Run For The End
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The sound of the wind was very loud. It blew through her hair, and she could feel it on her skin as well. Her body felt cold despite being covered in a thick layer of fur. She had never been outside before; not like this anyway.
This place seemed so different from what she’d known all her life that everything around her looked strange to her eyes. Everything was brighter than normal too, almost painfully bright at times. There were no shadows here for some reason either.
Shadows always made things look more real though, even if they weren’t really there. Here everything just glowed with an eerie light that hurt her eyes when she tried looking directly into them.
She couldn’t see anything behind her anymore but instead only saw the ground rushing up towards her feet as fast as it possibly could go. As she ran, the world kept getting faster and faster until finally there was nothing left except darkness.
Then suddenly she stopped running altogether because she realized something: she wasn’t moving forward any longer! She turned around slowly to find herself standing still again where she’d started off from.
The ground underfoot didn’t have much give to it either, which meant that each step she took caused her legs to sink down into the earth by about half their length. It also gave her a good idea of how far she must be falling if this is what it felt like to stand still while you’re walking.
She hadn’t fallen yet though since she could still move freely around, which told her that she was probably somewhere close enough to the ground to prevent such an occurrence. That’s when she noticed something else: her arms were outstretched above her head as if she was trying to fly away. A few seconds later they began to fade back into view along with the rest of her body once more.
“What happened?” she asked herself aloud. “Where did I go? How long was I gone?”
Her voice echoed loudly inside her skull, bouncing around inside her mind without ever reaching anyone or anything nearby. Despite the fact that she knew nobody would answer her questions, she continued asking them over and over again until she eventually got tired of doing so.
After that, she decided to walk forward for a bit to try and get used to the feeling of having solid ground beneath her feet again. At first, she moved slowly, unsure of what she should do next, but after noticing that it wasn’t going to take her anywhere she sped up considerably.
Soon she found herself running at full speed ahead, leaping forwards with great strides whenever she came across an opportunity to run past something that might be able to harm her. She didn’t know why she chose to do this; perhaps it was instinctual, or maybe she simply wanted to find someone who could tell her what had happened to her.
Either way, she soon became aware of another thing: she was hungry.
She remembered eating earlier, so she assumed she’d eaten recently as well…but now she was starving. So much so that she was unable to continue running without stopping every few minutes to catch her breath.
Each time she did so she tried calling out for help, hoping that somebody would come running to her aid, but no one did. Not even a bird flew overhead, although she heard birds chirping all around her. They sounded distant, but somehow she knew they were right on top of her.
Maybe she was hearing them wrong? No, she was sure she wasn’t. Birds don’t normally make sounds like that unless they’re near other people. And besides, she had seen plenty of birds flying around before when she walked alone through the woods. But then again, those are usually smaller creatures; ones that aren’t nearly as big as she currently was.
After resting for a little while, she resumed running again, ignoring the hunger pains that coursed through her stomach. She wondered where she was heading exactly. Wasn’t there supposed to be a forest somewhere nearby? Why wouldn’t anybody respond to her calls for help?
Wherever she was, it certainly wasn’t home. Or anywhere she recognized at least. She decided she needed to keep moving forward regardless of whether she knew where she was going or not. All she cared about was finding shelter and food, both of which she believed she would need in order to survive. If she stayed put she would surely die.
As the sun set, she slowed down considerably, forcing herself to stop occasionally in case she ran into trouble during the night. When she finally reached the end of her energy reserves, she curled up tightly in a ball underneath a tree trunk to sleep.
She hoped that wherever she was going to wake up tomorrow morning, she would be able to find water and food nearby. Otherwise, she would starve. Being thirsty and hungry at the same time was bad enough, but being both of these things together made it impossible for her to think straight. Still, she managed to fall asleep despite her worries.
The next day she woke up early to begin searching for food and water. Although she hadn’t slept very well, she felt refreshed nonetheless. Her eyes opened wide upon seeing the sky filled with bright sunlight, which suggested that it was almost noon already.
She sat up quickly and looked around, wondering where she was. Had she been sleeping here the whole time? Did she wander too far away from home yesterday? She stood up and stretched her limbs, making sure everything was working properly. Then she went looking for a stream to drink from.
She soon discovered that she was surrounded by trees, but none of them seemed to contain any streams. In fact, most of them looked dead to her. As she wandered further away from the tree she was sitting under, she realized that the entire area appeared to be devoid of life.
There weren’t many animals in sight either, only some small insects buzzing around aimlessly. On occasion she saw a squirrel scurry away from her, its bushy tail swishing behind it as fast as possible. It reminded her of how she used to chase after squirrels back home when she was younger. The thought brought a smile to her face, causing her to look around once more.
Suddenly she noticed a large rock jutting out of the ground just a short distance away. Upon closer inspection she found that it was covered in moss, suggesting that it had probably never been touched by human hands.
This intrigued her greatly, and she immediately began thinking of ways she could use it to her advantage. She climbed onto the rock and examined it carefully, trying to figure out if she could climb it. After spending several moments attempting to scale the stone, she gave up and returned to the ground. Instead, she decided to see what else lay within the vicinity of the rock.
