• "Wait up, Markie!" I stumbled through the dark undergrowth, following my older brother. Sweat trickled down my neck, but I wasn't tired. I was nervous that it IT would catch up to us and drag us back to it's dungeon.What would be the conciquence for running away? Either something painful, or death. Death would be the better option, I reasoned, because it would put us out of our misery, and fear too. How I feared IT's long, sharp claws and dead,sunken eyes. And it's harsh,cold voice. I was too deep in thought to see the big rock in my path. I tripped on it, and fell forward. Mark, or Markie as I called him, caught me, and hoisted me up onto his back. He grunted , and I wiped the sweat off of his forehead with my sleeve. He looked about as tired as I felt.
    " Markie," I moaned. " When will we finally be abe to stop and get some sleep? We've been running from IT for hours!" Markie jumped over a rather large log, and sighed. " Not until were safe, Kendel." He coughed. Then he stopped short, set me down, and looked into my eyes. "Unless you'd rather go back and slave away in the dungeon for IT." I gasped and quickly shook my head no. " Alright, then." Markie whispered. " Let's go." I silently crawled onto his back , and away we went.

    Hours later, Markie slowed down to a trot. We were in a moon-it clearing, surrounded by ferns and bushes. He set me down. "I do believe we can rest now." He sighed. He waved toward some bushes. "Choose where you'd rather sleep." I glanced at the bushes in disgust, and imagined how many animals had peed there, or what bugs could crawl on me while I sept. "Markie, why do we have to sleep in bushes? I really,REALLY don't like it." Markie snorted and glared down at me. " Oh, so you don't want to sleep in the bushes!" His tone was sarcastic." I guess you would rather sleep in a fine feather bed, with soda and fancy pillows and a TV, too." He slapped his thigh and gestured to our surroundings."Look at us, Kendel! We've been a slave to a MONSTER for five years, we're dressed in rags, we have no food and yet you have a problem with sleeping in the bushes!" I shrank back, and whimpered., stumbling ino a fern plant. Markie advanced upon me, sneering in my face. " WE have NOTHING, Kendel! We're poor as a BRICK! No, make that HALF OF A BR-" He was cut off by a loud crunch in the ferns nearby. We froze, on high alert, attention turned toward the bushes... [ duhn duhn duhn ]

    To be continued...