ARIA
Death. That did it for me.
I ran, barely giving a care about where I was headed. A tree? A rock? Into someone? I only wanted to live.
Every step I took sank into the soft, wet mud. And I almost slipped three times! I should've taken care while picking a shoe. You know, something without heels. Imogen had tried to warn me. It wasn't a beauty pageant, yet I thought it looked cool, and the heel wasn't even high.
Each breath I took scorched my throat. My heart thundered so loud I could hear every sound it made. I gasped, stumbling as something snagged my heel. I squinted to see that gnarling roots had twisted around it. My knees buckled, but the hand gripping mine tightened, tugging me upright before I could hit the ground. We continued.
I was spent. I swear it. It felt like I'd burned every last bit of fuel in me for something I couldn't even explain. Yet, the event had only started.
I pulled back. "Wait!" I choked on the word.
"We need to run!" A feminine voice hissed.