When she got close to the base of the mountain-like structure, she spotted a cave entrance located directly below the strange rock formation. Curious, she approached it cautiously, examining the opening closely before taking a step inside.
Inside she found a narrow tunnel leading downwards towards darkness. She knew that caves often led to underground rivers, so she figured this must be one such place. Yet another reason why she should stay here for a few days until she grew accustomed to her surroundings.
A faint light illuminated the interior of the cavern, illuminating the walls and floor. At first glance, she couldn’t tell exactly where the source of the illumination came from, but as she ventured deeper into the dark tunnels she eventually discovered an old torch hanging from the ceiling.
It cast a dim yellow glow over everything in sight, revealing a maze of passageways and chambers stretching off into the distance. Some of the rooms contained piles of rocks, and others held skeletons lying on the ground. These were obviously the remains of long-dead adventurers who had died exploring the depths of the cave system.
It took her quite a while to reach the bottom of the cave, but when she did, she found herself standing in front of a massive door carved out of solid stone. Unlike the other doors she’d seen thus far, this particular entrance didn’t have any markings or engravings to indicate its purpose.
Nevertheless, she knew instinctively that it was meant to be opened somehow. She tried pushing against it, but nothing happened. Frustrated, she turned around and started walking away from the entrance. Suddenly she stopped, turning back toward the wall.
She remembered something her father had told her about doors like this. They required the right key to open them. But what kind of magic item could possibly unlock such a heavy barrier?
Sitting down on the ground, she closed her eyes and focused all of her attention on the mysterious door. While doing so she also kept her ears tuned for any sounds coming from outside. To her surprise, there wasn’t anything unusual happening anywhere nearby.
No voices, no footsteps, not even birds chirping. Everything was quiet except for the sound of her own breathing. Was it safe to assume that nobody was watching her? If they were, then surely they would try to kill her now that she had gained their trust by helping them. That’s what she believed anyway.
After several minutes passed without incident, she opened her eyes and stared intently at the door again. Nothing changed. She continued staring hard for another minute or two, but still no luck. She attempted to concentrate harder but instead ended up feeling dizzy.
So she decided to take a break. Once she regained her composure, she resumed focusing her mind on the door, determined to find a way to open it. A few seconds later, she heard a click somewhere above her head. When she turned around she saw that the handle had fallen off. It was resting on top of a pile of dust and debris, just inches away from her feet.
She picked up the metal piece hesitantly, inspecting it curiously before placing it in her pocket. Now she needed a new plan. What could she do next? How could she get past the door and explore the rest of the cave system? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone approaching from behind.
Before she could turn around, he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her backward. He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. “Don’t move,” he said quietly. His voice sounded familiar, yet she couldn’t remember ever meeting him before.
“Who are you?” she asked nervously. The man responded with a chuckle. “I’m your best friend.”
***
The young girl felt confused, unsure how to react. She stood silently, wondering whether this person might actually be telling the truth. Finally, she spoke. “How can that be? I don’t know anyone named ‘Ricardo’…”
He let go of her arm and stepped back. Then he reached into his coat and removed a small box. Opening it, he revealed a ring made out of gold. On the surface of the band was engraved a single word: Ricardo. “This is my name. You’re talking to me right now, aren’t ya?”
“But…how? Where am I?”
“You’ve been asleep for hundreds of years. In fact, you haven’t moved since last night. We captured you during our raid on the village and brought you here. After we escaped from the castle, we hid deep in the woods. Your mother and I have spent the entire day searching for you. This is the only place where we thought you may be able to survive.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your family has been waiting for you for many centuries. All of us have known each other since childhood. As children, we used to play together every week. Our parents were friends too. Well, actually, they weren’t really related to one another.
They met through some sort of business transaction and fell in love. Not everyone liked the idea though. My father was especially opposed to the match because he considered it to be a bad omen. Too much good fortune in one household was bound to bring misfortune upon those involved.
Eventually, however, he came to terms with the situation and accepted the union as long as they promised to keep things private and discreet. They agreed to do so and eventually got married. However, after a year or so they began to grow apart.
One thing led to another and soon enough they divorced. Soon afterward, they both disappeared without saying goodbye to anybody. Nobody knows exactly what happened to them. Some people say that they ran off together somewhere, others claim that they went to live abroad, and still more believe that they died in a car accident.
None of these stories make sense, but none of them are completely impossible either. Regardless, over time the remaining members of the family gradually drifted apart until most of us lost contact entirely. Over the years, we tried to look for them individually but never found anything.
Everyone assumed that they must have left the country. But when you showed up yesterday, everything finally started making sense. Your arrival meant that the prophecy was true. After all this time, you’ve come home at last!”
Before she realized what was happening, he kissed her on the lips. Instinctively, she pushed him away, embarrassed and afraid. “Wait! Stop that!”
“Sorry,” he replied sheepishly. “It’s not like I planned it or anything. That kiss just kind of happened on its own.”
“Why did you do it then?!” she demanded indignantly.
