Short Story Saturdays

This one is a little more, confusing. It's not so structured and it's meant to be that way.


Carl Douglas was running. He wasn't sure from what but he felt he had to keep running. The sweat dripped down his brown leaving a small beaded trail. He hastily wiped it away and kept running.

The forest felt like it was collapsing behind him. He dared not look back in case what he saw was the terrifying truth. The world was ending behind him and there was nothing he could do. Except run.

He finally came to a small clearing illuminated by a street lamp. A woman was sitting on a bench planted firmly next to the lamp. She was wearing a a long fur coat and knitting another.

"Hi, Carl!" she greeted him cheerfully as he stopped to catch his breath. "I was hoping you'd come by."

Carl propped up his body on his knees and knelt there for a while catching his breath. He wanted to talk but he couldn't bring himself.

"It's such a lovely day out. The sun feels so warm here." The woman said as she looked up at the sun shining down through the leaves.

Carl looked around and realized that this small clearing was the only place the sun was shining. Everywhere else was darkness. He looked deep into the forest and couldn't see anything. He felt a deep foreboding coming from the path he arrived by. He shuttered.

"Are you cold?" The woman asked.

"No. I just thought something was chasing me."

"There is."

Carl spun around and looked at her confused.

"The past is chasing you. It always is. But you can't let the past become your future. You need to keep running." The woman stood up and draped the freshly knit wool coat around Carl. "Here, you'll need this. It's cold where you are going."

Carl felt warmer and safer in the coat than he had ever felt. He didn't want to take it off.

The woman began packing her things.

"Where are you going?" Carl asked.

"Where I belong." She said as she headed down the foreboding path. "Don't try to follow me."

"At least tell me your name." Carl called after her as she disappeared into the darkness.

"Sandy Kraemer. You won't see me again." her voice came from the darkness.

Carl stared a the dark path. He turned and began walking into the darkened path on the opposite end of the clearing.