I slammed the basement door closed behind me and shoved a table in front of it blocking his way out. Bubba's footsteps pounded up the staircase, a shrill screech like the squeal of a pig tore through him. I dashed for the front door, grasping the knob and giving it a tug, but it wouldn't budge. Voices upstairs and footsteps in the room above my head filled me with dread. Oh no, they're awake. They're all awake.

The key! Where's the key? I stretched up on my tippytoes and felt around above the doorframe until something small and thin brushed against my fingers. Holy crap, thank God they're predictable enough to keep it above the door because the barricade won't hold Bubba much longer. I stuck the rusty iron key in the lock, my hands fumbling with it as I twisted it until it clicked.

"What's going on down there?!" Loretta called as she descended the stairs with Nubbins at her heels.

Bubba broke down the door and stumbled over the furniture I planted in his path. I shoved the door open and bolted onto the porch. Daylight had just begun to break and everything was still bathed in shadow but light enough for me to see clearly. Tripping down the front steps, I flew out onto the lawn, my dress tangled around my legs. The screen door opened and slammed closed behind me which means he's close.

It came as a deep grumble at first, a familiar low growl. Flashbacks to the night I was captured flooded my memory. The two strangers silhouetted in the beam of our totaled car's headlight, one wielding a weapon that made my heart sink. The blood ran cold in my veins; the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up. I glanced back against my better judgment and instantly regretted it. Bubba gave one last pull of the starter cord to crank the engine, puffs of smoke and black oil shot out as he charged towards me with his roaring chainsaw in tow.

A scream ripped through my throat disturbing the serene morning as I ran through the winding path cutting through the cornfield. The sun rose over the horizon, an orange glow painted the tops of the trees. It's beautiful and I'd love to stop and stare, but unfortunately, I'm too busy RUNNING FOR MY LIFE!

The commotion of yells behind me tells me Nubbins and Loretta are up too. "Get that bi***" Nubbins called out as he joined the chase, cackling and slicing through the air with his knife.

My legs couldn't seem to move fast enough. My burning lungs begged me to take a break, but I couldn't. He was at my back, screeching like a banshee, the saw so close I could feel the wind on my neck. The smell of burning gas wafted through the air, the roar so loud that it drowned out my screams.

Immense pain shot through my leg from my skin splitting open as the saw blade sliced into my thigh. My knees gave out, I fell to my stomach and screamed in agony as I clutched the deep gash oozing blood like a burst dam. The warm crimson liquid spilled down my leg and mingled with the dirt making pools of black mud that I slithered through trying my best to crawl away. My fingernails snapped off as I dug them into the earth struggling to pull my body a few more inches. Each one of his feet planted on either side of my body. His large hands roughly grabbed me by my waist tugging me off the ground and tossing me over his strong shoulder as if I weighed nothing more than a sack of feathers.

The world started spinning like a high-speed carousel. Black spots appear in my eyes clouding my vision as my mind faded in and out of reality. "no no no" was all I could halfway mutter. I wanted to fight, but I felt like my limbs were strapped to bricks. I could feel myself moving and swaying like I was being rocked to sleep. I promised Matt I would run if I had the chance, and I did. I kept to my word, now all I want to do is sleep...

"Wake up, Tills." A hushed voice whispered, one I recognized instantly. " You can't give up just yet." Matts voice in my head encouraged. "Come on, honey, wake up! WAKE UP! "

My eyes snapped open in an instant. He's right, I can't give up. This isn't over yet. I lifted my throbbing head up, my face hot from the blood rushing to my cheeks. One of his hands was wrapped tightly around my legs, the other clutching the saw. The road is moving further and further away which can only mean one thing: he's taking me back to the house. I can't go back there! I can't! He'll kill me, or if he won't, Nubbins will! I don't want to die by their hands!

Summoning the last bit of strength left in me, I clawed at his back and flailed around like a fish out of water. He growled and dropped the saw to the ground tightening his grip around my legs and fighting to keep me still. I know what I have to do. I also know this is only going to make him angrier, but I have no other choice. I tangled my fingers into the hair of his mask and yanked it from his face, flinging it as far as I could throw it. With a shriek, he threw his hand up to shield his face, letting me topple to the ground to where I landed directly on my wounded leg. It screamed at me but I screamed back even louder.

He dashed over towards his mask unknowingly giving me the perfect opportunity to run and even a bit of a head start. I struggled to my feet against my legs protest and started hobbling back down the path as fast as I could.

