She turned the left corner in a hurry, hoping to see the home stretch. A harried breath escaped-- no such luck. Glancing about much like an animal incapable of fluid motion, the woman stepped along the crumbling sidewalk, missing footing here and there.

Would she make it?

The answer was that it was possible now... but she had no proof of such a concept. Her mind was trying to think logically at least. Yet her wildly thumping heart refused to calm.

Willing it to quiet just enough to let her hear, the woman lost balance on a loose stone and fell roughly to her knees. Something clattered to the broken concrete and was almost lost within a crack. Hand shaking, she grabbed for it when recognition struck. Her cellphone! Would it still work? Was it possible that it would in this place? Praying fervently, fingers flipped open the scratched cover and pressed hesitantly, then in a rush. The number was dialed.

It rang. Continued ringing.

Faced with the hell of not knowing, her heart continued its rough rhythm, her eyes flitting this way and that.

A clicking noise. "...Hello, James Residence."

"SAM!" she cried out, nearly choking on her relief. "Samuel, it's me, Rachel!"

"...say that again?" replied the man in confusion. "I didn't catch it."

"Sam! Sam," sobbed the woman, almost overcome. "I can't get back. I'm lost, I was out walking and then something happened and then I was here, what should I do? Sam! Tell me please!"

There was a long silence. "Who is this?"

Her heart tripped over itself, her mind froze in shock. "Rachel... Sam, this is Rachel! Rachel!"

"Hmm," he began, using an impersonal tone she'd heard only used on strangers. Never his own fiance! "I really am sorry, but I don't know any Rachels." Breath caught in her throat; a strangled noise was all she could muster. "But if you're lost," he continued, probably thinking he was helping her, "you should try the emergency number. They'll send someone to help as quick as they can. I'm sure of it." Misplaced sympathy wafted through the pores of the cellphone. Confusion, shock, and now the deep emptiness of being alone struck her completely.

The phone fell from her hand, hitting a rock on its edge hard enough to dislodge the flat battery. The call with Sam ended before it settled by her bruised, scraped knees.

The wind started up again... the wind was thrusting past her, whipping Rachel's hair into a frenzy around her right ear.

A hint of something on the wind reminded her that she'd been running for a good reason. Maybe she should continue running.

With an effort, Rachel pulled herself together enough to move along again, unconsciously along with the flow of the wind. The phone was forgotten, apparently useless as it was.

A sound brought to her on the cusp of air pushed her body into a sprint for the second time that night, Rachel suddenly piecing together the real fact that maybe it was no longer possible.

This is really good, stranger. You built some pretty amazing suspense. I really really really want to read more now. XD

Thanks, it's rough though, and I'm unsure if I want to do more to it.