I didn’t look back. I was not going to fall over a fallen branch like some stupid bitch in a horror movie.
No f**king way.
If they were going to get me, they were going to have to catch me.
I had no idea where I was running and I didn’t care.
I just ran.
I heard them giving chase behind me and they seemed close.
Fuck.
Shit.
Fuck.
I kept going.
Then I heard something from in front of me. It sounded like someone (or something) crashing through the snow.
They were coming at me from another side.
Crap!
I shot to the side and kept going, my breathing labored, my slippers encased in snow, the tops of my feet covered in it. It was awkward dashing through tall snow, and thus not easy, but I kept right on going.
“Miss Maddie!” I heard shrieked.
I kept going but I knew that voice and I couldn’t believe I heard that voice where I was.
That voice was Loretta’s.
Then I saw her and Meeta racing through the snow ten feet to my left.
What the hell?
I couldn’t ask what the hell. I could only do one thing.
So I did it.
I ran their way, shouting, “Keep going. Go, go, go!”
They kept running as I ran to them and felt and heard those things chasing me.
I made it to them and Meeta threw back her cloak. On the run, she handed me a dagger.
I took it, and suffice it to say, I wouldn’t have a problem using it on whatever creatures were chasing us. If I got that chance (which I hoped I didn’t), I wouldn’t hesitate.
But as I took it, I saw she was heavily armed. She had a knife belt on with more weapons. I was still running so I didn’t have it in me to count all the blades she brought, but what I saw made me feel hope, even as I felt shock not only that they were there but that they’d come prepared.
“Where are we?” I asked, still running.
“We run toward Brunskar,” Meeta gasped.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back there.
“But—”