The following is a chapter preview of an upcoming short story I am working on.

Chapter 2: The Chase

He was right behind me. I could hear his car getting closer. I ran to the only familiar place on that street.. 903 Valderamma Blvd. I flew through the yard dodging every tree as my friends and I did when we were kids running as we played. I knocked over the freshly set ‘For Sale’ sign as I burst through the door. Finally I came to a stop, my heart was still racing as I glanced around the empty room.

Everything was still as it used to be. The 2 leather chairs set In the living room. The wood floors all through the house. The sound of his engine broke my trance. I ran through the house like a mad man locking every door and window. I knew the place like the back of my hand, so it didn’t take long. I ran through the kitchen and turned sharply down the basement steps breaking a glass vase that stood in the kitchen on a shelf. When I got downstairs I continued locking doors, but the one under the steps, that lead to the back patio, was broken. It wouldn’t lock. I scrambled for a phone, after I realized I had dropped mine while running. All the lines were disconnected. “Of course” I thought “nobody lives here anymore” I ran to the laundry room and hid in a corner amongst the boxes of left behind items they didn’t want. The concrete floors felt even colder than I remembered. The slow drip of rain water leaking through a cracked window onto the washing machine became the soundtrack to my impending death. That’s when I heard him... I heard a gun shot, then a door bursting open. The slow sound of boots struck the floor almost rhythmically. Each thud my heart sank deeper into my stomach. I could feel the blood drain from my face as I heard the boots stepping over the broken glass. Without even thinking I ran for the back door that wouldn’t lock.

The man began his decent down the stairs to the basement as I ran up another set towards the back patio. I sprinted through the back yard and finally clearing the treeline. My feet seemed to be moving under me without my control. I didn’t know where I was gonna go. I just knew I had to get out. I came to an abrupt stop as my feet met the pavement. My memory flooded back, the road behind my second childhood home was a dead end. So I turned right being sure to cut through yards and trees so that he wouldn’t see me running down the street past the house. When I heard a sweet old woman call out to me. “Where are you running child?” I turned to her. Her expression showed great concern but her sparkling eyes made me feel calmer somehow. I said to her in a breathless effort “please. Call the police. He’s been chasing me. He has a gun. He’s in that house” and I pointed in the direction. “Oh dear!” She gasped. “Come, sit inside with me and I’ll call” as I approached the old woman’s front door a sickening feeling spread over me. I could hear the voice in my head telling me not to go in there. “I think I’m gonna stay out here “ I told her. “Suit yourself.” she replied with a shrug. I found a spot to hide just off the woman’s porch, under a window. I could hear her talking inside. I assumed she was calling the police until I heard a mans voice. He sounded kind as well. “We’ve got another one sherry?” He asked. “Yes, jack. Although, I’m afraid she won’t be much use for us. She’s only 5ft tall. And very skinny”. Replied the woman. “You know he prefers his prizes to be bigger, but of course they all bleed the same.” All hope drained from my core. No cops were coming to find me. The road is long and surrounded by trees. And everybody on this street seemed to be tripping off the same exact shit. They were psychotic. I took off from my hiding place, and bolted for the woods. I almost reached the trees when I heard the old woman yell out “stop her!” I saw two monstrous black dogs racing towards me, teeth bared. I couldn't outrun them, and my world went dark.

When I awoke, my hands were bound behind me.