You're almost there, Peyton I told myself as my legs burned from running. Dead pines and willows raced by me, and branches tore at my limbs as I ran. I could hear the snarling of the creatures behind me, their warm breath creeping up my back as they gained on me. The light was getting closer...closer.... My leg stung as a particularly nasty barbed branch tore the flesh of my calf. Wincing, I felt the blood drip down my leg.
This would only make them more frantic to kill me.
My body felt as if it were on fire, flames licking my lungs and legs. I squinted my eyes near closed, just to keep my focus on the flame that would save both myself and the rest of my species. As I neared the bright ball of heat. A new energy came over me, and I felt as if I could run all of this over again.
However, at the relief, I slowed down. As I was about to leap into it, I felt the teeth grab my injured leg.
Oh, crap.
