He burst through the last line of twisted trunks, stumbling out of the forest's grip.
The ruined structures came into view. The same old buildings.
The broken buildings.
The tallest structure stood silently ahead. The place where he was supposed to sleep.
Amon didn't slow down.
Stomp!
He sprinted across the open ground, not daring to look back until his foot hit the first step of the building. He was running for his life. But from whom? He didn't know.
Only then did he glance over his shoulder.
The forest stood still.
Black trees swayed gently.
No movement.
No shape. No sound. But the pressure remained. Someone's presence.
Amon clenched his jaw and ran inside, shadows snapping shut behind him as he crossed the entrance.
The moment he entered,
he closed the barely standing metal door shut.
Thud!
The presence vanished.
Like it had never been there at all.
He leaned against the cold stone wall, chest heaving, sweat dripping from his chin.
