And here's another short creative writing piece I wrote a few years ago. (Note the copyrights are this year because I forgot to add the copyright when I wrote these pieces and now I forget when I wrote them!)
The Runner
© 2011 David H. Watson
She found herself running for her life. She couldn't seem to remember why she was running, or from what was she running. All she knew was her heart was beating wildly, her muscles cried out from fatigue, and her head throbbed. She opened her eyes and looked around her. Lush vegetation, trees on every side, greenery, and bright sunlight greeted her. 'I'm in a forest' she thought to herself. 'What am I doing here? Where is here? And why am I running so hard?' She tried to stop, but her legs wouldn't respond. She was panting and sweat poured down, and yet she couldn't stop. 'Why can't I stop?! What's going on? Where am I?' She turned her head from side to side, frantically trying to catch a glimpse of anything that would tell her where she was. All she could see was the same forest, the blurred trunks of the trees whizzing by.
Suddenly she heard a voice inside her head, "Run faster." 'No, don't run faster! Who was that? Who are you?' She kept thinking these thoughts as her body picked up speed. Her legs screamed to stop and her balance started failing as she stumbled a few times. But despite all of that, her body kept running.
She started crying, her cries quickly turning into screams of pain and frustration. "Please! Somebody help me" she sobbed over and over, as her body became a thing possessed not of her will.
Suddenly the foliage broke and she stumbled into a clearing. Her body immediately stopped, halting so quickly she flew face first into the grass.
As she picked herself up and dusted off, she looked around and saw a tree stump in the middle of the clearing. And upon that stump sat a man with an expression she could only describe as love, acceptance, joy, amusement, concern, and a desire to help all rolled into one.
"Who are you?"
"Don't you recognize me?"
"I'm afraid not. I don't think I've seen you before."
Looking at her tenderly, the stranger beckoned, "Come, sit a while and rest."
'Strange,' she thought to herself, 'I don't know this man and yet I know he can offer me what I need.' She was referring to the peace and rest her body and soul longed for. Following the stranger's advice, she sat down with her back against the stump, next to the stranger's feet. She placed her head upon his lap.
"Are you here to help me?"
"Yes, my beloved child. I'm here to save you and take you away from this place. Now, rest your weary eyes and put your trust in me."
As he said that, she felt a warmth flood over her whole being. Soon she was sound asleep.
DH
