Kathy crashed through the brush and came across a path. She guessed it was probably a deer trail and she had no idea where it went, but it was going away from the house and was clear of underbrush and limbs and briars so she took it. She ran for several minutes before looking back. The man was nowhere to be seen. But she continued running as hard as she could for as long as she could. When she finally allowed herself to slow down her side was cramping, her legs were aching, and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was gasping for breath. She fought back the panic and tried to will herself to be calm.

These are his woods, she thought. He probably knows them like the back of his hand. And he’s out here somewhere.

When you’re alone in the woods, being chased by a killer…how fast can you run…how far can you go…if you’re running for your life?

Runner is a taut, gripping story about a woman who is abducted by a serial killer and explains how she is able to turn the tables on her captor.

This is a short story of just over 8,000 words.