When she takes a step toward me, I spring up from the ground and dart into the trees. I hear her growl of frustration as she moves to follow me.

“I thought we established that running was useless,” she calls out.

It may be useless, but I have no other choice.

I scramble to get traction on the uneven ground as it inclines upward, clutching roots and trying not to trip over my own feet again. A cacophony of footsteps fills my ears, and though I don’t look behind me, I know that Zoe isn’t alone anymore. The others must be getting close.

Fingers take hold of my hair and yank me backward, and I scream in pain, trying to stay upright. It doesn’t work, and Zoe easily sends me straight back to the ground. My back slams against the dirt, and the movement is a jolt to my rib cage, knocking the wind out of me.

She doesn’t give me time to recover, straddling me with her teeth bared, hair falling into her face. I hurriedly lift my arms to protect my chest as she raises the knife, trying to gain clear access to my body. I seize her wrist, feeling the tension in her muscles, squeezing tightly.

“Please don’t do this,” I beg.

“Stop talking!” Her voice is frantic. Frightened.

The blade scrapes against my arm and red hot pain flares across my skin. I grit my teeth, using all the force I can manage to flip us over, and she grunts as her back hits the ground. Having the upper hand now, I’m able to wrestle the knife away. It slips from her grasp, sliding through the dirt until it comes to a stop somewhere in the underbrush. She rushes to get it, but I pin her arms down, unwilling to let her move.

Her head jerks forward into mine, busting my lip and snapping my head back. While I’m injured, she uses the opportunity to shove me off of her, kicking my stomach and crawling away.

I groan, clutching my torso and tasting blood before using my free hand to push myself up from the ground. Zoe digs through the brush, desperately searching for her weapon. Painstakingly, I force myself to my feet. Locating a large branch, I lunge for it. With Zoe’s back facing me, I creep toward her, breathing heavily, and raise the branch above my head.

When she begins to turn around, I bring it down against her skull.

It’s not enough to be a fatal blow, but it momentarily incapacitates her, and she collapses to the forest floor with a grunt, landing among the pine needles and leaves.

Leaving her behind, I continue on my journey, racing up the hill, until I have no choice but to stop.