Author: R. J. Erbacher
He turned the corner at a run and slammed his shoulder into the white partition leaving a smear of sweat and blood but kept going. His bare feet slapped franticly on the tile-like floor as he sprinted down the hall. He wished he could wake, but he knew this wasn’t a ‘naked in school’ dream. This real nightmare was a thousand times more intense. And although the corridors somewhat had the look of an institution, he knew he wasn’t even on earth anymore. The differences were ominous, there were no doors anywhere, only stark blank walls. And no ceiling, just blackness overhead, an artificial light came from someplace illuminating the passages. He didn’t slow and the terror behind him was keeping pace. The passage he was racing down was coming to an end and he had to decide whether to go left or right. He had done this before, but he momentarily forgot where he was along the route and had an instant of panic trying to remember which way he needed to go. The wrong choice would mean he’d come to a dead end and be cornered and devoured. There was only a precious few seconds to choose as he struggled to gasp in air and push his legs an iota quicker. Left. He took the turn as fast as he could using his hands to propel him forward off the wall without slowing much. To his disadvantage, the thing behind him had remarkable agility because of its segmented body and it cut down the gap between them at each turn. Down the straightaway he accelerated to his fastest to stay ahead, the voracious snorts right on his ass a reminder of what awaited him if he stumbled for even an instant. One more turn, left again, nearly lost his stride, banged into the wall and pirouetted into a three-sixty, reestablished his frenetic pace losing only a fraction of time. But would that cost him? The end was ahead, sixty seconds of distance run, but the breath of the beast was rank heat on his back and thighs. Had to push the limitations of his body for the last stretch. Almost there. He dove over the threshold and the divider instantaneously closed behind him, separating himself from the pursuant. Whatever it was, thumped into the barricade and yowled in protest, having been denied its prize. Rolling onto his back, the cool floor solace against his fevered skin, he desperately tried to satiate his lungs. Opening his eyes he gazed up into the darkness above him wondering if they were pleased that he had made it again or disappointed that he was not caught. For the next few minutes, he slowed his hammering heart and smoothed out his breathing, knowing they were probably monitoring his vitals. Calmed to near normal, he finally rose and went over to the table and chair, dropping his bare ass into the seat. He partook of the fine meal that was laid out before him, all his favorite foods, or at least an incredible facsimile to the point that he could not detect the difference. As he enjoyed his dinner, he did his best to push away the thought that inevitably, one of these times, he was not going to be here eating his treat at the end. He was going to be the treat. Just not this time.