The Hardest Promises Are Often The Most Difficult to Lose

As the figure ran away once again, Rambone looked up and ahead to see the end of the town's long stretch ways of buildings and into the open clearing between the town and the forests surrounding it. It was about a quarter a mile away, from his guesses. The forest was just under half a mile away.

Jumping over to a new building and gaining speed, Rambone knew he wasn't going to be able to catch up. Even with the bleeding, (which was leaving them a trail of small bits of blood) they were running away at full force, he was outclassed in speed. But not wits.

"You're not going to get away, you cunt!" he screamed. "I'm not letting you get to that forest!"

When a clothesline came into the grasp of him, he used all of his strength to rip one of the wooden poles out from the roof floor and hold it in his hands.

They began gaining more distance from him. Now, they're about 100 feet away right as he managed to get it steadily into his hands. Well, the total length of the pole as he held it away from him like a polearm only shortened the distance by about 5 feet.

As they put their boots and shoes on the final building, they hopped off and use the tree adjacent to it and get a safe landing. Rambone, at an ever-increasing distance, had to take a right and hop down an overhang to get his safe landing. This only increased his distance by about 5 yards.

A little valley sat between two hills with a road running through its valley. It was only grass and the occasional bit of weeds until the entrance to the forest from there. Still, though he had to act with something clever and fast.

He was now losing clear sight of them, getting about 150 feet from him.

Hopping over the steep side of the hill to the plateau, he now had a full view but not a clear view. He began running faster and faster until his legs gave out if he didn't use all of his energy to do so.

This slightly decreased the distance to 85 feet.

A quarter-mile left until the forest. His heart was pounding. The increase in speed was making him sweat from head to toe. His adrenaline wasn't going to let him pass out or fall to the ground but it was still a ticking time bomb to a certain loss.

When a slip of little paper fell out of their pocket, they panicked, swerved back to grab it, and put it back into a pocket of theirs.

30 feet. 700 feet until the forest.

"I'd rather not carry this damn pole." He thought.

30 feet. 300 feet until the forest.

Just under 30 seconds passed, and Rambone stopped. He switched his grip on the pole to his right hand and not both hands. He got into a throwing position, took a few steps, and threw it as hard as he could at a tree right near where they were headed. It was a gamble.

And it paid off. The skinny wooden pole hit a tree, bounced off, and punctured through a boot and into their foot. They fell over and began struggling to pull it out.

It took all of 10 seconds before Rambone reached them and begin punching them all over to get a hold of both of their arms.

The figure from what little glances you could catch was beleaguered and in pain. The straight stab into their foot certainly wasn't helping as well.

Both tired, sweating, and feeling various degrees of pain, what they knew was the final tussle between two began. If they won this round, they would get away. If he won, they would get arrested.

A kick to his shin. Put him down on the ground as well and knocked him away a few feet. Recoil from the blow dealt them just enough time to rip out the pole from their foot. Blood quickly began spurting out. But they put it in their hands and began smacking at Rambone with.

A swing to the right side of his lower leg. Rambone flipped his sides to face him with his head to now be closest to them, not their feet.

A left hook to the left arm was exchanged by a quick hit to his left arm. Rambone again recoiled in pain.

Taking the chance to end the final round, they got up and begin limping away (in clear yet silent pain), dragging their hurt leg which was flowing out the blood at a worrying pace for them.

Rambone followed as closely as he could in a fading yet still glowing effort. Rambone kicked them in the back with nearly all the force he could muster.

They quickly fell to the ground and began tumbling down a hill towards a creek, but hit a small and skinny tree belly-first.

Some blood now appeared on their mask, near their mouth region. It looked like they had coughed it up from the hit. Their grip on the pole broke, and it fell out.

Now on the bank of the creek, Rambone slid down the hill and then dive head-first into the bank to grab it.

In a rush, they also dived for it, but now to disarm and take it for themselves.

He rolled over and smacked them in the stomach with a swing. His force and energy were beginning to crack. That was shown as they reacted with barely any recoil.

Now extremely close to each other and in the faces of the other, they headbutted him hard. It made his grip give out and back into theirs. Rambone's head was pounding and his heart even more. So much so that the blow opened a small gash on the side of his head.

Quickly getting on top of him to prevent further blows, he headbutted them in the right shoulder to free the pole once again. Then a hard blow came from his left side to his left shoulder.

This made him fall back in pain and off of them, causing him to grab his left shoulder in a lot of pain. It didn't feel broken he could already tell, but it was sure as bruised.

And jumping back up to get back on their feet, they quickly smacked both of his knees.

He tumbled in pain to the very shallow creek water.

They grabbed and held Rambone up (who couldn't muster up leftover strength in him to resist) by the collar with one hand and using the other hand, they dropped the pole and dealt a hard blow to the back of his neck with their elbow and upper arm.

They dropped him and water splattered onto his back. His eyes and consciousness began slowly fading, and so too, did his sight on them as they ran away.

"I'll get you... I kn-" Rambone had no energy to even finish his sentence before he lost consciousness.