Hearing him sent a surge of panic through me, and I forced myself to run faster, though my legs screamed in protest. The thought of what he might do with that shovel flashed through my mindwas he planning to bury me? Alive? The horror of it paralyzed me for a moment, but I shook the thought away. There wasn't time to dwell on it.
My strength was fading fast, though. His footsteps, heavy and deliberate, grew louder behind me. He wasn't fast, but he was relentless. Each time I dared glance back, the sight of him, shovel in hand, sent a fresh wave of terror through me. My heart pounded in my chest, and my legs felt like they would give out, but I couldn't stop.
The road ahead stretched out endlessly, with no signs of life anywhere around. I needed shelter, but the fear clouded my thou
