I stared at the screen for what felt like hours. My hands shook and my bottom lip trembled. The same words repeated in my head.

Katherine Parsons from New York.

How was it possible? I never put my name in, and surely no one hated me enough to do it. Who was cruel enough to put me through torture like this? No names popped into my mind.

You have to get out of here Kat, I told myself. They're going to find you if you don't leave.

I picked up my phone, slid my keys into my back pocket, and grabbed my boots. The shoes slid over my feet easily and I was ready in seconds.

"Goodbye," I whispered to my empty apartment. My hand remained frozen on the handle for a while longer before I found the strength to slam the door close.

Going down to the first floor was a blur to me. I ran out of the doors and searched for my car. I fished my keys out of my pocket and fiddled with it. It cleared my mind, so I was able to focus more. I quickly made my way towards my car.

An engine purred behind me. I smiled. Caden. Just in time.

But it couldn't be him. His car's engine was loud and monstrous, unlike the soft hum that I heard. Besides, he would still be at work, probably trying to kiss his boss's butt. Which meant...

The engine stopped. I turned to see what looked like a van hidden in between my building and a car. A door swung open, revealing a leg coming from the side door. They're here for me.

My legs took over as the thought repeated in my mind. They're here for me. I ran the other way, ignoring my loud footsteps and how my breathing had grown heavy. I turned a corner and ran across the empty street, searching for a place to hide.

They wouldn't look for me forever. I only had to last one night and then my hands would be untied. Hopefully.

I turned my head, checking to see if the coast was clear. The blood in my veins turned cold. Standing casually on the sidewalk was a man. He stared at me behind his sunglasses, not moving an inch.

I pumped my legs as if there was no tomorrow. I would turn my head every few minutes to see if he was still there. He was always standing, watching. Chills crawled up my arms. I continued to sprint.

After some time there was a sound of footsteps. He's running now?! I took a sharp turn to the right. Right was always right, right? Ha, triple rights. He wouldn't expect me to go right because I would go the opposite of right, am I right? I laughed softly to myself. I was on a roll.

Okay, Kat, I know that you're panicking, but you need to tone it down a notch.

I smacked my arm right into a hard object. I rubbed where my arm was throbbing. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once they did, I could make out the corner of a wall. Next to it was a gap between two buildings. A wall sealed the end of the alley.

No way am I going to get caught in a freaking alley—nope, I told myself. If I'm going down, it will not be the cliché way.

I was about to run the other way when my eye caught the outline of my follower. He was walking towards me slowly. With every step he took, I backed further and further into the alley.

Okay then...cliché it is.

My eyes searched for a way out. There were a couple of doors that were sealed shut. I twisted one of the knobs. Locked. Shocker, your luck just keeps on getting better and better, doesn't it Kat?

My eyes darted up, down, and to the side. I snapped my head around, searching for a way out. I felt like a bird, alert and aware of my surroundings. There was a large garbage-can resting next to a wall. I looked to see if there was a window or anything above it. Nothing. The man was only growing closer.

I looked up. The man was walking down the street. The casual way he composed himself would make anyone else looking from the outside not think twice about him. His nonchalant appearance, for some reason, scared me even more.

I jumped and darted to the side and wiggled another knob. It wouldn't budge. I took a couple of steps back before slamming my shoulder into the door. Pain shot up my arm. I bit my lip, banging my shoulder on it again. I continued until I was out of breath. I could see the man coming towards me out of the corner of my eye.

I gave the door one more shove before it swung open. A middle-aged man was staring at me with a quizzical expression. I would have shaken his hand and given him a big kiss on the cheek if there wasn't someone chasing me.

I slid past him, running out of the room. I slammed the door that had EMPLOYEES ONLY written on a sign closed. The first and the third E were gone, so it looked more like "MPLOY ES ONLY." There were slippery floors, racks of clothing, and aisles of food laid neatly throughout the room. I recognized the store immediately. I scanned the interior of Grocery-Mart before finding my target: the exit.

I jumped over a counter, nearly catching my foot on the end. My shoes squeaked as I slid across the floor and almost landed flat on my face. I could hear footsteps behind me. I aimed for the automatic-opening doors, sliding around racks covered in baby clothes. I cried out in pain as my shoulder hit a shelf. I just can't seem to get a break, huh?

The guy jumped in front of me. His hand shot to my wrist, his fingers clutching tightly. No, it can't end here, my thoughts clouded my mind. Think Kat, think!

I used the heel of my free hand to hit his nose. It crunched under my hand. His grip loosened, giving me the chance to slide past him.

The exit doors welcomed me outside. I expected to see a couple of people going in their cars, staring at me. Instead, I found the parking lot to be empty. I grinned. When was Grocery-Mart ever closed?

Right, when the Pestilention's about to happen.

