Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

face the last part of the trail, determined to stop wasting time.
    On this side of the bridge, the redwood trees grew thicker making the trail harder to see in the moonlight. My eyes adjusted as I looked down the cold and uninviting path.
    I mustered up my courage and began to move forward focused on my destination, ignoring the menacing shadows and spooky dark caverns.
    Something brushed my face.
    “ AHHH! ” I yelled, as a spider’s web clung to my cheek.
    Hyperventilating, I swatted at the sticky, gossamer wisps imagining a large, hairy spider crawling on me. But as if the forest responded to my scream, suddenly everything became quiet—eerily quiet. I stopped, afraid to make any noise whatsoever and waited. Then an invisible wave of blood-lust washed through me. I froze. I was no longer alone.
    I held my breath and fought the panic, looking around for where the feelings came from. I didn’t hear or see anything, but I knew they came from someone dangerous and close. My neck prickled as I sensed him staring at me with a lecherous appetite, calculating his next move, like a hunter watching its prey.
    My heart raced harder. I needed to make a run for it, but my legs wouldn’t obey. The crack of a branch sent me sprinting down the trail, but the predator followed. Terrified, I ran with all my strength as I felt the lustful desire grow into mocking pleasure as he closed in on me.
    I might have escaped, if it weren’t for a protruding tree root that foiled my plans, tripping me. Amazed, I landed on the soft dirt with a thud. But the momentum propelled my body forward and I tumbled over a ledge. Feverishly, I grasped for something, anything, to keep me from plummeting off the mountainside. I felt a branch and grabbed it forcefully, holding on for dear life, and suddenly found myself hanging from the cliff.
    Worried the branch would break, I searched for a ridge to climb onto, my shoes slipping off the sheer rocks. Looking up, I expected to see my attacker gawking at me, but found no one. I searched with my senses to probe for their presence. They were still there—the pleasure now a furious anger. I hoped it was because my location kept me from their grasp.
    My eyes were drawn to look into the shadowy blackness below me when I heard the sound of shattering plastic. My heart dropped when I realized my cell phone must have slipped out of my pocket. I couldn’t decide what was worse, crashing down on the rocks that destroyed my phone, or getting attacked by the dangerous person above. Either way, without help, I was a goner.
    “Help!” I screamed into the night air.
    The sound of my voice echoed through the caverns followed by silence. I closed my eyes and reached out, feeling for a kind soul to help and realized I was alone again.
    Where did he go?
    “Help!” I screamed again.
    I waited in desperation and prayed someone heard my cries—someone strong enough to pull me off the mountainside before the psycho came back.
    Please, Dear God.
    Would this be it? Would I only live to sixteen? My arms trembled, growing weaker with each passing second, along with my determination. Was I going to die here? I thought of my mother and wondered how my father would survive if he lost me too. I kicked myself for not fixing my gas gauge.
    “Please help me,” I called out, this time with less enthusiasm.
    I began to give up. There was no use. No one would hear me or be able to save me now.
    “Hold on,” I heard a man’s voice reply.
    I blinked, astounded. Hope flooded my body along with an outpouring of joyful tears while I clung to the branch tighter, knowing my rescue would be soon. I blocked out the fiery burn in my muscles and concentrated my attention on the new person above; my hero.
    “Oh thank God,” I whispered.
    He radiated courage and resolve which bolstered my faith.
    I waited for an offer of a rope, or a branch, or something to pull me off the cliff when I heard a growl.
    Fear consumed me. It was back.
    I felt helpless as I sensed the two square off—both confident—both ready for the kill. The cliff muffled obscenities I thought I heard, before a large thunder clapping crash shook the cliff face. Dirt rained down on my head and I tucked my body into a ball, resting my foot on another little branch protruding below me. I didn’t want to get in the way if a body flew off the edge. I worked to sort out the intermixing feelings, frustrated I couldn’t see anything. They were fighting harder than I’d ever