Easy Prey

I tore down the dirt path, my thighs burning, my balance slipping. Nothing had prepared me for today.

I heard my stalker closing in – the heavy footsteps, the labored breathing. A rabid predator in desperate need of prey.

I turned, looked over my shoulder. Saw the hunger burn in his bright, clear eyes. Stopping wasn’t an option.

But I made it easy for him. I tripped over a loose branch and tumbled into the prickly underbrush.

I found him looming over me, palms on his knees. He extended a sweaty hand and I grabbed it.

“Tag,” he grinned. “You’re it.”