“Alice?”

My voice echoed into the darkness.

A gasp.

I pulled at the ties trying to get closer to her but I couldn’t get free. The ties cut into my skin but I pushed through pain trying my hardest to escape.

A breath, long and rattling hung in the air.

Then silence. Nothing.

I began to shake, uncontrollably refusing to believe what that meant. My mind felt stuff like I was hungover, alcohol still in my system.

I swallowed hard trying to keep silent for fear of my life. I pulled at the ties trying to quietly break free so I could get to her.

“Alice?” My voice thick with fear and emotion.

There was no response, only the beating of my heart echoing in my ears.

I could feel the tears before they fell. I whimpered softly, unable to tell where she was.

As the reality set in I prayed that she would answer me and I would be relieved she was still with me. But that never happened and the reality set in.

I whimpered as softly as I could, unable to hold back the emotion.

Then somehow the ties began to loosen. I was free.

Slowly I began to crawl to where the noise had come from but it was so dark and the smell of damp surrounding me.

The floor was cold and concrete. Then it was wet.

Maybe that’s why it smelled damp. But I texture felt wrong as I put my hand in it. It was liquid but thick. Thicker than water. It smelled metallic.

Then I touched something. I swallowed my scream knowing exactly what it was. Then there was a flash of light from outside. It illuminated the room for a fraction of a second.

But it was enough time to see the still face of Alice. Blood spattered across her face.

I backed away so quickly I hit the bottom wooden step.

I breathed heavily trying to wipe the tears away. Alice was still. So still.

It took a few second for it to sink in. She was gone. She lay in a pool of her own blood.

The survival instinct to escape overcome the horror of what I witnessed in that moment and I crawled up the stairs. Slowly myself down for fear I would alert the killer.

I knew this was my only chance and if I failed I would meet the same fate as Alice.

From then I shut everything else out and concentrated on each second of my escape. One step at a time, with each creak that echoed through the basement.

Then I was at the top of the stairs. I rose and ran my hands along the bottom of the door to the handle. There was no light under the door and I pressed my ear against it trying to listen for any noise.

It was silent.

I stood there for about a minute but it felt like a lifetime before I built up the courage to open the door slowly at first. There was no sound. The passage slightly illuminated from the moonlight.

I peered down the passage and began to walk holding my breath with each step. I kept my eyes scanning the room when I passed the empty kitchen and then into the living room.

When I saw the front door I hurried to the door and tried to open it but it was locked. Panic set in and I pulled but it would not open.

Then in my haze I realized the top lock was still in place. I opened it and then turned the doorknob. The door opened into the cool night.

I did not hesitate, not even for a second and I was out of the house running down the dark street before I headed to the woods hoping it would hide me for fear that the killer would be right on my heels.

It was while I was running, tripping scrapping my knees on the uneven ground that it finally took hold.

Alice was dead. I began to hyperventilate but I didn’t stop knowing that if I did I would meet the same fate that had befallen my friend.

I sobbed, tears streaming down my face as I escaped fearing the darkness surrounding me.

I had no idea where I was or where I was going. All I knew was that I needed to put as much space between me and the killer before they could find me.

That fear kept me going when all I wanted to do was collapse in a heap and cry.

I kept going and going. I had no idea for how long.

My head was so fuzzy, it was difficult to think. I stepped and then tripped.

“Ugh,” I whispered, getting back up.

At that point it was only my fear that kept me going.

The forest was dark, and I was shivering. I was so cold, I felt it right down in my bones. Dressed only in my underwear I was running, stumbling unable to see in the dark. Running from death, for fear it would take me.

“Hadley.” I heard in the distance, so far away I didn’t know if I had the energy to get there. Fear had kept me going.

The silence accompanied by my heavy breathing as I navigated the dark forest, my feet and knees muddied. I no longer felt the pain, adrenaline kept me from giving up.

“Alice…Hadley.”

I heard it again, this time closer.

Just as I broke through the trees I saw a flashlight in the distance.

It had been like a beacon of hope.

“Hadley…Alice,” the person in the distance yelled into the darkness.

The emotion I had kept a tight lid on for fear it would allow the evil to find me began to break free. I trembled as I whimpered, in the limbo between safety and danger.

The flashlight stilled. “Had?” the voice called out.

My chest burst with relief with tangible physical pain but I could not answer. My breath to erratic. Or maybe it was the fear that any sound would have led to my death that made me to afraid to call out.

Jack. I would have recognized that voice anywhere.

I stumbled and cried out as I scrapped my knee. The tears that burned my eyes began to stream. There was no stopping them now.

“Hadley,” the voice yelled, closer as the light shone in my direction. Momentarily blinding me, I put my arms up for fear and I blinked trying to refocus my eyes when the light shone away.

I couldn’t answer. The emotion to strong as I began to cry and shake.

Then Jack was on his knees in front of me. Relief in his features turned to something else when he took in my state.

“Hadley,” he said, amazed.

I felt the warmth of his jacket before I realized he had removed his jacket and draped it around my shoulders, giving me warmth.

I cried, finally feeling safe and he put his arm around me, hugging me close. His skin warm against mine. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed. Just moments I had been so frightened I would not ever escape and here was I was in Jack’s arms safe.

My hair was matted and dirty.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured to me softly. “I’ve got you now.”

I’ve got you now. Echoed in my mind.

He pulled out his phone and called someone. “I have Hadley.”

There was pause. “No.” Then he ended the call.

I was still crying, the vision of him blurred.

“Where is Alice?”

My heart shredded into a million pieces. I shook my head. I couldn’t accept what I had witnessed, I didn’t know to put it into words.

“Where is Alice, Hadley?” he asked again.

I began to sob. He brushed the tears from my face. “I need to find Alice.”

Alice. Her name vibrated through me.

I closed my eyes tightly refusing to look at him, not wanting to face the truth.

There was no finding Alice.

I shook my head, unable to form words.

“It’s okay Had,” he soothed, hugging me to him.

I allowed the warmth from his body to warm mine as I shivered. I didn’t know if it was the fear or the cold.

“Had,” Jack breathed as he held me close. “You’re safe.”

I wanted to hold onto those words more than anything.