The path through the woods led me downhill. The little bit of rest and sustenance quickly depleted as I tore through the forest for hours.

I didn't stop. Not once. The thought of getting caught and going back to that horrible place was what kept me going.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins fueling me with much needed energy to put as much distance between me and them.

I ran blindly at first, not knowing where I was going. I held to the hope that the path I took wouldn't somehow lead me back to where I had started.

So much can happen in two days. Bare foot. Boots. Pajamas and tank. Jacket and pants.

I warmer for sure but the end result was the same. I ran just like before. Unable to recall much. Running on fear and adrenaline without a clear destination in mind.

The path veered left. It went on for several miles in a north west direction. Freshly fallen snow covered the sides of trees and tops of bushes.

Pine trees thinned out to deciduous ones. Maple. Birch. In areas where snow was thinnest, red maple leaves littered the ground. I was in northern country but where was the question.

I suppose it didn't matter. What mattered was the people coming after me.

The path took a right turn. Through the trees I began to catch glimpses of a frozen lake. Small dots of wood and stone homes stood on the other side.

In the middle of the lake there were some fishing shanties set up. Strong wind tore the fabric of one shanty loose.

A fisherman stepped outside. He knelt down on the ice and tied the piece of fabric securely. He stood up, shading his eyes. He scanned the horizon at the same spot the trees were the thinnest.

There was no doubt he saw me. I kept on running, rushing past the bare space between me and him. Feeling exposed, I nudged myself toward the thicker part of the woods and was soon swallowed up by trunks and branches.

I just hope he thought I was okay. That I was just an ordinary person, out for a run. Boots. Man sized gloves. Pants too big. Yeah I fit the profile of one who jogs in all kinds of weather.

In the thicker part of the woods, I stopped. Out of breath, I watched him. He paused for a moment, then glanced up the sky before he went back inside.

Nothing. I'm nothing to you. Fish. Catch. Go home and cook your catch. Think no more of me.

I scooped up some snow and let it melt in my mouth as I ran. The liquid kept me going.

Afternoon waned and shadows deepened. I stumbled into a clearing, toes numb. Hands frozen. My blood pumping through my veins kept me warm for the most part. But with the sun going down, the cold was beginning to overtake the warmth.

Chilled and tired, I didn't watch where I was going. I tripped over something hard beneath the snow.

The fall jolted pain through my arms as they took the brunt of my weight. Cold. Frozen. Pain. I longed for the camper. It wasn't much but it kept me warm.

I rested for a bit. My heart raced too fast. I couldn't catch my breath. "Luke. Where are you?"

No answer. He said he had to keep moving. But where? Was he nearby? I couldn't sense him.

The link between us was lost. I was alone.

Several handfuls of snow helped quench my thirst. My stomach rumbled. Hungry. I was so hungry.

Nuts. Berries. I could eat anything at this point. Even raw fish. Shelter was imminent actually though I didn't know it at present.

Then I saw a bit of bright red among all the white and brown. Berries! I crawled forward and picked some. I sniffed them first then tasted one. Sweet and tart. They were okay to eat.

Wild cranberries.

How did I know that? I shrugged and stripped the bush bare. What mattered how I knew what was safe to eat and what wasn't? I was starving.

As I ate, I knelt on hard stones that hurt my knees. I shifted to my rear and accidentally kicked up some snow. Several brown pebbles rolled away.

I stared at them. Brown. Small. Triangular. With little caps on them. Beech nuts. I picked up as many as I could and stored them in the pockets of the jacket.

I ate as many as I could savoring the sweet taste. The nuts filled the empty spaces in my stomach finally quieting it down.

My pockets full, I took another of snow and sat at a weather worn picnic table to rest some more. I ought to be running. I should be going as fast as I can.

Instinct told me this wasn't a safe place but I was too tired to pay attention. I nibbled on the nuts and drank snow water. Refueling. Replenishing. Restoring.

Squirrels ran about chasing each other into the trees. Territory disputes. I chuckled to myself. I didn't know what was so funny but watching the squirrels made me realize the world moves on.

