Ravage: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel(104)

God, I hope this is the right way.

She shot off across the field as fast as her legs would carry her. Roots and unearthed vegetables tripped her as she fought desperately to stay upright. Several times she stumbled onto her hands and knees, but each time, she clambered back to her feet and kept on moving.

Can’t let him catch me.

She pierced the treeline of the woods at the edge of the field. Darkness enveloped her completely. The moon battled to get through the leafy canopy and succeeded only with a few thin shafts of light. It was like running with her eyes closed. The only sounds were that of the snapping twigs beneath her boots.

Am I being followed? Is Mike dead?

Annaliese panted and gasped as panic took over her. She realised that the sounds of her heavy breathing would give her away if she did not get it under control. She slowed down to a cautious jog and, as she took each deep breath, she held it for a few seconds, before letting it out slowly.

Got to stay calm. Fear will just lead to bad decisions.

“Here *, *, *.”

The voice was far off, but still near enough to stoke her panic anew. She didn’t recognise the voice, and she hadn’t recognised the man back at the greenhouse.

If he’s coming after me now, then that must mean…

Annaliese prayed to God that Mike was okay. She prayed because it was the only thing she could think to do.

I have to get out of these woods. If I don’t then it’s only a matter of time until he finds me.

Who the hell is he?

Has there been another survivor amongst us this whole time? Someone only Shawcross knew about?

Annaliese headed off in a random direction, hoping it would lead her towards the park and away from the stranger hunting her. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and the oily blackness became a fuzzy grey. The shapes of the trees gradually made themselves visible and she could dodge between them. But she still had no idea where she was going. She was lost in the woods.

Like Little Red Riding Hood.

“Just stop running, girl. I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

Annaliese jinked around a bush full of nettles and headed for a tight cropping of trees. Her feet collided with several hard objects on the ground. She looked down and saw that they were apples. She had entered some kind of orchard.

I don’t recognise any of this.

“Bitch, you’re winding me up now. Just stop running. Give it up.”

Fuck you! Annaliese almost shouted it out, but quickly stopped herself. The last thing she wanted to do was give away her position.

She ran through a copse of apple tree and headed for a clearing at the end. Her pursuer continued shouting and threating behind her, but that only made it clear that he did not know where she was.

As long as he’s getting frustrated, I still have a chance.

Annaliese broke out of the orchard and entered an area that was much more open. It wasn’t a great place to be and lacked any kind of cover. A couple of hundred metres into the clearing, the woods renewed once more. She would have to make it over there before her pursuer made it out into the open and spotted her.

She ran, jumping over ruts and dodging dips. It looked like an area that had seen the regular use of vehicles, if the bare patches of mud and wide divots were anything to go by. It was an encouraging sign as it might mean she’d find a path or dirt road leading back to the park.

“Bitch, I gonna find you. Then I gonna party wid you.”

The voice was getting closer. She might have only seconds before he found the clearing and put eyes on her.

Got to make it back into the trees.

He’ll be here any second.

Got to run faster...

Annaliese felt as if her knees were turning to jelly as she thudded across the hard mud. The treeline was tantalisingly close, and yet she just couldn’t seem to make it.

Seconds went by. She continued to run.

The treeline got closer and closer.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are?”

Annaliese broke through the treeline, just as she heard her attacker’s voice echo in the clearing. She had made it with no seconds to spare.

Then something moved up ahead of her and she screamed.

Oh no!

Her pursuer heard her cries.

“I hear you, bitch. Now you in big trouble.”

Shit, shit, shit!

Annaliese looked forward, trying to see what had startled her. When she looked up at the trees, she realised it was Lily. The orang-utan looked down at her and hooted. Then she waved a hand.

Bizarrely, Annaliese found herself waving back, but she quickly got moving again; her life in the balance. She was running out of breath. The stitch in her side was enough to drop an elephant. She had to keep going, but she knew she didn’t have much more left in the tank.

I’m going to collapse.

Lily swung from the tree branch on which she was perched and leapt to the next tree over. Then she crouched down and stared at Annaliese.

Annaliese stared back. “What?”

Lily hooted.

“You want me to follow?”

Lily hooted again and then swung to the next tree.

Annaliese followed.

As soon as she caught up with Lily, the orang-utan swung to the next tree, and then the next and the next, sometimes altering direction slightly, but mainly keeping a straight course. Annaliese used the last of her reserves to keep running.

I hope you know where you’re going, Lily.