Veena

She ran as fast as her feet could go, not stopping to take a lungful of air even though she was in dire need of it. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, making every part of her body pump as she ran. Sweat drenched her neck and soaked her clothes, clinging to her skin like a damp shroud. Gasping for breath, her lungs burned, threatening to collapse, but she pressed on. Fear numbed her to the cold air, her anxiety eclipsing all else. She stumbled into potholes, but refused to halt. Her knees trembled, on the verge of collapse, but she willed them to hold. Above, the sky darkened, a black veil spreading across the fading blue, warning her that night would soon engulf the landscape. She turned back to see if she was still being chased, defying her mother's warning, hoping she wouldn't suffer the fate of Lot's wife. The darkness seemed empty, and she slowed her frantic pace to catch her breath. Her hands on her knees, she bent, inhaling deeply. Her heart racing wildly, she placed a hand on her chest as if to calm it. As she straightened up and opened her eyes, the endless darkness enveloped her. Towering trees loomed, their outlines barely visible. Her breathing quickened, and her senses heightened. A twig snapped behind her, and she spun around, but darkness greeted her. An owl's hooting made her jerk her head up, but the sky was a void, devoid of stars. A gust of wind swept her hair, and her heart skipped a beat. The sound of something rushing past sent shivers down her arms, leaving her lightheaded and trembling. A howl pierced the night, and she retreated, her eyes straining to see through the darkness. Each backward step amplified her fear. Suddenly, something snapped, and a force yanked her upward, eliciting a blood-curdling scream that echoed into the silent night. She kicked, writhed, and wriggled, desperate to break free, but the net held her captive. Panic escalated as she gazed down, realizing she dangled several feet above the ground, near the treetops. Fear intensified her senses. Tears streamed down her face, and her heart continued its frantic beat. Clamminess swept over her again. Is this how it ends? Dead in the woods? No, Fortuna, goddess of fate, had other plans... didn't she? With renewed determination, she fought the net's ropes, but her strength waned. Her lungs constricted, breathing became labored, and vision blurred through falling tears. "My apologies, Mother," she whispered, exhausted. "I did all I could." As darkness consumed her vision, her eyelids fluttered shut, and she succumbed to unconsciousness. As she lay entwined in the net, her mind succumbed to a vivid, disturbing reverie, blurring the lines between dream and nightmare. The events of the day replayed in fragmented flashes. In her subconscious, she saw her mother, desperation etched on her face, begging Veena to escape, to run farther into the night and never look back. Veena's dream-self strained to move, but unseen chains bound her, forcing her to watch helplessly. Her mother's pleading eyes locked onto hers, mirroring Veena's own anguish. "Forgive me, Mother," Veena whispered, the apology echoing in her mind like a mantra. "I'm sorry, Mother... I'm sorry".