I could feel them watching, I could sense them all around me. A shiver coursed through my body as I crouched among the flowers, praying to the Gods that I wouldn't be seen. I could hear quiet footsteps and I held my breath, eyes shutting as I could feel them coming closer. The sounds stopped and I cracked open one eye, as unmoving as a statue, trying to see if they were still here. The footsteps faded away and I let out a sigh of relief, although my body did not relax. They were still lurking, taunting me, screaming at me and I could hear them.

I took off, running toward my second sanctuary, a place where it glimmered and a cool breeze wafted across the surface. My hopes shattered as I saw the group had migrated there and were kneeling next to the water. Skidding to a halt I stumbled, hands gripping at the dirt on the slope as I tried to get away from them, to not be noticed. I stifled a cry as I gripped a sharp rock that jutted out from the hillside, the jagged edge cutting into my flesh and I glanced back in horror. They continued their frolicking around the fire as I ran.

Finding solace within a tree, I leaned back into the small opening and watched. I could see the flicker of a fire and that gave me some hope that they would be preoccupied, that I would be safe. The dark pull of unconsciousness fought with me and I wanted to refuse, I couldn't fall asleep while vulnerable on the ground. Just a few minutes, that's all.

Do you think she's awake?

A shrill giggle echoed and I opened my eyes and looking with an unfocused gaze at a face. A face that interrupted the otherwise unbroken circle that was the opening of the trunk. I shifted in place, hands behind my back as I looked for a way out.

Do you think she wants to play?

I found what I was looking for and I scrambled to fit through the slender opening, my body nearly getting stuck and I scrambled to my feet, taking off once again. My body ached and protested at the sudden movements but I couldn't give up, not yet, not ever. I was headed to the one place that I knew they would overlook, everybody seemed to, and it was the only place that I found true solace. I slid down the slope and into a valley filled with thriving blue flowers and I knelt down, sliding my body into the mass of flowers until I could no longer see and I waited.

They say that if you can't see your enemy, your enemy can't see you, right?

Wrong.