10

The air was thick and oppressive as Elara rushed through the school hallways, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't know what had happened to her—what she had become—but she knew she couldn't stay there, not with the police on their way and the fear that gripped her like a vice. She ran blindly, not caring who saw her, not caring about the consequences. She just needed to get out, away from it all.

I can't stay here. I can't.

Her mind raced with images of Tara and her friends on the ground, Aiden's blood staining the floor. The fear, the terror in their eyes—it would haunt her forever. Her heart broke with every step she took, the weight of her actions crashing down on her. What was she capable of? What else could she do? What else would she do?

She burst through the school doors, not stopping to glance back. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she ran across the parking lot, her footsteps pounding against the pavement. Her legs ached with each stride, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.

The trees at the edge of the school grounds beckoned, offering a dark refuge in the distance. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she needed to get to that place, that quiet corner where she could just… breathe. She needed to escape from the chaos, from the disaster she had caused.

Elara's hands shook as she dug into her bag, pulling out her phone. Her fingers fumbled over the screen as she dialed her mother's number. The call went straight to voicemail, and she cursed under her breath. Her mother would never pick up. She never did. Not when it mattered. Not when Elara needed her most.

Still, she tried again, only to be met with the same silence. She could hear the sirens now, distant but growing louder with every passing second. Time was running out.

Finally, she reached her house, the familiar sight of her front door offering her no comfort. The moment her feet hit the stairs, she felt the weight of what she was running from—and what she was running to.

Her mind was spinning, and she could barely catch her breath. She dashed up the stairs to her room, where she grabbed the first bag she could find, stuffing a few clothes inside. She moved as quickly as she could, but there was no time to think, no time to question whether she should be doing this.

Her heart beat faster as she heard the sound of footsteps at the door. They were getting closer. Someone was coming. She couldn't stay here.

Panicking, Elara grabbed the bag and dashed to the window, throwing it open. The night air rushed in, cold and sharp. She hesitated for only a moment, her eyes flickering toward the door. Her mother. Her mother was probably already inside, probably already looking for her. And when she found out what Elara had done… she would hate her.

Her breath caught in her throat as she made her decision. She couldn't stay. Not here, not anymore.

Without another thought, she threw herself out of the window. The ground was a blur beneath her, the drop coming far too quickly. The moment her feet left the window, she felt a rush of air, her stomach lurching as she fell toward the earth below.

The impact was harder than she expected. She landed awkwardly, twisting her ankle as she crashed to the ground with a sickening thud. Pain shot up her leg, and she gasped, clutching her foot as tears sprang to her eyes.

No. No, no, no.

She gritted her teeth against the agony, forcing herself to stand. Her ankle throbbed, but she couldn't afford to stop now. The sirens were almost here. She had to keep moving.

Ignoring the pain, she grabbed the handle of the bag, forcing herself to limp away from the house, the shadows of the night swallowing her whole. She wasn't sure where she was going—just that she needed to get away, far away from everything. The forest was her only option now.

Her foot dragged behind her as she stumbled toward the edge of the woods. Each step was more painful than the last, but she pushed on, the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

The pain in her ankle felt like fire, but it didn't matter. The sound of police sirens was too close now, too urgent. She couldn't let them catch her. She couldn't let them see her like this.

A harsh cough escaped her throat as she reached the forest, the trees towering over her like dark sentinels. She stumbled through the underbrush, her vision blurred with tears as she tried to make her way deeper into the woods. The pain in her foot was unbearable, but she forced herself to keep going. She couldn't stop.

The pain began to grow, a sharp, pulsing ache that made her dizzy. Her vision swam, and for a moment, she thought she might collapse. But she couldn't. Not yet.

The sounds of the police were getting closer. She had to be quick. She had to escape.

I'm not safe. I'm not safe anywhere.

She had to hide. She had to disappear.

Without thinking, Elara darted toward the thickest part of the forest, where the trees grew dense and tangled. She could feel the weight of her bag, the harsh tug of her injured ankle, but she couldn't stop. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving her shaky and weak, but she had to keep going.

And then, as if the world were conspiring against her, she heard the familiar crackling of a police radio in the distance. Her heart stopped.

They're here. They're looking for me.

Elara's body screamed for rest, but she couldn't stop now. She stumbled forward, her foot dragging behind her as she moved faster than she thought possible.

She pushed herself to her limit, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her foot, trying to ignore the blood that was beginning to seep from her leg. But as the forest grew darker, and the trees began to thin, she realized she wasn't going to make it.

The police were closing in. She could hear them.

In a moment of sheer desperation, she glanced back and saw the flashing blue and red lights cutting through the trees, the sound of footsteps growing louder.

Elara let out a strangled cry as she limped towards the edge of the forest, her foot screaming in pain as she collapsed against a tree.

There was nowhere left to run.