Finding Safe Haven

Jadin trudged the thick forest under the heavy canopy, partly limping. A expression of grim determination covered her face as if it were wall paper. Over the past few weeks, stress had drawn wrinkles permanently into her forehead.  Jadin's  long black hair hung in her face with snarls clumped together. Blood streaked her body leaving black, dried blood crusted among her wounds. If anyone had seen her like this on a regular day, they would have called 911 and held their children back. But today, Jadin did not care about her looks, because today was not a regular day, and she was running out of time.

 If she did not find the Safe Haven in hour… she would never live to see the light of another day. They were after her, and she knew it. Their advantage came from their speed and their numbers. They had all the cars and trucks and hounds sprinting through the forest looking for her. 

Jadin flung her cell phone out and dialed a number that had become very familiar as if it were her own. She laid down in the tall under rush just in case they were close and rolled in puddle the water spring had created. There, her smell was momentarily disguised. She stayed in the mud while the phone rang but it only got to 2 rings before someone answered.

"Password?" A very gruff voice asked.

"The Underbrush is standing tall, Jadin speaking" Jadin replied evenly.

The voice immediately changed into what it really was, a high pitched squeaky voice of the eight year old  James, "Jadin! How good it is too hear your voice again! Have you found us yet? I know it isn't the easiest but I gave you those clues and all…" He obviously hadn't talked to anyone in a while, "But I'm guessing you probably figured it all out and know we are on the bank of the Pacific Ocean…"

"What! You could have just told me that! I've been traveling in the wrong direction for two whole hours! James!" My anger was fuming.

"Oh… you're right. I should have told you."

"I have to go. I can hear  them coming." My voice lowered to a whisper. I quietly snapped the phone shut and slid it into my pocket. I laid as still as I could as I listened to the boots trudging in front of me.  The boots walking around meant that they didn’t know I was here. Good.

The boots stopped and every noise in the forest ceased to exist as if someone had pressed mute on a remote.

I laid in the mud trying hard to breathe as quiet as I could. I looked up at the sky and my breath caught in my throat.

“Game over Jadin.” He spoke with a nasty snarl before he brought his hand down on me and I blacked out.