across the lake from you with my mum and dad. I have done for my whole life. I climb, swim, and read... that's pretty much it. What about you?"

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Sophia. 17."

"Any likes or dislikes, or are you always this uptight with new people?" Rhyse questioned, starting to approach me again. He was getting far too comfortable with me. I raised the knife again warning him to keep his distance. He was still a stranger, and my parents always told me about stranger danger and dodgy people. 'Rhyse' fell into both of those categories.

"Likes: having a worthwhile internet connection. Dislikes: being tricked into thinking I'm going to be murdered."

"Nice to meet you, Sophia," he smiled as if butter couldn't melt and held out his hand for me to shake. I did so reluctantly, still keeping my eyes on him.

"I have to go. My family will be thinking I'm lost..." I glared again, "or dead."

He waved and then sauntered off in the opposite direction to me, with a seemingly proud grin on his face. What a smarmy ass-hole.

What kind of absurd name was Rhyse? It rhymed with 'breeze'. Who would name their son that? Why not just pronounce it the normal way Rhyse was typically pronounced. Then again, he couldn't get bullied with that kind of name living out here. But that could change.

My legs were unsteady as I wobbled back to my family, and again all I could merely bring myself to do was shakily rub the side of my sensitive nose again.

I really could've died...