Stone Soup

Where young artists paint the world with words

The international magazine of stories, poems, and art by young writers and artists. Published continuously since 1973.

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Alone 24/10/2020

They have always been out there, waiting for us. They think we’re evil and corrupted. They think they’re good. They hunt us down. They never rest. I’m the only one left now. I’m Alone. Always running, hiding, looking behind me. I’m never safe. I start to run. I can’t run faster as them, but I can run as fast. If I get a head start, I’m ok. Always running, always hiding. A miserable life. What would it be like to succumb, to become one of them? But they can’t think. They have no minds of their own. They are controlled. I’m not them. I will never be – I heard a crunch in the leaves behind me. I knew what it was. They were coming. If they had really wanted me, I would be long gone. Now they did ,I knew they would find me. CRUNCH It was only a matter of time. CRUNCH They were getting closer. CRUNCH But what if… CRUNCH I could escape? CRUNCH I had to decide. Now. CRUNCH I stood up CRUNCH I ran. CRUNCH Running CRUNCH Always Running. CRUNCH They must’ve noticed me.They were getting faster. CRUNCH They were catching up now CRUNCH I could feel their foul breath on the back of my neck. It was putrid. CRUNCH I took a glance behind me CRUNCH Their jaws were open, tongue maggot infested, yellow teeth glistening with saliva, green eyes piercing the darkness. I saw the teeth most vividly. They were what had ended many lives. CRUNCH. They were sprinting too now. I had no hope. I tripped, and fell. It was all over.