It seemed she was gaining on him. He was gaping for each desperate breath. "Stop so you can kill me? Thank you, no!"

The castle could be seen in the distance through the trees. Andrew turned again, not toward the garden gates that opened to a grassy hill and the dining room doors. He didn't want to be an easy target out in the open. Additionally, should he survive, he knew he would regret leaving footprints in the lawn. He ran searching for the driveway, for the gate he'd left open. He was afraid of stumbling upon actual forest creatures, as if his huter wasn't enough to worry about.