Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman Read Online Free Page A

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.