Elements

I was alone. It was dark, and I could hear the approaching footsteps of my enemy closing in. There was no way out. Trapped in the middle of a large courtyard I waited. Slowly, one by one, a ring of shadowy figures drifted out of the dark. A tear rolled down my cheek as a familiar laugh cackled into my ears. Holding my breath, I focused on controlling my loudly beating heart; surely every tic was counting towards my downfall. I hid behind one of the many ruined stone arches, trying to plan a way to escape. Since none came I decided to slowly climb the rotting stone arch next to me. It was tough to stay quiet as I felt, blindly, for the foot and hand holds. By the time I reached the top and stood, the ring of shadows was separated and slowly walking through the maze, searching. Now what do I do? Trapped at the top of a pillar, in the middle of the dark, with the enemy prowling around six feet below, I watched, frozen with panic.
"Hey, over here, I hear something!" Rooted to the spot, five or so men ran towards my pillar. There was no point in hiding now, time to run. I jumped down to the ground, landing with a soft "pat" on the earthen floor. "Over there!" I sprinted away from the scream. Footsteps thundered, echoing from all sides, making it impossible to tell which direction the first attack would come from. No training, no practice, no sport could prepare me for this flight in the dark. Every second my breath escalated, every second my enemy closed in, every second I got farther and farther away, leading closer and closer to my end.
When I eventually thought my insides were going to split, I slowed down and tried to find a place to hide again. Blindly, I walked, feeling my way with out stretched hands. To my horror I hit a wall. Panicking I glided my hand along the wall for what felt like twenty feet or so. Then I realized I was in a box. There was no way out except the door at the other side of the courtyard. I was now officially doomed. I heard the people catching up to me now. Quickly, I found a little hollowed out pillar a couple feet back from the wall. Then, to my horror again, the entire search party arrived at the back wall.
"Dead end, she has to be here somewhere." One said, ironically only a foot from my hiding place. "Let us wait for him to come, he will tell us where to go." They all stood there waiting. Within ten minutes or so, new footsteps could be heard walking towards the meeting site. "Sir, we lost her, the wall is here and we do not know where..." He was cut off.
"You have not lost her..." There was a pause, then shuffling of feet. "She is here, right now." Before I could move, two hands came out of the dark, grabbing me on the mouth and around the waist. I was pulled out and restrained by one of the men. Someone finally lit a torch right next to me. In the flickering light I realized I was face to face with him.
"Well, well, well. It has been a long time since we've last met. You are a very hard person to contact." He said smiling, clearly enjoying his long fought victory. "Too many times you have slipped through my fingers."
Deciding that if this was the end, I mine-as-well go out with some dignity I retorted "I guess you aren't as talented as you think."
"I don’t think you're in any position for insults." He snarled, the smile fading from his face. "Now that you've ruined the fun it's time for business. Give it to me." He demanded, out-stretching his hand.
"Never!" I whispered and then I spat into his hand. After all he's put me through; I would rather die than give it to him.
"Uhg!" He exclaimed retracting his arm. Then a whoosh and he struck my face.
A flash of color blinded my vision. It was a picture that was locked away, deep in my memory. The trees, the lake, the sun, his smiling face...
"No more games," his voice brought me back to reality. "Give it to me!" He yelled.
"I don't have it." I said bluntly, another hit, another glimpse of warmth, happiness, peace, love...
"Don't lie to me!" He said shattering that vivid vision again.
"..." I thought I might have heard something, but all I could concentrate on was my limp body hitting the ground. The golden light encased me, I drifted out of consciousness.