A spark of hope surged inside me. I could lose my pursuers if there was a river. I picked up my speed, pumping my arms back and forth and sped toward what I hoped would be my freedom.
The shouting behind me grew louder. It was followed by a downpour of arrows attempting to block my path, but I didn’t stop. An arrow sank into my thigh. I cried out in pain, nearly stumbled, but managed to keep going in an awkward limping run. The sound of water grew closer, maybe less than half a mile away.
Moonlight shone through a clearing fifty feet ahead. I inhaled a lungful of air that tasted of earth, spice, and burned sugar.
It must be autumn.
A wave of sadness washed over me. How many seasons had I missed?
I tore into the clearing. Without the trees blocking my view, I could see
that ahead wasn’t a river but a cliff, and the roaring sound came from a waterfall.
I didn’t stop.
I sprinted toward the cliff with all the strength I had left. The hunters and their hound charged out of the forest behind me, shouting angrily and desperately.
A volley of arrows zipped toward me, and I dodged them to the best of my ability, which was hard to do, considering I had no cover.
When I reached the edge of the cliff, a bullet got me, which wasn’t too bad, as it went right through me under my right shoulder. The wound wouldn’t be fatal.
I wheeled toward the hunters, grinning savagely while flipping them the bird.
“Fuck you!” I roared and jumped backward into the thundering waterfall.
***********************
The roaring rapids eventually slowed and brought me to grasslands dotted with shrubs, probably five miles from where I’d jumped.
If I stayed in the water any longer, my skin might just peel off. I swam against the current toward the bank, trying not to black out. I’d lost a lot of blood from all my injuries. Eventually, I made it and sprawled along the riverbank to catch my breath.
Slowly, I sat up, my head pounding from blood loss and fatigue. But it was a nice surprise to see that the bullet wound in my shoulder had already sealed. The only indication that I’d been hit by a bullet was a red, angry mark on my skin.
So, I healed fast, which was fantastic. Was that why the hunters wanted me, so they could study me and steal my power?
I scanned my surroundings one more time to make sure I was the only one in the wilderness and temporarily safe, then I took a more thorough inventory of myself, specifically the damn arrow which was still embedded into my thigh.
I inched back toward the river until half of my ass was on the edge of the lapping water. I held the hem of my sleep gown and tore four long strips to make a makeshift bandage.
I snatched up a twig and inserted it between my teeth before gripping the shaft of the arrow, which had snapped in two while I was in the churning pool of the waterfall. I yanked the arrow out with all my might and bravery. The sound of flesh tearing filled my ears, but was quickly drowned out by my screams of agony.