Page 71 of Catching Fire

She'd taken too long getting out of the house. She hadn’t decided quickly enough which door to use. She’d taken nothing with her, just run, leaving her exposed out here in the dark and cold of night with nothing but a suit that was more likely to get her caught than anything else.

But she didn’t hear him behind her—if she could hear anything over her own blood rushing through her senses. Hopefully she’d gained enough time by choosing the right exit. Maybe he was unlocking the side door and not realizing yet that she was already gone.

She thought all these things as her bare feet slapped against the cold ground, the low temperature the only thing stopping them now from stinging. Still, she could tell they were going numb. And that meant she would trip. Even as she thought about it, she sailed forward, not sure what she might have stubbed her toe on to make her go flying.

Hitting the ground hard, she fought to not let out a grunt or an “oof” that might give her away. Without any thought besides getting away, she pushed herself back upright and began running again. This time, instead of keeping her eyes on the trees, she kept them trained on the ground in front of her.

The jacket stayed clutched in her arms. It would have been more useful to hold the heat had she worn it, but it would also have been more reflective. It was a choice she had to make. She could hopefully get warm again later. She could not get uncaught again later.

Seline watched where she put her feet and ignored the gravel now embedded in her palms. She was so busy watching where she stepped, that she almost ran headlong into a tree. The sound of her breath drowned out everything else.

Relief washed through her at having reached the woods.Maybe she could be safe here.But she looked up and saw that it wasn’t woods at all. The trees weren't the cover she’d thought they would be. Instead, they were just a thin line of trunks, only three or four deep. Likely, they’d been planted years ago to delineate a property line. But it wasn’t a robust forest offering her protection.

In the night, she hadn’t been able to see beyond the outline, but now as she stood here it became clear she was in between several open fields. Even the corn wasn’t tall enough for someone of her height, and she dare not run in it with her feet already cut up. She might not be from Nebraska, but she’d learned pretty quickly that it wasn’t soft and fluffy but hard and sharp.

She was screwed.

And, as she had that thought, she heard his voice bellow behind her.

Though it was in the distance, and it didn’t sound like he’d found her yet, there was still nowhere to go. If he looked this direction, she would only be able to hide behind the meager trunks for so long. The colors she wore would likely give her away at first glance. If she ran through the field, she would probably catch the light and flash like a beacon. It would only be a matter of time before he caught her and dragged her back.

If she was lucky, he might kill her here in the open space tonight.

Though her heart was pounding and her adrenaline was the only thing keeping her going, Seline understood that she didn't have much more in reserve.

She didn't know when she'd last eaten. She should have drunk from the sink before she’d left the house, but she’d been far too scared. And now, her only cover was a few tall trees. There wasn’t even ground cover here.

She heard him behind her again.

For the briefest moment, she closed her eyes, but quickly realized that only held her in one place until he saw her. And once he saw her he would find her.

Sanders was fed. He had shoes. And, she'd realized that while her need to stay alive was a vital one, his need to kill her seemed almost as vital.

Seline opened her eyes, and looked left, then right, and she saw nothing that would save her. Nothing that would help.

Behind her, his voice called her name, demanded her return, and bellowed into the dark night.

Chapter Forty-Six

Seline breathed heavily and clutched her wrists with loose fingers forming a circle around the trunk.

She might not make it.

Her blood sugar was low, lower than she could ever remember it being in the past. She was woozy and it was getting hard to hold on. She wasn’t safe sitting here in the top of the tree for much longer. If she stayed, she’d pass out and fall down through the branches.

The wind was colder up this high, though the day should have warmed up by now, the chill of night hadn’t truly left yet. She’d begun to not notice the cold anymore and she was smart enough to understand that that was the most dangerous time.

Pulling herself once again into a fetal position, she took stock.

Her feet were okay—not good, but okay. She’d taken off her shell and wrapped it around her feet, then pulled her jacket back on, needing to keep herself covered. It was the only way she’d stay warm enough to survive.

Luckily, the shell was silk, and it held the heat in well enough for her feet to hurt. Which again, sucked but she recognized that at least for the good sign that it was.

Seline clutched the tree for probably several hours after the sun had come up. While Sanders had searched the property the night before, he’d walked right under her, high beam flashlight shining. Each time he passed by, she'd held her breath, knowing that he’d figure out that she’d climbed one of the trees.

If he saw her, she’d be done for.

But he hadn't.

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