I finally knew where I was going. I was the one leading now, not my paranoia. My mind began to clear as I ran. I even found the energy to turn my jog into a sprint.

I glanced at a street sign. A lamp post illuminated the name. My street. My heart fluttered with excitement. Talk about luck.

I had to have lost him by now. If not, then there was something I could use in my apartment. There had to be. I was getting tired of running, and would rather test my chances with a Plan B.

I took a sharp right into some hedges. Slowly and silently, I crawled through the thin branches, concealed by the leaves. My back arched in an uncomfortable direction, but I didn't move. I held my breath, hoping that the man wouldn't find me.

Please, just leave me alone and go, I pleaded silently. I'm a good person. I pray every night. I obey the Bible. I help the homeless. I try not to make too many people angry. Okay, the last two aren't true, but please just let him leave me alone. The Pestilention can survive with forty-nine people.

On cue, the man jogged away. I waited a couple of seconds to make sure he was truly gone. Twenty-three Mississippi. Twenty-four Mississippi. I counted up to a whole minute before booking it.

In the parking lot, I could see Caden's car parked next to mine. I smiled. He was finally back. I needed to go back to our apartment room. I would be safe with Caden.

The dead grass crunched under my boots as I sprinted to the door. Jumping over the steps, I reached the door quickly. I placed my hand on the handle and swung it open.

Before I could rush inside, a hand wrapped around my wrist. A scream emerged from my mouth as another hand snaked around my waist. The other hand released my wrist and clamped around my mouth, muffling my cries. The door closed in front of us. I tried to squeeze out of his grip. He lifted me off of the ground, carrying me to the van I had seen earlier. My eyes widened, and I started to struggle more.

"Don't be alarmed," a low, masculine voice muttered in my ear. I kicked, though my legs only made contact with air. "Struggling will only make it worse."

I finally gave up, closing my eyes. All the running had caused my lungs and legs to ache. Even if I got out of his grip, I wouldn't have the energy to get away. When the man saw that I had stopped, he let me put my feet down. Tears welled in my eyes. It was over.

I was going to die.

Another man was waiting next to the van. The vehicle and men seemed to camouflage in the night. The other guy opened the back door. The man that had grabbed me shoved me inside, crawling in behind me. The doors sealed closed. The engine purred under us as the van began to move.

A light flicked on. I squinted as it stung my eyes. Once my eyes adjusted, I could see three men sitting in front of me. They all had nice black suits on. There wasn't a single wrinkle or dog hair on the clothing. They all had the same buzz cut hairstyle and their eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. It took all of my control to stop myself from cracking a smile. They looked like secret agents from an action movie.

"My name is Jeffery Simmons," one of them said. He had a square jaw and broad shoulders. His voice matched his whole body: strong. "We have been asked to retrieve you."

"Y-you got the wrong person," I lied.

"You are Katherine Parsons, correct?" Jeffrey asked. I didn't reply. I just sat there as they stared at me under their shades. They already knew the answer. I couldn't say anything to convince them otherwise.

I decided to convince them another way. "Please, this has to be some joke! What about my family, my friends?" Sure, I only had Caden and Stace, but they didn't need to know that.

"They will be safe and watching you through the screen," the third one said. Because that was reassuring. My brother got to watch me die—great.

The third man had a strong jawline, high cheekbones, and fair skin. If his brown hair was longer, he might have looked cute. I ignored the thought. I couldn't think like that. This was a terrible time to be thinking like that.

Blood pounded in my ears. How was I chosen? How was I, out of all people, chosen? It didn't make sense. I never entered my name. There should have been zero chance of me being in the situation I was in now.

I imagined my brother behind the screen watching in horror as I slipped on an obstacle, falling to my death. How could he live with that?

Okay, God, I will start feeding the homeless if you help me out of this mess. I had to get out of here. It was my last chance. I turned my head to the double doors. It was the only way out.

The toe of my boot hit Jeffery's stomach. The impact made him topple backward, falling onto one of the other men. The one with brown hair tried to grab me. I barely slipped away from his grasp. Soon the other two were standing up. I ignored them. I ran to the double doors, swinging them open.

I gasped as I saw the road whizz under me. My heartbeat quickened. The jump wouldn't be a fun one. I had to do it, though. It was either getting a little scratch on my elbow or death. That practically chose for me. I took a deep breath, bent my knees, and prepared myself for the fall.

Before I could jump, one of the guys grabbed my wrist and twisted it behind my back. I let out a scream as I saw the needle in the man's hand. I tried to move away, but the man's grip only tightened. The syringe was plunged into my neck.

My eyelids grew heavy and my muscles relaxed. My surroundings began to blur. This is it, I told myself. My life's over.

I hopelessly extended my arm out to the door before collapsing onto the floor.

This song is called Dog Days are Over by Florence and Machine. Enjoy. :)