Haste - Short Story 2

Page 1
An electrical storm rolled through the countryside. Amongst the rumbling that echoed through the forest, a faint tapping of footsteps could be heard. Getting faster and faster, the taps resounded in time with the heavy patter of rain. 

She was running. This was the place. Looking to her right she remembered the pointed tops of the fir trees in the distance, the familiar iron railings which spanned for miles. For a moment, she forgot why she was back there. The croaky voice in her ear made her jump, ‘You’re nearly there, carry on’, it commanded. She had been dreading this mission since the very start. ‘Why is it always me?’, she thought to herself, when the case was put forward. Her stealthiness was her best quality and the reason for her new position, but so far this had been nothing but a hindrance.

The deluge continued to fall, dripping off of the rim of her black trilby hat. A stream of murky water ran down the hill beside her. As much as she tried to avoid it, every third step she would feel it seeping into her shoe. Still running, even beneath the red gloves she wore, she could feel her palms sweating. ‘How much longer?’, she muttered to herself, obviously disgruntled with the situation. To her surprise, the croaky voice replied, this time much louder, frantically shouting ‘LEFT! LEFT! NOW’.

She spun on her heel and there she saw it, although she could just make out a figure in the distance, she knew it was him. If she was quiet, she would be able to catch him. He didn't seem to realise he was being followed.

Page 2
She would have to slow down, but the wailing of the storm would drown out some of the noise of her feet splashing in the puddles. Zig-zagging across the pathway, she hid behind the biggest tree trunks, planning her next move every time she stopped. Just once the figure turned around, but as she had hoped, he blamed the mysterious splashing noises on the roaring thunder, growling wind and barrage of rain that fell around him. She carried on, stalking him like a bird of prey.

Again, the voice hissed in her ear ‘Be careful’, it said, and at that point she realised. He was right there, next to her, with a hood covering his face. Still standing behind the trunk, she pulled her scarf over her face, just below her eyes, with the thought, ‘I don’t wan’t him to recognise me’.

She stood hesitantly for what seemed like an age, thinking about what the next stage of her plan could be. In the corner of her eye she could see a flash of headlights. ‘That must be his accomplice’, she thought. Fumbling with her gloves, she began to take one off, palms still sweaty. She thought she had more time. Suddenly, the figure turned, coming face-to-face with his pursuer. Despite her vague attempt at a disguise, he recognised her immediately. The glove dropped to the ground and ignoring the inaudible murmurs coming from her earpiece, she lowered her scarf.

Another low rumble gently erupted across the forest. In response, he pointed at the sky. ‘Just Mother Nature with a cold, she’ll get over it’. He knew why she was there.