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I crouched down and splashed the cold water on my face. I wasn't sure which way to go as I looked up and down the stream. Do I follow it downhill? Do I cut across and keep moving the same way I was going?

Where the hell am I going?

Which way was north, south, east, and west? I had read enough books as a kid to have some idea of how to figure out the cardinal directions. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The sun was overhead now. Twelve o'clock. I knew that much. Moss grows on the north side of a tree. I looked around but didn't see any moss.

It wasn't dark enough to see the north star, and I didn't have anything to make my own compass. Besides, I wasn't even sure which direction would lead me out of that hell hole. After a short debate, I decided to follow the stream. The trees might get thicker if I keep going deeper, but the stream might lead to a lake or the ocean. Then again, there could be a highway right on the other side of the trees, only a few miles away. There were no guarantees which one would set me free.

I followed the stream. It seemed better to have a landmark I could focus on at all times. A way to keep track of where I was and where I had been. The stream kept me moving in the same direction. I didn't want to run the risk of walking in circles in the trees.

My feet were soggy, and my toes were bright red from the water. I walked on the bank of the stream, an inch deep in thewater, so I didn't leave footprints in the sand for Vega to follow. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he would be looking for me now. It had been a couple of hours since I ran off.

Vega wouldn't be able to resist a hunt like that. He was probably itching for one. Eager to be on the prowl. The hunt was what gave him a thrill. He enjoyed the hunt as much, if not more, than the capture. I could see it in his eyes. The way they darkened when he reminisced over watching me. The way his mouth twitched with a restrained smirk. The way his breathing increased just a hair.

The sun was over my right shoulder, slowly disappearing behind the treetops. It would be dark soon. I dreaded the thought of having to stay in the woods overnight. I had no supplies. I stopped moving and stood still. The water rushed over my ankles, making trickling noises as it bubbled over the rocks in front of me.

“Did I make the right choice? Is starving or freezing to death a better option than warmth and a full belly with Vega?” I asked out loud.

A rustle in the bushes beside me caused me to jerk. My heart raced, waiting for Vega to spring up and yell, “Gotcha!” But to my relief, it was just a chipmunk taking off in the opposite direction.

I exhaled the breath I was holding in. I had to keep moving. Staying in one place would leave me vulnerable to Vega. I was going to keep moving until the sky was a dusty blue and the sun was almost gone. Then, I would find a place to tuck myself into for the night and start again in the morning.

POP!

A burst of dirt and debris exploded right next to me. I flicked my head in the direction of the sound when I was suddenly blindsided and knocked off my feet. I went tumbling forwardinto the water. My face smashed against the rocks, and I inhaled a huge gulp of water as I attempted to scream.

Everything happened so fast. I was lifted out of the water and dragged through bushes. A body wrapped mine, yanking me to the ground, and a hand swiftly covered my mouth before I could make a sound.

“Shh,” Vega whispered. “Don't move, and don't say a fucking word.”

I looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking off into the distance. His stare penetrated the trees, his lips thin and stiff. He was barely breathing. I could feel his chest slowly rise and fall against my back.

“What's going on?” I asked.

“Shh,” he demanded. Vega's neck tightened as he swallowed, and his eyes squinted to look deeper. He slowly pulled a gun out from his waist and said, “There you are, motherfucker.”

He lined up his eye with the sight and pulled the trigger. Off in the distance, a man let out a yelp, and then there was silence. Vega scanned the forest for a few more seconds before saying, “We have to move.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “This way.”

He started to move, but I dug my feet into the ground. “Wait a second,” I said as I grabbed his wrist and forced him to stop. “What the hell is going on? Who did you just shoot? Is he dead? Why did he shoot at me?”

“We don't have time for this right now. We need to go.” He yanked me along, taking long strides. “We can talk about it after we're someplace safer.”

It was hard to keep up. My feet stumbled over sticks, and my legs felt weak and shaky, making it feel like I was going to collapse at any moment. Vega seemed to notice my struggle. He quickly swooped me into his arms and carried me.

“Can we talk now?” I asked.

“Poppy, there's no time. I need to get you out of here.”

“You killed whoever that was, didn't you?”

Vega didn't answer.

“What if you killed an innocent person? Maybe he was a hunter and got confused?”

“He was a hunter, alright, but he wasn't hunting for game, Poppy. He was hunting you.”

“Vega—”

“There are people trying to kill you, Poppy. You might not want to believe it, but it's true. I think this should be the nail in the coffin for you to understand that. I don't know how much clearer I need to make it.”