“Because I wanted to. Don’t worry, nobody else will see us doing this. We’re alone down here. Besides, there isn’t any harm done. You won’t even remember it tomorrow anyway.”
His words didn’t comfort her. At least, not immediately. Instead, she took a step back and looked around the room again. There was no way out. It was dark and cold. She had nowhere to run. And if she tried to fight back, he would probably overpower her easily.
So instead of attacking him, she decided to try something different. Maybe she could use the opportunity to escape somehow. “So what does this mean? Am I supposed to marry somebody named Ricardo?”
“Well, that’s part of it, yes. But there’s more to it than that. We need your help, actually.”
She frowned. “Help? What do you want me to do?”
He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Everything will work itself out. Just trust me.”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now take off your clothes.”
“No!” she cried out reflexively. He quickly grabbed hold of her arms and held her close against his body. “Let me go! Please stop!!”
“Relax. No one’s going to hurt you. Trust me. If you cooperate, I’ll give you whatever you want. Think of it as an act of charity.”
“That doesn’t matter! Let me go!”
“There, there. Calm down.”
At first, she struggled to free herself, but then she stopped fighting and simply waited patiently. His grip tightened slightly, holding her tight against him. She couldn’t move freely anymore; she wasn’t sure which direction to turn in order to break loose.
Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, threatening to burst right out of her ribcage. The air felt stuffy inside the coffin-like box. Sweat trickled down her face and neck.
“Just relax. Relax. It’s okay now. Everything will be alright.”
The pressure increased ever so slightly. He pressed harder. A sharp pain shot through her ribs.
“Stop it!” she screamed.
Her voice echoed throughout the darkness. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. Immediately, she turned around. Although she couldn’t see anyone, she knew who it was: her brother. She recognized his distinct gait.
How did he get here so fast? Why hadn’t he warned her before he arrived? Hadn’t he said that he’d call ahead to let her know where he was coming from? She wondered whether he had come looking for her. Did he suspect that she was being held captive by some strange man?
Was that why he had shown up unexpectedly? Or maybe he only suspected that she might be in trouble. In either case, she hoped that he wouldn’t find her like this. She prayed silently that he would leave without saying a word.
But her prayers went unanswered.
“What are you doing?! Let her go!” shouted her brother.
“I’m sorry, Raul,” whispered the stranger calmly. “Please don’t make this difficult.”
Raul’s eyes grew wide with shock. For several seconds, he stood frozen in place, unable to believe what was taking place. Then, finally, he spoke. “You…you can’t have her! Leave my sister alone!”
“Calm down, Raul. This is all perfectly legal. I’ve been given permission to do this.”
“Permission? From whom?”
“From God himself, of course.”
“Bullshit! Who do you think you are?”
“My name is Ricardo. My family has owned this land since the beginning of time. I am the rightful owner of everything within these walls. Including you two sisters.”
“How dare you speak to us like that?!”
“Your father left this house to me when he died. I inherited it along with his other properties. Your mother passed away shortly after that. Since then, I’ve managed them myself.”
“Then how do we know that you aren’t lying?” asked Raul angrily. “Maybe you’re trying to steal our inheritance from us.”
“Hardly. I’m merely fulfilling my duty as the next male heir. As long as I perform well enough, the house will eventually pass into my hands once I reach adulthood.”
“And what happens if you fail?” asked Raul.
“If I do poorly, then I won’t inherit anything at all. That’s just the way things work.”
Raul frowned. “Are you serious? You mean to tell me that you intend to force yourself on my little sister?”
“Not exactly. Not yet anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Because I haven’t finished training her properly. Until I do, she’s still too weak to satisfy me.”
“Weak?”
“Yes. She needs a lot of practice before she reaches her full potential. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to put in nearly enough hours of study. So I came back tonight to give her another lesson.”
“Another lesson?”
“Of course. Don’t you remember? When you were younger, you used to sneak into the library late at night and read forbidden books about sex. And then, later, you started practicing on dolls. I thought you already understood everything there was to know about carnal pleasures.”
“So you decided to use your own sister instead?”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I didn’t anticipate that she would resist so much. She seems to be quite stubborn.”
“She isn’t strong enough to withstand such intense stimulation.”
“Perhaps not. But that shouldn’t concern you. After all, she’s only fourteen years old.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!! What makes you think that I’d allow something like this to happen to my sister?! Are you crazy?!”
“I assure you that nothing untoward will take place between us. At least, not until I’m ready to move forward with the process. There is no need to worry. I’ll make sure that she’s completely satisfied before moving on to the next phase.”
“That doesn’t sound very reassuring.”
“Trust me, Raul. If I wanted to hurt her, I could have done so during our first encounter. But I didn’t want to scare her off. Instead, I chose to start out slowly. It’s important to build up gradually. Otherwise, the experience would likely overwhelm her. And that would ruin everything.”
“Nothing would please me more than seeing you fail miserably.”
“Don’t underestimate me, Raul. Just because I’m young does not mean that I lack skill or technique. Believe me, you don’t want to cross paths with me.”
The End