First of its kind

1

Sophia

"Run. Run faster. Run. Do not stop now. Just run."

I needed to get as far as possible. James usually didnt like me leaving the house even when I gave him a notice that I need to go get some fresh air every once in a while. And those rare moments when I could sneak out of the house, just to sit on the porch, he got mad at me. James wasn't the quiet type when he got mad. No, he would raise his voice and sometimes even lock me in my room when I tried to talk back to him. And now, when I just rushed out of the house while he was taking his afternoon nap, I didn't even want to think about what he would do to me once he manages to catch me.

I thought it was a good idea to take a shortcut through the garden, with a small pathway taking me straight to the main road. But I needed to decide quickly whether to follow the road to the town nearby or cross it, and head over the meadow to the forest, which was alot closer to our house. Plus I wasn't that fit anymore. Don't get me wrong, I am not fat or anything, it's the stamina I'm worried about and it's been so long since the last time I went for a jog. If I anyhow manage to reach the forest before James wakes up, I might be even able to lose him. 

 I. Just. Had. To. Keep. Moving.

But I won't be running for long. My side already started to ache a bit and my feet felt like bricks. 

Just a little bit more and I will be safe among the trees. "SOPHIA!", I heard him roaring my name right after I reached the first pine trees. "Damn..." I mumbled as I was heading deeper into the forest. Fearing to get caught, I ignored the pain in my side and kept pushing foward, turning left or right when I found it fit, just to shake off James even a little bit. 

 "Sophia! I know you're in there! Come back to me now and I won't hurt you!"

 "Yeah, right and then we kiss and cuddle and  you will bring me breakfast in bed."

 "Sophia! Why do you do this to me? What have I ever done to you?", I heard him shouting again.

"What kind of a question is THAT?  Did he hit his head or something?"

I felt how my feet were about to give up. I need to find a hiding spot to catch my breath. Noticing a rocky and very bushy area nearby, I headed there. Reaching the spot, I saw there was a tiny cave I could use for hiding. Perhaps not, because James would be thinking the same way if he would get here. So I have to find a spot someplace else. Then I noticed a enormous evergreen tree with its lower branches covering the ground like a small tent with few bushes around it. Yes, this would be alot better for hiding and James wouldn't even think to start looking from there since it's so open. Open, yet covered. I rushed to the tree, hid myself under the braches and scraping some dirt and branches onto myself, hoping it would give me enough cover from James.

 As much as I dared to peek out to make sure I had lost him, I also noticed the sun had left the vertex position. I have 3 hours of daylight before it actually starts to set, 4 hours tops if including the sunset. And then it will be dark. I suppose I have to spend tonight in the forest.  First I have to calm myself enough so I wouldn't be breathing like a bear. Even my dead grandma could hear me right now.  I can think of what to do next after I've got it under control and by some miracle, shaken James off my tail. 

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Just to think how my life got turned upside down by a single moment in the bathroom few hours ago, by some stupid stick with two tiny stripes on it. No, this would not be the right household for my baby. I needed to get as far as possible from James and I will stop at nothing to protect the miracle inside me.