Unusual Travel Destinations
In Veronica's perspective:
"Flee."
My entire being is shouting this message. All I am capable of is running. A swirl of trees and leaves speeds past me, and it becomes apparent that I have no idea where I am or where I am heading. Misshapen dead tree branches attempt to reach me, stinging and cracking against my skin. My entire body feels like it's on fire, my lungs and chest acting as the source of the blaze. For a moment, I consider slowing down to gain my bearings.
My head throbs, making it difficult to focus on my surroundings. Trees, trees, trees... not a single light, road, cabin, at this stage I would even accept a single footprint; some indication of civilization. I shudder as memories of my previous thoughts resurface, the gravity of the situation now gripping my stomach. 'I have no idea where I am.' My body feels like it's stuck in a vice as dread engulfs me.
SNAP
I freeze. I can't determine the source of the sound, but he must be nearby; somewhere in my vicinity. The forest around me hushes, aware of the cat and mouse encounter at hand. Not even the crickets chirp as they consider the power play underway. Trying to stay totally still, I scan my surroundings, seeking any movement. I place my feet, not seeing anything, then I know it's time to continue running. I've been still for too long, even if the branch snapping wasn't him, he was nearby. Just before I can rush forward again, a hand encircles my throat, dragging me against the man's hard abdomen.
I feverishly attempt to strike his chest with my elbows behind me, yet I hit nothing until my third lunge. He makes a sound like the air hissing out of a balloon, and for one brief moment, I believe I may have evaded him. However, my face makes contact with dirt again, and the man begins searching his pocket for something.
I witness his face for the first time as he slips the ski mask from his face. His eyes, although covered by the mask, seem dark, with cruel laughter lines around them, hinting to his potentially twisted mind. "Is he laughing?" I feel nauseous all over again and realize, with chilling clarity, 'I think he's using chloroform.' is my last coherent thought before I pass out.
In Alex's perspective:
The moment I laid eyes on her, I recognized her as my prize. It was a sunny spring day, the sky full of hope and radiance. Interestingly, she was the antithesis of all this, and this difference was the reason she caught my attention. She managed to find the sole shady spot in the park and settled comfortably on a large picnic rug.
In her left hand, she held a book that likely exceeded her age, while in her right hand, she clutched a tumbler that presumably contained coffee or tea. Her calm, peaceful demeanor intrigued me, so I decided to keep a fair distance away and maintain a vantage point to observe.
For a while, Rex and I occupied ourselves playing fetch with a ball. He did all the fetching while I pretended to search for suitable spots to toss the ball, when in reality, I was constantly glancing her way. I was thankful for Rex's persistent retrieval of the ball as it allowed me to discreetly check on her.
Here's my paraphrased version of the text:
She had a quiet beauty that captivated me, and I found myself wondering briefly what she might smell like, what kind of underwear she wore under her snug, low-cut pants. We waited for her to leave for what felt like ages, and I worried that I might have to leave too, as poor Rex had been panting and rolling around in the grass, searching for treats for thirty minutes straight. Ugh. I felt embarrassed at the thought of waiting longer, having to look for someone else. I threw the ball for him, harder and farther, determined to be the last one standing in our little game.
I was convinced she must be living under this tree, but as moments passed, she got up and started collecting her belongings. I watched her casually walking to her car in the parking lot, haphazardly tossing her stuff into the back and driving away. I was grinning from ear to ear as I made a mental note of the car: Grey Jeep Compass, license plate #A5K32Q. I picked up Rex, patting his head and giving him a good scratch behind his ears as we headed home.
Later on, that same day...
I didn't anticipate her being as fast as she was. She had more determination than I expected. My plan of just blocking her car and taking her from it was now out of the window, thanks to seat belts. The crash did little other than surprise her. I wasn't one to mind a chase. I'd waited a long time for this, so I could wait a little longer.
She took off straight into the tree line, elegantly dodging between the trees and branches. I ran after her, but soon found myself catching up and gradually closing the distance. The scent of expensive perfume and sweat filled my nostrils each time I got near enough. I peeked at her body, bouncing up and down each time her foot hit the ground. I risked a long look and inadvertently tripped on some hidden roots.
Once I regained my footing, she was gone. I listened intently for any sound or noise to locate her. In the distance, a group of birds flew up into the air, and I couldn't help but smile.
There were no threats to these animals in the area, except for an intruder. I moved through the leaves and branches, stealthily making my way towards the spot where I had seen the birds take flight.
'There she is.'
She was bent over, one hand supporting her knee, and the other clenching a dying sycamore tree for support as she heaved. Hiding behind a nearby tree, I reached into my pockets for the bag and the bottle. Then, I heard what sounded like the loudest stick snap in history. She straightened, readying herself to run again.
It was now or never. I sprinted towards her, wrapping her in my arms. She tried to hit me, kick me, and throw me off, but I had caught her. Or so I thought. She landed a surprise kick in my ribs, but it didn't hurt much. I stumbled over, feigning pain to make her think she had hurt me badly. I bent over to give her a chance to flee again.
But as she tried to escape, she paused when she heard me chuckling. She was fierce, but I knew she'd be tamed soon. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a bag and chloroform. In no time, my target lay sleeping in my arms. I lifted her weight and started our walk back to the car, eager to get home before the sun went down.