The Chase by SHORTFRY

The Chase

PROMPT: SHADOW

The silence was deafening, muffling the tunnels of her ears as though she was underwater. The eerie atmosphere of the too-quiet night did nothing to absolve the rampant delusions of an overactive mind.

There’s no one there, she tried to tell herself.

There was absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

And yet, she could almost feel the palpable tendrils of a ghoulish spectre reaching for her, drawing closer, brushing its cold fingertips along the backs of exposed legs.

Pace quickening, she glanced back into the darkness, the autumn leaves crunching delicately beneath the heels of her feet.

Then she gasped.

PROMPT: OMINOUS

Almost tripping upon upheaved roots, she caught her footing at the last second, heart racing as she gaped upon the sight that caused her pause.  

Beyond the bleakest black of the shrouded forest, a pair of eyes glowed vermillion, unblinking.

Her breath tittered. She didn’t know whether to run or stand still. A sinking sense of dread descended like a deep fog, coating her thoughts in paralysis.

These were the eyes of a predator, and at that moment, she knew she was the prey that had captured its attention.

Slowly, she took a hesitant step back, then another – and sprinted.  

PROMPT: OBSCURE

Everything was suddenly too loud, the quiet gone as the wind whipped by upon her dash.

Just keep running, she mentally chanted.

But her legs were weary from earlier excursions. Already, she could feel the soreness of her muscles protesting, wanting to shut down completely for rest.

But she knew she couldn’t. Not this time.

Because she would surely be caught. And she had no intentions of giving up just yet, no intention of making the hunt easy for the creature of nightmares.

Not this time. Not for him.

If he wanted her, it would be over her dead body.

PROMPT: FEARED

The raven-haired woman kept running, ducking beneath branches and manoeuvring between bushes. Before long, a shrill cry ripped from her parched throat as long fingers gripped upon her ankles, causing her sharp crash to the solid ground.

Her nails dug frantically into the packed dirt, trying desperately to grip onto something – anything – as she felt herself being dragged backwards as twigs scraped against delicate skin. Lungs worked half-mast in rushed panic to replenish the air that had been knocked out upon her fall. As she finally drew in a full breath, his was felt upon the back of her neck.

PROMPT: SMOTHER

“It is futile to run from me.”

The deepness of his voice pressed against her as much as the large, clawed hand that rested between her shoulder blades, keeping her pinned to the ground as she struggled for release. She craned her neck sideways to see the attacker, but all that came into her vision was the muted forest that kept its well-hidden secrets. Clenching teary eyes, she strained hopelessly away from his grasp without success.

“And yet, you still try.” He chuckled then, a dark, heavy sound reverberating along her back, causing goosebumps to rise along her nape. “Intriguing.”

PROMPT: BALANCE

Caving forward into the dirt, she finally allowed her muscles to rest. Closed eyes reopened then, sight blurry as they took in the silhouettes casted by moonbeams in the cloudless sky. A curtain of silver cascaded around, thin strands fine as spider threads illuminating like a ghostly waterfall.

Letting out a weary sigh, she asked the same question she always asked.

“Why let me escape, if you’re just going to chase me down again, Sesshomaru?”

As always, the answer came in the press of his lips against her bare shoulders, its lingering warmth a contrast to the frost of his intent.  

FIN.

Joined late on drabble night, so missed some of the prompts. But here we are :)