There I was, in the middle of the forest. The silence around me made me feel so calm. Like there was nothing to worry about. Like no one would ever find me here. There wasn’t a single noise anywhere near me. The only sounds were those of the animals hidden around me. Moonlight was barely visible from the forest floor, but I was still able to able to see around me. There was nothing but trees, so I sat on the ground to catch my breath after running for so long, non-stop. I rested my back against a tree trunk, thinking it would only be for a while.

If I was planning on running away forever. To never get caught. To go somewhere they would never find me. I had to keep on going and never stop. I had to think of something to do. I knew I couldn’t stay in the woods forever.

I woke up to a light on my face, hurting my half-asleep eyes. I heard something that seemed far away. I had fallen asleep, but it was still night so it couldn’t have been so long. I felt lost. I had no idea what had happened while I was sleeping, but what mattered was what was happening that instant. The noise hurt my ears, it was getting louder now, and it was getting closer. The light was also getting brighter. It was unbearable to both my eyes and ears.

It was a siren. The noise that I heard was a siren. A police car was approaching. The light wasn’t just any light; it was the red and blue lights of a police car. I heard several doors get shut, loud and hard. I thought the road was further away, but it didn’t sound like it. I stood up, dizzy from moving so fast. There was no time to adjust to it to feel better. I had to run. Now.

I heard voices coming near. A deep voice, probably the chief cop, said:
“Be careful guys, there is a murderer somewhere in these woods. We have to move fast, they saw him come in here a couple of hours ago. Who knows how far in he could be by now”

Now it was even scarier. I was one hundred percent sure they were talking about me. What other murderer could have been seen go into the woods at this time of the night. I had to be me they were searching for. I could see flashlights being turned on and shone on the tree trunks. I turned towards the opposite side of the lights and the road. Tempted to run.

If I ran, I would leave a trail of broken branches behind me. I had to be careful, quiet and careful. I couldn’t let them catch me. I couldn’t go to jail. I couldn’t see my parents face if they ever saw me again. People would find out and people would talk. I couldn’t let that happen, I had to leave now. The voices were getting closer. I could hear their feet stepping on branches. The flashlights moving from one side to another. I began walking carefully and as silently as possible. But the voices only seemed to be getting closer. I couldn’t risk it anymore. There was no other choice but to run. I did.