I ran through the brush, stumbling, my breathing ragged as the invisible branches tore at my skin as I ran through the dark. I didn’t know where I was anymore, the light of park receding as he herded me towards ever greater darkness. I only heard three sounds in my desperation, my clumsy footsteps, my pounding heart, and his steady advance, somewhere behind me. Where had he come from, I wondered.

I had been out for my early morning run, needing to be done early enough to get to the bus station and head out to work. I preferred my sunrise jogs, but work had needed me in early and this was my only choice. I hated treadmills and despite the park being closed, no one had ever hassled me here before. Until now.

I had been jogging hard, following the dirt path I knew by heart. My light that had been clipped to my glasses ensured that I wouldn’t trip, and the constant hikers saw that it was worn and smooth, like soft concrete. My pace had been near my best I had felt, when something had tackled me right off the trail. I had hit the ground hard and my glasses had flown off, the light spiraling in the dark. All I saw was the outline of a large man, getting up. I got up faster and bolted, without thinking. That had turned out to be a mistake. My night vision was basically non-existent from using the light to guide my way, while my predator had been sitting patiently in the dark, for either me specifically, or the first victim to cross his path.

So I found myself stumbling, falling constantly, my knees and palms already bleeding from a dozen small cuts. The sound of him kept coming closer and I had no idea where I was when suddenly, there was no more ground beneath me. I fell into the creek hard and only by the grace of some recent rains did I not kill myself as I slapped against a few inches of icy cold water. It stung my entire body like hundred of hot needles, both burning and numbing me all at once. I tried to get up, slipping on the algae covered rocks, my t-shirt and runners shorts clinging to my freezing skin.