Pursuit
This was a story I wrote in answer to a short story challenge. It had to be less than one page long (something that for me, is very challenging).
The boy crouched beneath the leaves, his face covered in mud and sweat. His legs were beginning to ache from holding the position for so long. He tried to ignore the tiny creatures scurrying on the ground beneath him hoping perhaps that if he left them alone, they might keep to themselves.
The hunter drew near, and the boy could hear calls over the noises of animals in the vicinity. He crouched lower, trying to curl himself into a ball, terrified that the frantic beating of his heart would somehow become audible and give away his position.
He steadied his breathing, “just a little longer” he thought. He jumped almost imperceptibly as a twig snapped behind him. Close… very, very close. The sweat on his brow was beginning to run into his eyes. The stinging sensation was giving way to a maddening urge to move and to mop his brow.
"No", he thought. He knew now that the slightest movement would give his position away. His eyes darted wildly trying to locate the intruder. He thought he could smell the faint coppery scent of blood but where? Behind him perhaps? He tensed but somehow managed to not turn his head.
After a moment, he realised that he’d forgotten to breathe. Then he began to fear that his first intake of air would be loud enough to alert the hunter to his location. He tried to draw breath as quietly as he could but there was the tiniest wheeze and he heard his pursuer stop suddenly and then start in his direction.
He cowered, willing his tracker to leave but no, those footsteps came directly towards his hiding place. There was nothing else for it. He waited until the last possible moment and then sprang out throwing his arms in the air and yelling “surprise”.
His mother turned and shot him a mocking glance, “very funny”, she said, shaking her head. “Now come on in before your dinner gets cold”.