Time had continued despite my being in that place. Past. Present. Future. Dates. Calendars. Clocks. Time had no meaning in there.

The days blended. No windows. Walls. No clocks. No books or newspapers. Nothing to tell me the flow of time. I was stuck. Frozen.

Life went on without me.

I scanned the area unable to even think of going any further. I decided a sturdy would have to be my place of sleep for the night.

No. The thick leaves on the ground would be warmer. I scouted for trees grown closest together.

Piles of leaves lay in between them. They would be my shelter if I did it right.

It was getting dark fast. And colder too. I had to hurry. I scraped away the leaves, piling them on either side of me till bare ground appeared. Then I spread a layer on the ground.

Starting from my feet, I piled the other leaves over my boots. I worked my way up, covering my legs.

I turned on my side and pulled the leaves over me until not even my head showed. The weight of the damp leaves warmed me and soon I drifted off to sleep.

Campfire. Wood crackling. Laughter. The smell of smoke infuses with the barley and rye scents of alcohol. Mostly beer since we can't afford anything better.

The effect is the same. Alcohol inhibits clear thinking. Causes one to do stupid things.

I sit on a moist log, staring across the lake. Despite the muggy heat of summer, I shiver.

Bane is teasing Tulsa. He's touching her hair taking tendrils of her silky blonde tresses into his fingers.

I'm angry. He's my boyfriend not hers. She leans too close, her too tight tank top exposing way too much skin.

The way her hand caresses Bane's arm makes my pulse race. I anger far too easily these days. I want someone who is only mine.

Bane thinks it amusing that I'm so possessive. He finds it sexy oddly enough.
Gets turned on when I'm angry.

But my anger is dangerous lately. It feels primal. Dark. Perhaps even evil.

The beer bottle shatters in my hand. Terrified, I get up and walk away from the campsite wishing for a snowy blizzard to cool the fire in my veins.

I'm getting stronger. The older I get the more difficult it is to keep it hidden. Dad says its linked to my hormones.

I'm scared just enough to think I can't lose control. I have to calm down.

I walk down the path to the lake. My sandals are off my feet without conscious thought. I stand in the water. It's cool but also murky. Scores of frogs and crickets make their nightly noises around me.

Slightly hard of hearing, I can't distinguish the sounds. They blend. They meld. Indistinctive. I do recognize the call of a mourning dove calling to its mate. A summer sound.

It comforts me now. I melt into the call, absorbing it. Nature has a way of calming me like nothing else.

I'm not much for crowds. Cities scare me. Too many people. Too many emotions. I feel emotional claustrophobic, a phrase I coined myself to describe what I feel.

Across the lake stands a tall building. Three of them to be exact. In the dark, they blend as one, marring the beauty of the forests for all time.

Oh the CEO, Ryan Foster, claims it is an environmentally conscious company. They've cut down enough trees just to expand a clearing. He says they import their water from somewhere else.

Electricity comes from the solar panels on the roofs. Wells are dug so that the lake and rivers are left untarnished.

And on and on. He's impressed the mid sized city we live in just enough to be granted the right to build here. The city council embraces the fact that jobs are plentiful. The economy is boosting.

But Dad says otherwise. Already there are fewer deer in the woods. The lake contains less fish than it used to.

People living on the lake have sold their cottages and moved elsewhere. Signs of Isoflex's intrusion is evident.

Dad lost his job due to injuries incurred on the build. He's suing Isoflex but litigation is tied up in court. Nobody knows when we will see the money.

Seeing Dad defeated angers me. More than Tulsa's blatant attempts to seduce my boyfriend.

It's happening all over Dad says. Mega conglomerates are buying up smaller companies. They do everything by the book. Follow all the laws. Yet they encroach. Invade. Take over.

I step out of the water and put on my sandals. Back at the campsite I watch my friends drink themselves into drunken haze. Another boring night. Same old party. Something has to change. "Hey guys. I have an idea."

Tonight is about to get lit.