Melissa strolled through the woods. The rustle of leaves, the birdcalls, and her footfalls were the only sounds. She had been on this path many times before and knew that almost no one else would be using it at this time of day during the week.
She stopped and glanced about. From this place she could look back along the trail. Soon a figure appeared walking in the shadows of the trees, far behind her. Melissa turned away and hurried along, trying to put some distance between herself and the pursuer. Her heart began to pound, not only from the exertion, but from the fear of what might happen to her all alone in the wilds.
When Melissa looked back a few minutes later, she saw nothing. She stood silently for a moment, but no sound gave away whoever was behind her. She turned and moved along at her new faster pace. She kept turning her head to look behind her, but saw only an empty path.
The trail was climbing now and her eyes were focused on the ground beneath her feet. She heard a noise in front of her and raised her head. A man, stripped to the waist in a half mask, stood fifty feet in front of her, silently blocking the trail. He was tall and powerful; she could see his strength in the bare chest and arms.
Melissa's heart was pounding. She turned to go back down the trail. Looking back, she saw that the man had not moved, other than to cross his arms in front of his chest. Melissa hurried along.
A figure a hundred feet away was blocking her retreat. She almost thought that it was the same fellow because of the naked upper body and the domino. Then she realized this guy had lighter hair and a slimmer body. Melissa was becoming dizzy; she knew what was going to happen if she could not escape. She ran back the way she had come as she recalled a deer trail leading off to one side.
Melissa, panting and sweating saw the deer trail and turned into it, leaving the path and the two strangers behind. She continued to jog along. She came around a corner formed by a shrubby tree; another male was waiting for her, masked and half naked. Melissa screamed and sank to the ground in despair, gasping for air.
"Get up," he ordered. He has moved a few feet from her.
Melissa slowly rose to her feet, her head hanging. She looked up and saw his finger pointing back the way she had come. Melissa turned and slowly walked back along the deer trail. At the intersection the other two were waiting. They turned away up the trail, and she meekly followed; escape was impossible.
After a few minutes they turned off on a small branch trail and followed it for several minutes. Melissa knew that it led to a pleasant clearing, and the group soon arrived there. "Please, no," she begged.
The two leaders quickly turned and each grabbed an arm.
"No, no, please don't hurt me," she whined.