Vanished Read Online Free Page A

as the tree chased her. What the hell do I do? A tree is chasing me! What the fuck?
    Fury and confusion melted together in her mind and she did what came naturally; she ran .
    An odd, cold dot splattered on her face. Then another on her chest. The heavens opened up and let loose a torrent of rain.
    Darkness descended on her, the clouds giving the impression of nightfall. A clap of thunder cracked overhead, rolling like the growl of a predator . She wanted, more than anything, to cover her ears. Deafened, she plunged onward. The dirt underfoot darkened, becoming sticky mud and stole her balance.
    “Damn it, you won’t stop me! I swear I’m going to make it through this!” As if in attempt to drown out her words, a flash of lightning and thunder split the skies, the bolt blinding her. The electricity crackled and popped, crashing into the ground mere feet from her. The acrid scent of fire choked her, burning in her throat and nose.
    A cough blazed through her chest; her ribs screamed in agony. The air lit up as lightning crashed. The booming burst of thunder forced her to clap her hands over her ears as she raced along. Her wrist ached; tears springing to her eyes. Blue sparks resonated around her, popping and cracking. Achingly large raindrops pelted her. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, she ducked at the tree swung at her.
    With a squelching sound, her foot caught in the mud. She fell forward, crying out as her hands broke her fall, agony jolting from her wounded wrist up her arm. A quick yank pulled her foot free. The cold mud threatened to swallow her as she rolled over. Yanking her knife from her belt, she rolled from the roots that slammed into the mud where she’d been seconds ago.
    She jumped to her feet, desperate for firm ground. Roots caught in the mud, the tree tried to face her. Red, furious eyes locked on her. With a vicious yell, she leaped at the conifer, sinking her blade into its eye. Clear fluid sprayed her, warm in the chill of the air.
    Holding her blade, her weight dragged it down into the bark. The tree fell back, its roots pulling free of the mud with a sick suction shlurp . Unable to hold on any longer, she let go of the handle of her knife and dropped to the ground. Her feet hit, pain lancing up her legs and she fell. Scuttling backward, she watched the tree slam into the mud.
    She rose to shaking legs, gazing up at the sky. “There is nothing you can do that will break me!” Thunder clapped and she felt the flash. The pop and crackle of the lightning blazed over her flesh. Tingling agony exploded through every cell of her body.
    Her scream pierced the air and she fought the pain. The light retreated, leaving her to fall to her knees. Through the pain sizzling through her blood, a thought edged into her mind.
    I’m not dead. I won’t quit until I’m dead.
    She hesitated, then stumbled to her feet . Despite random twitches of her muscles, she pressed on. She’d make it to where the men were supposed to be. Failure was not an option. The rain slammed her, attempting to pummel her into the ground. Mud suckered her feet, dragging her down, but she fought forward. Lightning lit up the air in random flashes touching the ground around her, but she hardly noticed through the torture.
    Focus eliminated all else from her mind. If she failed this round, she would be disqualified and wouldn’t get to make the trip to Earth. When the rain stopped, the sudden silence pressed in on her mind in a maddening fashion. A brisk wind kicked up and she dully wondered what they’d come up with next. While they couldn’t outright kill her, they could absolutely manufacture s omething that could kill her. In the condition she was in she wasn’t sure how much fight she had left.
    The pressure of each breath screamed in her lungs, and her wrist radiated pain through her arm up to her shoulder. The wind pushed her forward, and she let it cradle her. Mud still tried to steal her footing. Her toe snagged in