“He’s Safe”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Prompt: “Catch me if you can.”

“Catch me if you can!” Iggy calls, dashing through the trees.

I follow his high-pitched laughter, making sure to keep my distance. “I’m gonna get you!” I shout back, prompting his short legs to propel him forward even faster.

My heart pounds as I slow down. He’s almost out of sight now.

I faintly hear him yell, “Come on, Ben!”

“I’m coming!” I say, cupping my hands around my mouth to make sure that he can hear me. “You’d better run; I’m gonna catch you!”

I watch with a heavy heart as Iggy’s dark hair disappears through the trees. Shuffling in the leaves behind me make me force my legs to keep moving. I turn left and start sprinting.

“There!”

A muffled shout through the trees makes my heart jump. Heavy stomping follows me through the forest. Blood pounds in my ears, my breathing strained.

Suddenly, I’m thrown to the ground and squashed by another body.

“I’ve got him!” a deep voice shouts triumphantly, roughly yanking my arms behind my back. The man sitting on my back leans down and growls in my ear, “Where’s your brother?”

For some reason, I don’t feel panic. I don’t feel anything, really. No, maybe there is a name for this feeling. I think it’s peace.

Yes, peace. Iggy’s innocent face appears in my mind. He must be near to the settlement camp by now. They’ll take good care of him.

“He’s safe,” I whisper with a smile.

Final Comments: Felt like writing a more dramatic piece today. I think I could’ve included more emotions/descriptions of how the protag was feeling as he left his brother though.

Overall Rating: 🙂