thoughts, thoughts, and lots of thoughts

I ran for my life brushing past the tree trunks, dodging from shadow to slice of moon light, and back to shadows. I gulped air into my lungs straining to achieve more speed from my legs. The blood pumped past my temples, and the force told me of my heart beat. This was a race I hadn’t wanted, a race for my life. Behind I knew they were coming, their nostrils filling with my scent. I knew they would run me to the ground if I slowed. Faster my mind shouted, faster if you want to live. I ran into a clearing bathed in the moon light, lighting every thing like daylight. As the ground flew under my feet I saw the stream just ahead. The water might help; my Grandfather had once lost them by splashing down a stream. He had said the splashing water had covered his scent. I ran for the stream turning down stream. A few quick strides and I was splashing in the cold water. The water slowed my speed, but if it worked I would be safe. Then I could find a place to rest. I drove my legs harder leaping though the water to cover more distance. Behind I knew they were still coming, and the fear drove me harder. I miss stepped, crashing into the cold water pushing it over my head. I fought to regain my footing, struggling to run. The cold water had been shocking to my senses bring relief to my heated body. My eyes were clear, and I could see the brush beginning to grow closer to the stream side. I needed to get clear of this water so I could move faster. Ahead came the sounds of water moving faster, and it moved the air around me. Ahead I knew was a pool where I often fished with my Grandfather. This pool was in a clearing, and would give me access back into the trees. My legs were failing so I fell belly first into the water, swimming with the current allowing it to speed my travel. My head was driven under the pool surface, and I struggled to the surface. Quickly I stroked for the shore, and gathered my legs under me. For a moment I stood listening for the sound of them. Nothing but silence, then I heard a dislodged stone strike another. I stood frozen listening, straining to hear if they knew where to go. A splashing of water up stream, and I was running again. I didn’t know if they were coming down stream, or moving up stream I wasn’t waiting. I ran in under the tall trees for the shadows they would provide never hesitating in the direction of travel. I needed to reach shelter, and my grandfather’s place was only a couple miles ahead. On I ran pushing my legs, straining to obtain more air in my lungs. Suddenly a branch broke to my left, and my stride was loss, sending me crashing into a tree. I sprawled on to the ground, regaining my knees, looking for the noise, and finding nothing. There was something, I knew something had broken the branch. I didn’t hear them, couldn’t see them, but I knew something had broken that branch. Frozen there I tried to get my breath, letting my body rest, feeling my heart beat thru my temples. Something moved in the shadows, and I was running once again for my life. Some where ahead was the open fields of my grandfather’s place; I could see it in my mind. I wished for those fields as I ran, knowing the safety I had always felt there. Wishing I had stayed at the neighbors, wishing this was a dream, wishing and wishing, but running for my life. From a distance behind I heard the noise of something moving, and the fear drew more strength from my body. Thru the trees I could see the field of moon light ahead, and I ran and ran trying to reach the light. Suddenly I was into the field, the moon light so strong it was blinding to my eyes. Still I ran using all my strength to drive my legs. From behind I heard them running thru the trees, they had my scent now and they new where I was running to. In the distance I saw the dark shape of my grandfather’s place, and took the straight line for it. I heard them leave the trees, and knew they would travel faster than I could thru the field. I took a quick glanced behind me, seeing their shadows in the field, moving quickly towards me. I ran harder and harder, but the strength of my body was fading fast. From ahead I heard a voice calling my name. Relief flowed into my mind it was my grandfather, I tried to yell back, but there was no air for the yell, and on I ran. The sounds from behind were getting closer, and I knew they were gaining quickly. Again I heard my grandfather calling, and I struggled to drive my legs. They were to close, I’ am not going to make it my mind shouted, telling me that I had lost the race. I glanced back, and the sight almost froze me in place. They were larger than I had thought, and close much to close. I struggled to run my lungs screaming for more air, my mind telling me it was hopeless. Once more I heard my grandfather’s voice, and I struggled for the sound. I glance once more behind, and saw the red eyes in the moon light, the white teeth gleaming, and I knew they had me. There was my grandfather’s voice again, closer this time. I ran struggling to escape even as my eyes opened, and by the bed stood my grandfather calling my name.

He hurried up the rise knowing that having left the road would shorten the distance of travel. It was his at last he thought and no one could take it away. No one knew how he had cheated and swindled to get this and now it was his, only his. The birds making noise were irritating to him; need to get someone to shoot those birds he thought. Second thought he would take pleasure from killing them. On he trudged moving with more force to get up the rise. The trees would bring him money he thought, to bad he would have to pay for the logging. Perhaps he could jake someone into doing it for free. Then he could just sit and count the money. He thought of the house and how it would become his new base of operation. People would have to make the trip to ask for his favors, and he would be able to enjoy their discomfort as they came to the house. Being able to observe them long before they arrived. Then saying no just so he could watch as they traveled the road going away. He would be a king on the hill and all would need to look up. From up here he would pull the strings and watch as those wanting his favor twitched. He had sold the property to those outsiders and had watched them build this fine new home. Knowing that when the time came, he would use everything at his disposal to drive them out. It had taken five years and many times he thought that they would never leave, but now it was his. He pushed himself harder to reach the top saving nothing; he could rest at the house. He came to the new barb wire fence, and separated the wires so he could step thru. "Danm" he muttered as his coat became snagged. "Danm" this was a new coat he had forced the local store owner to give him as tribute so he could stay in business. As he struggled the coat became more entangled, so he slipped it off. Try as he might the coat would not come lose from the barb wire. "Fuck it" he muttered, I’ll make the store owner replace it. Right now he needed to get to the house, and the liquor cabinet. He knew that the previous own had stocked it only with the finest liquor. He could use a stiff drink right now. On he strolled pushing harder to reach the top. Out the side of his eye he saw something, so he stopped to look. It was that small white cross he had watched the wife place over the dead horses grave. He had watched thru his binoculars as she cried, when they buried the horse. That had been the first attempt to force them out. He had felt powerful as he watched knowing it was at his biding that the horse was shot. He would remove the cross later, but right now he forced himself to hurry on to the house. The pasture came into view as he reached the top, and his stride came faster pushing to the green grass of the pasture. Looking across he could see the house rising two stories high and having more rooms than any in the county. This was his kingdom now and he would rule from here. To bad the barn had been burned, but that was part of doing business. Maybe he could force those boys, he had burn the barn to rebuild it, or go to jail. Well the dead cows had been cleaned up, not a sign of the killing. Some how he’d get some beef in here and be able to watch them with his morning coffee. Quickly he moved forward across the green grass, moving with urgency to reach the house. Suddenly he felt to warm, so he removed his sweater. That didn’t help his breathing became harder and it felt as if no oxygen was coming in. He had to stop, catch his breath, and wait a minute. Everything would be fine if he just rested a minute. Why he wondered, why the sky was spinning, it was as if he had drunk to much whiskey. Got to catch his breath, he thought, not enough air. There it was the house, the house he saw as he fell, knowing there was no one to help the king.