A Fate Renewed

Chapter 4-Into the Brambles

*Trigger Warning for Attempted s****l Assault*

(Amira)

The crisp fresh air filled my lungs as the sun was about to rise. Glancing at the clock before I left it was 4:50 in the morning, if I hurried now I would be able to see the sunrise from the top of the peak.

I ran to my bike and started my journey to the trailhead, this trail was my space, the only place I would go every Sunday, my sanctuary.

I biked the ten minutes and saw the trail, hearing a truck drive across the main road as I hurried along. It was rare to see anyone out here this early in the morning, I thought it must have been someone who parked for the night after drinking too much and brushed it off. I know my father had done the same more than a few times.

A chill suddenly ran through me and something in my gut was telling me to hurry and get on my way.

I walked up the path, trying to ignore the aching pain radiating from my back as I tried my hardest to push it to the back of my mind. I made sure to take a few ibuprofen before I left so hopefully it starts really kicking in.

I stuck my hand out, gliding my fingertips across the ferns, feeling the fresh raindrops wet my fingertips from last night's downpour.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air and smelling the dirt and trees as the sun slowly began to rise, revealing the foxgroves that were all around me as the dawn quickly approached.

I listened to the large pine trees swaying their branches as a gust of wind blew by. I had been hiking for nearly an hour when the sun began to rise, I needed to hurry, knowing I was thirty minutes to the first peak.

Startling me, I heard a branch snap close behind me, causing my senses to go on high alert and making me freeze in my tracks.

There had been cougars sighted out here and a few black bears, but the sound of that twig seemed like something smaller, a deer crossed my mind and I stood there listening for five more minutes.

Nothing, I didn’t hear anything else so I continued on my climb up the trail. I walked quietly and with purpose, making sure I wouldn’t make too much noise so I could keep an ear out for something else, feeling like I was being followed.

Whatever it was wasn't an animal, it had to be a person and my heart dropped when I realized who it could be. That truck I heard earlier was something I heard twice a day every day this past week, it had to be Jacobs.

It all clicked, and I soon realized he had been trailing me, he had been following me at a far distance until now and I had to figure out what I was going to do.

I began to weigh my options, I could either confront him and try to get out of this by being friendly, or I could try to lose him and run back to my bike, knowing it was an hour away.

My advantage would be that I knew these woods, I didn’t always stick to the trails, and have wandered through these trees for years.

I decided on the second option, I felt him inching closer every few minutes, so I needed to find the right time. The sun was about to rise and I thought the darkness would be more in my favor.

Nerves filled me as I took a deep steadying breath before making my move.

Go Amira, run!

I shouted into my racing mind, my heart pounding in my chest as I balled my hands into fists and quickly sprinted forward.

I shot towards the trees to the left, dodging a large rotten stump and running down the slope of the hill below me, using gravity to help me run quicker as I began weaving through the line of trees that littered the forest.

I felt my back throbbing with pain as I tried so damn hard to not let it slow me down while ducking under branches and jumping over large rocks that came into my sloping path.

I heard him right behind me as he didn’t say a word but his feet quickly caught up. The sound of his breathing his breathing growing more erratic with each step as the noises grew louder..he had to be just mere feet away.

The sun had now risen enough for me to recognize where I was, knowing that if I were to weave through the trees I might be able to lose him quicker. Suddenly a huge puddle of mud appeared under me as I reached level ground, causing me to slip and fall on my knees.

“Shit.” I breathed heavily.

I began to rise to up just as quickly when he flew out behind me, tackling me and throwing me to the ground, making a sharp pain shoot up from my sore back.

Jacob climbed on top of me holding my arms to my side, straddling me as I looked up at him fearfully, his brown eyes now feral and roaming my body. A wicked grin spread across his lips as he finally spoke.

“It didn’t have to go this way Amira.” He spoke breathlessly, his threatening as he grip tightened around my wrist.

I knew it bruised his ego, the constant shutdowns and disinterest, nobody turned down Jacob and he was going to take what he wanted, even if I didn’t want to give it to him.

I swiftly lifted my hip, trying to buck him off of me as he put his whole weight on my body, gripping both of my arms with one of his before reaching down with the other.

"This will go easier if you don’t fight me Amira, just give me what I want.” He gritted through his teeth.

"No! Get off of me!" I screamed before spitting in his face and making him laugh wildly.

His hands reached down as he lifted my hoodie, sliding his calloused fingers against my skin. The action caused a shiver to run through me as he rubbed his hands all over my flesh, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"You are going to love this Amira..trust me..let me make you feel good." He whispered, his hot breath making me feel sick as the smell of cigarettes invaded my nostrils.

I twisted my arm, desperation taking over as I somehow managed to wriggle one wrist out of his grip as he reached down for the button on his pants. I quickly swung my arm forward, hitting him straight across the face, the impact making my hand shoot with pain as he jerked his arm up to cradle his bleeding nose.

