SAVING ME

I continued running as fast as I could, ignoring the leaves that dug into the skin of my feet and dried

branches that scratched at my ankles as I ran past them. My feet hurt but I just ignored the pain. I

pushed tree branches away from my face to clear the path before me. Honestly, I didn’t know how long

I had been running or how far I had gotten.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone calling out to me and I knew without looking back that it was

Hayden. So, he had decided to come after me after all. It wasn’t that I cared. This just meant that I had

to run even faster. I knew well that Hayden was much fitter and faster than I am, and I couldn’t afford to

have him catch up with me.

“Malissa!” Hayden continued calling my name loudly, his voice rang out loud and clear as it echoed

through the woods.

I couldn’t tell how close he was to me, but each call felt louder and closer than the one before. He was

catching up to me so fast and I felt scared that he would catch up to me soon. I ran forward even faster,

sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me. Deep down, I guess I knew that what I was doing was

crazy but then again, it wasn’t like I had any other choices at my disposal. Unfortunately.

“Malissa! Stop!” Hayden called out to me again and again.

I didn’t respond as I steeled myself to ignore him and his calls completely. I didn’t want to hear his voice

anymore and I didn’t want to see him. I have decided that I didn’t want to see Hayden ever again and I

was willing to do whatever it took to get away.

“Malissa! Stop running…it’s dangerous!” Hayden’s voice rang out from behind me once again.

Dangerous? What’s really dangerous is you! I’d rather risk getting lost in the woods than going back to

Hayden. I felt like if I went back, I wouldn’t be able to escape from him ever again. I wouldn’t be able to

free myself from him…ever…

“Malissa! Stop running now!” Hayden called out to me repeatedly for me to stop.

I have never heard Hayden this panicked before, and it was a weird and confusing change. Of course, I

didn’t intend to simply stop because he told me to. I continued running at top speed forward.

Suddenly, something felt very wrong. There was a sudden darkness that loomed in front of me, and I

felt like the ground had ran out from right under my feet. I couldn’t quite understand what was

happening as I felt my body falling forward. How could I be falling?

“Malissa!” I heard Hayden shouting my name and then everything seemed to move in slow motion, just

like in the movies.

My eyes widened as I saw Hayden right behind me and then everything happened so fast that I wasn’t

sure what had happened. I felt his hand around my wrist as he pulled me into his strong arms and then

his arms were around me hugging me tightly, his body was warm and smelled very familiar. He held me

close to him as he cradled my body and pressed my head close to his chest as if he was trying his best

to protect me from harm.

What harm?

At that same moment, I felt nothing but air underneath my feet and then the sensation that I was falling.

How could this be happening? I was just running through the forest…

Then everything became too real as I felt my body hitting something solid before our entangled body

began rolling around uncontrollably. That was when I finally understood that somehow, Hayden and I

had fallen down a hill and was rolling down the hill. I closed my eyes in shock and fear as I cried out

against Hayden’s chest. He held me tighter, shielding me with his body.

I didn’t know how steep or high the cliff we just rolled down was but by the time we reached the bottom,

my head was dizzy, and my body felt bruised and sore. I was still laying in Hayden’s arm before I slowly

sat up. My whole body is going to be black and blue by the time the sun rises tomorrow, I was sure of it.

When I looked over at Hayden, all blood faded from my face, and I immediately stopped worrying about

myself. Although my body felt sore and I felt some minor scratches on my body, the same could not be

said for Hayden. I quickly when over and sat down on my knees at his side. Hayden seemed to be

unconscious as he lay there on the flat ground.

“Hayden…” I whispered his name in shock.

I reached out and touched his cheek and his arm. The sticky and wet sensation that I felt on my

fingertips made me cry out in absolute fear. Hayden is bleeding. Oh god…how did this happen?

“Hayden!” I cried out his name loudly as I began crying.

What do I do? I left my phone in the car. How can I get help?

Hayden is hurt. His head is bleeding and who knows where else he’s hurt. I felt my hands shake as I

took his hand into mine and pressed it against my cheek. I was crying so much now, unable to control

my tears. What have I done?

“Hayden! Wake up…Hayden…” I cried out to him in between my wrecking sobs.

I need to wake him up. If he doesn’t…I could lose him. I shuffled towards his head and lifted his head

into my lap. It was dark and I couldn’t see well. I only prayed that he wasn’t too badly hurt. He was

bleeding but there wasn’t so much blood; however, I need to get him to the hospital as soon as

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I looked up and could tell that we have fallen quite far from the ground above us. There was no way

that I could carry him up there on my own. What should I do? Should I leave him here and go back to

the car to call for help? But then, what if something happens to him before I make it back?

--To be continued…