intrepidity

Aurora's heart was a drumbeat in her chest as she sprinted through the thick underbrush, the cold earth beneath her bare feet sending jolts of pain through her legs with every step. Her body was still trembling, the adrenaline pumping through her veins like fire, but her legs were unsteady, her muscles screaming at her for the sudden exertion. Her breath was ragged, the sound of it echoing in her ears, mingling with the frantic beat of her heart.

She didn't know where she was running to. She didn't care. All that mattered was getting away from them. The men who had touched her, who had hurt her, who had trapped her in that nightmare. The ropes were gone, but the scars they had left were deeper than any bruises could ever be. She was free, for now, but she knew it wouldn't last.

Run, run, run, run. The command repeated itself in her head, an endless mantra as her feet pounded the earth beneath her, sending sharp stones and twigs digging into her soft skin.

Her bare feet slapped against the ground, the pain shooting up her legs with every step. The forest around her was dark, thick with trees, and she barely saw where she was going. Branches whipped at her arms, scratching her skin, but she didn't slow down. She couldn't. The sounds of heavy footsteps behind her grew louder—too close, too fast. Her breath caught in her throat as panic surged. She could hear him, the man chasing her. He was closing in. No, no, no.

She glanced over her shoulder, only for a moment, but that was enough. The shadow of a man loomed behind her, tall and imposing, his figure outlined against the dim light filtering through the canopy. He was gaining on her, his footsteps crunching through the leaves like thunder. The fear in her chest exploded, and her body responded before her mind could catch up.

She pushed harder, faster, her feet slipping against the wet ground. Her body was covered in dirt, sweat, and fear, but she didn't care. She couldn't stop. If she stopped, he would catch her. If she stopped, they would—

"You can't outrun me, sweetheart." The voice was a low growl, full of menace, and it sent a shiver down her spine. He was taunting her, enjoying the chase, enjoying her fear.

Aurora's lungs burned with the effort to breathe, her chest heaving, but she kept running. She pushed through the pain, through the sharp sting in her feet, through the raw terror clawing at her throat. She wasn't going to die here. She couldn't. Not after everything.

She stumbled, her foot catching on an unseen root, and she cried out as she fell forward. Her palms scraped against the earth, her knees slamming into the ground. The pain was blinding, but she didn't have time to recover. Not even a second.

She scrambled to her feet, blood trickling from the cuts on her palms, but she didn't hesitate. She didn't look back.

The man was closer now. She could feel him behind her, his presence like a shadow that stretched and pulled at her every step. He was laughing now, dark and mocking, as if this was all just a game to him. "You think you can get away?" His voice was closer, too close. She could hear the rustling of leaves, the snap of twigs under his weight.

Please... please, please, please...

Her legs burned with exhaustion, but she kept going, kept pushing herself further into the darkness of the forest. The cold air burned her lungs, but she couldn't stop. She refused to stop.

Suddenly, there was a sharp tug at her hair, a hand catching her by the wrist. "Gotcha." The voice was triumphant, twisted with victory.

Aurora screamed, her eyes wide with horror as she spun to face him. His grip was tight, cruel, and she tried to pull away, but he was too strong. His hand tightened around her arm, and the fear surged again, flooding her veins.

"Let go!" she screamed, her voice hoarse with desperation. But it didn't matter. He just laughed, his grip only tightening.

He pulled her roughly, dragging her back toward the clearing she had just escaped. Her breath was coming in quick, panicked gasps, and the world felt like it was closing in on her. She kicked at him, trying to break free, but he only shoved her harder into the dirt, pinning her to the ground. His weight pressed down on her, suffocating her.

"You really thought you could get away?" he growled, his voice dark and low. He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Cute. But you're not going anywhere, sweetheart."

Aurora's heart was a mess of broken beats, her body shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't keep going. She couldn't escape him. She was trapped again.

But then, something unexpected happened. A crack of a branch echoed through the forest, sharp and sudden. The man's attention snapped to the side, just for a moment. In that second, Aurora shoved him off her with every ounce of strength she had left. She didn't think. She just ran.

She didn't know where she was going anymore, didn't know which way was out. All she knew was that she couldn't stop.

Her feet barely felt the ground as she sprinted, her breath ragged and broken, her chest aching with every step. She was running as fast as she could, but she couldn't outrun the fear. Not entirely. The fear that gripped her heart, that twisted her stomach. It was always there, in the back of her mind, chasing her even when her feet were light and quick.

But she wasn't stopping.

Her breath was ragged, her body fighting against the pull of exhaustion and terror. Her feet, raw and blistered from the brutal run, were barely lifting off the ground anymore. She didn't care. The world around her had become a blur of green and black, the trees spinning as she ran, the night closing in.

The sounds of footsteps behind her faded. She wasn't sure if they were still chasing her, if anyone was still after her. Her mind was a fog, her limbs heavy, her heart pounding in her chest. 

She needed to keep going. She had to keep going.

author's note - run like a girl moment fr