She was dragged to a large tree, where they tightened the rope even more, securing her to the trunk. She winced as the bark dug into her back, but she swallowed the pain, refusing to give them any satisfaction. As they set up camp, she calmed her racing thoughts, her mind becoming sharp and focused. She observed their every move, and after scanning her surroundings, she found a small, jagged section of the tree behind her.
Over the course of hours, while the men talked and rested, she quietly worked the ropes against the sharp bark. Each slow grind weakened the bindings, bringing her closer to freedom. And with every shred of rope she cut through, her determination to escape grew stronger.
Hours passed, and the camp fell into an eerie silence as the men drifted into sleep. Her hands finally free from the rope, moved cautiously. The bindings had taken hours to weaken, but now she could finally taste freedom. She slowly leaned backward, using her shoulders to push herself away from the tree, careful not to make a sound. Each movement felt agonisingly slow, but she couldn't afford to be reckless.
Suddenly, the stillness of the night was shattered by a piercing howl that echoed through the woods. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, a chill running down her spine. The sound was so loud and primal, it seemed to vibrate through the air. The men jolted awake, confusion written on their faces as they scrambled to sit up.
"What the hell was that?" one of them mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. The leader, wide-eyed, looked around, instantly alert. It wasn't long before their eyes darted to the spot where they had tied their prisoner.
"She's gone!" the wiry man shouted, scrambling to his feet. "She escaped!"
Panic surged through her. Her heart raced as she ripped the gag from her mouth, the cloth falling away as she bolted into the woods. Her legs screamed in protest, but she pushed through the pain, using every ounce of her remaining strength to run. She could hear the men shouting behind her, their voices frantic as they fumbled in the darkness.
"There! This way! After her!" The leader's voice cut through the chaos, and the sound of their footsteps quickly followed, heavy and fast, closing in on her.
She ran harder, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. The woods were slightly dense, the shadows closing in as branches tore at her skin and clothes. The ground beneath her feet was uneven, threatening to trip her with every step, but she couldn't stop. Her freedom depended on it.
The howling grew louder, closer. It wasn't just one wolf—there were several, their mournful calls filling the night air. The more she ran, the more the sound intensified, as if the sound was drawing her toward them.
She could feel the men gaining on her, their voices growing closer. Panic clawed at her chest, but she refused to slow down. She didn't know what awaited her deeper into the woods, but anything was better than being caught and sold as a slave.
Her lungs burned as she continued to sprint, her legs trembling with exhaustion. The howls of the wolves still echoed behind her, blending with the sound of the men crashing through the woods in pursuit. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision blurring from the strain, but she couldn't afford to stop.
Suddenly, she felt a heavy hand grip her shoulder, yanking her backward with brutal force. Before she could react, a sharp, stinging slap struck the side of her face. The impact sent her reeling, and she hit the ground hard, the world spinning around her. Blood streamed from her nose, warm and sticky, dripping onto the dirt. Her head throbbed, and everything around her seemed to tilt as dizziness clouded her senses.
"How dare you make a fool out of us," the man sneered, his voice distorted, muffled by the ringing in her ears. She blinked, trying to focus, but the words seemed distant, like echoes bouncing off the trees.
She tried to push herself up, her limbs weak and trembling, but her body barely responded. The pain in her head was disorienting, and the muffled sounds of the man's voice reached her ears as though coming from far away. His words were lost in the haze of her dizziness, but she could hear the mocking tone, the satisfaction in his voice as he loomed over her.