As soon as they stepped into the woods, Friday was so light on her feet to lead the way. He held Esmee’s hand to help her between the rocks and branches, it was an impossible terrain for her outfit. She struggled to make her way, even only after a few minutes in, he had to call out to Friday to slow down.
“We can’t slow down, you have to take off your shoes!” The men had already penetrated the forest with their rifles and flashlights. Esmee took off her party shoes and started running barefoot. But the worst thing about everything that night was the fact that they didn’t really know where they were going.
They can barely see anything further than two meters in front of them, their small torch lamp can only reach so far. Killian’s map was useless when they could hardly see their surroundings. The men started shooting their way, the leaves bare no clue of whether their journey will end up at a place they really need to be. They had to turn off their flashlights so the men could not detect where they were. Bullets finally stopped flying around them.
They went further into the woods, knowing there were footsteps not far behind them. Their eyes started to adjust with the blackness of the forest, but then again, there were some kind of lights coming from the deep woods in front of them. “I think we’re heading to something,” Friday whispered.
Suddenly, Esmee fell to the ground. “Esmee!” Adrian kneeled to see, but she was motionless. “Oh, God! Esmee!” he shouted. Her head was bleeding, she must’ve tripped and bumped her head on a rock. She was totally unconscious and not moving, “Sssh … they can hear us!” said Friday, and sure enough running footsteps can be heard heading their way.
Adrian carried her in his arms and carried on with their journey, but she was a burden. He tried to shake her but she didn’t respond. “Over there!” a man’s voice calling out to his friends and a gunshot was aimed at them. He felt something wet on his hand from carrying Esmee, the liquid was dripping from her back. She had taken a shot. He looked at her face and sensed something was wrong. “No! No! Esmee!” fear had crept inside him like a plague spreading through his whole body.
“Adrian, she’s slowing us down,” said Friday.
He shook his head, “No, we can’t leave her,” it was a choice he’d never take.
But the footsteps were coming faster, they spotted them. Adrian’s arms gave way, he put her down on the ground. The dim light was enough to show him that the liquid that was dripping from his hand was blood. Esmee’s face was hollow, her skin pale and lifeless.
“We have to leave her … they’re coming!” Friday tugged his sleeve. He froze for a moment, he didn’t want to believe that it was really happening to him.
“I can’t,” his words came deep from his heart, his cheeks wet.
“She’s gone, Adrian … and we will too if we don’t leave now,” she pulled him up. He wanted to give in, both knees on the ground, he hovered over her body. He kissed her lips, hoping to see a glimpse of life. “Please, Adrian … we have to go!” Friday was on the verge of crying, she can almost see the men approaching.
A cold hand grabbed his arm sharply, he looked over to see the lady in the black dress, this time with a face, staring at him with her black eyes and screamed, “RUUUNNN!!!” her voice was deep and growling like a monster. She pointed the way forward with her other hand. “RUUUNNN!!” it was echoing through the woods as if she was screaming inside his head, she was.
He stood up and started to run, the lady was holding Esmee’s body when he took one last look. They can see the men, they stopped to check Esmee’s body, they others kept going after them. “This way!” Friday pointed the way and they ran. They ran because their lives depended on it. They didn’t look back. The light was getting more visible, shadowy figures were running with them from behind the trees. The lady appeared again on the far side, pointing the way. “There!” Adrian exclaimed. “You see her too?” Friday heard and saw the same thing. They followed her lead. The men were further left behind.
He stumbled and fell, got up, and ran again. Branches hit their faces, they kept going. Things were running here and there, they couldn’t see what it was, but something else was in there in the woods. They started to see an opening at the end of the trees. There’s an end to the trees. “RUUUUNNN!!” the voice was resonating in his head, with whatever left in his body, his will to live, he ran.
Sand vastly opened in front of them, an edge of a sea of black water. It was a bay, as far as the eyes could see, it was the edge of the forest, the end of Mofocity no one had ever seen. A small boat was harbored at the beach, it was waiting for them. They ran to it, pushed it into the water. Friday jumped on it and found a paddle inside. Adrian looked back, a sound of guns fired was shooting like a scene in a robbery but no bullets were flying at them. The men were shooting at something, then they heard their screams. The most horrible screams they had ever heard in their lives. A scream of excruciating pain in the most terrifying voice and nobody came.
He climbed into the boat facing the woods as they paddle away from their beloved Mofocity. Black and soundless once again. Gasping, still trying to catch his breath, tears streamed down his face. He looked into the still water and saw it for the first time, a reflection of the moon. He looked up and saw only stars.