My heartbeat thudded rapidly in my ears, but that's not all. The chainsaws back and its roar was growing closer and fast. The adrenaline kicks in like someone lighting a fire under me. I caught a glimpse of the end of the trail in the distance. locking my eyes on the break, I set my mind to make it.

He's right on my tail swinging his weapon in a violent fit of rage. My legs couldn't seem to churn fast enough to outrun him. I knew the whole mask thing would upset him, but holy crap, he takes 'angry' to a whole new level.

My pace slowed no matter how hard I pushed. Come on, Tilly! Just a few more feet! Just a few more- my legs buckled sending me to the ground. I tried to climb back up but my foot caught on the hem of my dress making me slip back into the dirt. I twisted around just in time to see him flying up on me, a crazed look on his face and the intent to kill in his eyes.

I scooted backward using my elbows to propel me away until my fingers fumble over a jagged stone. In a last-ditch effort, I chucked the rock with all my might. I suddenly became the best pitcher you've ever seen sticking him smack dab in the middle of his forehead. He stumbled backward, dropping the chainsaw to the ground and clutching his head. Nubbins ran up behind him, slamming face-first into his back and falling flat on his butt. Bubba groaned and swayed like a drunk man, blood seeped out of the holes in his mask, then down he went like a fell tree landing right on top of Nubbins, the chainsaw sputtering away beside them.

"Get yer fat a$$ off me, ya retard!" Nubbins shouted through his cries of pain. "I can't breathe! My legs are goin' numb!"

Bubba's hurt...why do I feel bad about that? Why do I want to apologize? Screw it! No time to feel bad, he's the one chasing me. He deserves this and so does his brother!

I hiked up the blood-soaked dress clinging to my legs and darted out into the road. My bare feet burned when they hit the hot pavement, but I'm too exhausted to care at this point. A gleam in the distance caught my eye. Something's moving closer. My head felt like it was full of helium making me unsteady on my feet. I blinked my eyes open and closed in an attempt to get them to focus on the nearing object.

Bubba broke out of the clearing, wiping the blood from his eyes and still clutching the purring chainsaw. I can't run anymore, I can't seem to catch a breath. All I want to do is sleep. To lie down right here in the middle of the road and just sleep.

The object in the distance moves closer, the sun glinted off it blinding my already blurry eyes. It's a...a...a car, a van! Oh my God, It's a van! I trudge towards it, dragging my injured leg like a zombie and waving my arms in the air

"STOP! PLEASE! HELP ME!" I screamed exerting the last of my energy.

A blue van reminding me of the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo came to a stop in front of me. A sliding door on the side rolled open on its track letting a guy out along with several other people poking their head through the doorway.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked hesitantly taking a step towards me.

I practically fell into his arms, my legs unable to hold me anymore. I tried to speak, to scream, but no words would come out. Instead, I clung to his white t-shirt, my hands smearing blood all over his chest and pointed down the road. He raised his confused gaze from me and glanced in the direction I was pointing in.

"What the-" the guy muttered, his eyes cartoonishly bugging out of his head before he could finish his sentence. "GET IN! GET IN!" he screamed, diving back into the car and pulling me in with him.

The people inside are screaming for us to hurry. One of the people inside reached over to close the door just as Bubba gets there. His roaring chainsaw blade poked inside blocking the door from shutting. Everyone was flattening themselves against the opposite wall, their screams ear-piercing. Sparks were flying left and right flecking my skin like thousands of tiny bee stings.

"GO! DRIVE!" The passengers screamed over top of the chainsaw and Bubbas wails. The driver floored it pushing the engine to the maximum limit, the tires screeched as the car sped away leaving Bubba on the side of the road jumping around and waving his saw through the air. His faint screams almost seemed to resemble a mangled form of my name.

Blurry shapes in the silhouette of people were huddled around me, crying and arguing amongst themselves but I couldn't seem to make out any of their words. My head rested in someone's lap. They spoke softly to me as they stroked my hair. I feel so cold now. Someone else is messing with the wound on my leg. I can't see what they're doing, my eyes seemed to be superglued shut, but all I knew was it hurt. It hurt so bad I wanted to scream, but all that I could suffer out was a broken cry.

Is it over? Is it finally over? Am I saved? A chill set over my skin, my body trembled. I'm so tired. So very tired. The world faded away and carried me along with it into a deep, deep, sleep...