Cold.
Numb.
There was no valid way to describe the tingling sensation growing throughout my limbs, spreading like a wildfire and burning ever last tree in its wake. The implicit pain was more than enough to send a wave of nausea through my entire being. From my head to my toes this was felt, and every second the feeling grew worse. My stomach clenched, and my fists followed suite. "F*ck." There was no way out of this one. Pressed against the cold metal of the rusty high school locker, realization struck. I was done for.
Silently I wept. Was this it? Would I be stuck in such a perpetual game until this thing decided to kill me? It had all advantages is every way imaginable; its intelligence beyond compare, the strength to leave anything shivering in its skin, the sight a million times that of a hawk, the speed to outweigh a cheetah by miles.
This I knew, that whatever was out there wanted me dead, and could have done so many a times. Yet here i was, alive, terrified, but alive and breathing. It wanted my mind, the only thing i had thought would never be in danger of being stolen, and to take it prisoner. Keep it within its grasp and toy with my sanity until I snapped.
My only hope at survival: run. This thing was faster, this thing was stronger and smarter, but maybe, just maybe, I could find a window and strike. A sob escaped my parted lips as my mind was made up. Teeth clenched and heart racing so hard I felt it may awake those miles away and erupt from my chest, I slowly opened the locker. The ringing silence of the building was brought to a halt as the hinges creaked loudly. Each and every noise sent a jolt of fear throughout my body. Terrified was not a word meaningful enough to describe such a situation. Petrified to the point of wetting oneself was more like it. My breath hitched as the locker screeched to a stop, wide open. Cautiously I stepped out, so cautious not even any mouse could detect any movement. With my heart beat thundering in my ears to the point of deafness and my unrhythmic breathing echoing through the corridors, I ran. I bolted amd didn't look back, for if I did I was sure that beast would be hot on my heals, jaws open and eyes raging with hunger. I sped up. I ran so fast ly being was only a blur in the school. My feet pounded and pounded against the tiled floor.
But another sound made its way to my ears. One that did not match my footsteps.
Thump.
Thump. Thump.
They grew faster.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
They grew louder.
And they grew more terrifying as each millisecond flew by in a whirlwind of time.
They stopped.
As did I.
It was an undescribable feeling, but my feet stopped unwillingly by my mind. My heart no longer raced, but was rather calmly beating. My body no longer shook, but held steady. My hands were no longer sweaty, but dryer than a desert.
I turned. What I saw was not what I expected. A large, dark figure approached, slowly and menacingly. But i didn't budge. I didn't dare make any moves. As the silhouette came closer, I recognized the school principal.
"Detention for the next three months, Miss Griffiths, you're lucky I didn't raise the alarm for trespassing."