"f**k!" He shouted, the momentary distraction giving me the chance to react.

I instinctively rolled my hips, pushing him off of me, and scrambled to my feet. He lunged at me with his hands reaching out as he grabbed my backpack, pulling me back towards him roughly.

"Amira, Stop fighting this!" He screamed, making my heart jump as I quickly slipped out of the straps, wincing from the throbbing pain in my back, and took off running into the trees once more.

“f*****g b***h! Get back here!” Jacob yelled furiously at me, his voice echoing off of the trees as he began chasing me again.

I took a quick right and then followed a small creek that I remembered seeing before. Leaping over the creek I started to follow it down and knew it led to a small runoff next to a cliff.

I ran as fast as I ever had in my life, jumping and leaping over fallen branches and through bushes, I heard him fall a few times and I knew I was losing him.

I slid across the slick rocks and bounded down the hill where the stream trickled below a couple of large boulders.

I slipped and landed on my stomach, scraping my knee along the way as my jeans tore from shin to ankle, making me wince as I saw the blood dripping down my leg.

The sun had risen now and I soon realized he would find me from my tracks so I began to walk in the stream, stopping every few minutes to listen for anything.

I knew I had thrown him off by taking the creek, he must've gone the other way because I hadn't heard anything for at least ten minutes.

Looking ahead I saw something move, making me freeze in place as something caught my eye, shining brightly in the sun drawing my attention to this thing I recognized immediately.

The silver fox...it looked at me with wide silver eyes that seemed almost human.

"You're alive." I whispered while staring into those mesmerizing eyes.

The fox quickly turned and began to trot down a path I hadn't explored before, a deep feeling pulled at me, as if I knew this fox wanted me to follow it.

I glanced behind my shoulder one last time, thinking I had lost Jacob for good, and began to slowly follow the fox's trail.

It took me through the trees as I walked behind it quietly, realizing it was now bringing me towards a grove of blackberry bushes.

Examining the bushes, I soon noticed a small hole just barely big enough for me to fit through.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering where it was taking me and feeling that invisible pull beckoning to me once more. I slowly lowered to my hands and knees, crawling behind the fox and letting it lead me blindly into the blackberry groves.

Getting through wasn’t easy, my body being stopped as my hoodie kept catching on thorns while the vines tangled in my hair, making my heart drop suddenly when I realized I had lost my hat somewhere along the way.

The fox stopped every few feet, waiting for me to catch up or untangle myself as my hands squished in the mud, crawling my way through the labyrinth of trailing vines.

It felt like we had been in the bushes for hours, I began to wonder if this maze would ever end when there was a bright light at the end of the tunnel, breaking through the thorns.

The fox stood at the opening, its silver fur glistened from the sun as relief rushed through me..I made it...

I crawled through, the glare making me shut my eyes as that bright light temporarily blinded me, making me realize it wasn't the sun at all.

Fluttering my eyes open, I tilted my head back, noting a large willow tree now stood in the middle of an opening, it looked as if we were in a cave.

Water pooled around the tree as I stood up slowly walking towards it, the weeping willow's branches glowing brightly as the leaves were a soft white and green.

It was breathtaking..I had never seen anything like it and felt as if this tree could be the source of life itself. Deep down, I had a feeling that this tree had been the first thing to ever be created in the world and the ground beneath it had simply grown from its roots.

The large hanging branches blew from a wind that seemed to create itself. I was being pulled towards it, walking through the still water, as ripples of light appeared around me like they were coming from somewhere inside of me.

Mesmerized, I reached my hand towards the tree, and to my amazement it seemed to reach back.

The fox sat on the side of the pool, staring at me, its silver eyes glowing brightly watching as I slowly waded through the cool water, feeling it reach up to my waist now.

The cool sensation caused me to gasp as I saw the tree was now right before me.

I began climbing up the rocks that surrounded the glowing willow, staring up as white orbs of light drifted down toward me. Floating in the air and circling me in a flurry before settling on my skin, touching me softly as if they had known me my whole life, a gentle caress that made a deep warmth fill me.

I closed my eyes feeling their embrace as they enveloped me in their lights, whispering things I couldn’t quite understand as they lowered me deep down in the pool of water.

Fully submerged, I felt I could breathe, their light giving me life as I looked at my hands, seeing them begin to glow. My hair floated in front of me, appearing white as snow and my skin soft and gentle.

Without warning, the water began to enter me causing me to swallow it whole while each light that surrounded me entered my body.

Panic set in as I began to realize what was happening. I started struggling for air, trying to fight the water that filled my lungs before shutting my eyes tightly and twisting my body. I reached my arms up, fighting to find the surface as I wasn't sure which way was up and which was down.

Then, the feel of a hand caressing my face swiped across my cheek as a calm presence engulfed me.

“You are finally home..Theia.” A deep voice whispered into my ear.