Cheryl was two hours into her hike and feeling good about herself. The trail was a ten mile loop, and she had already put four behind her. A month ago Cheryl had resolved to get off her ass and exercise more. Twenty five years old and 5' 4", she was already thin at 120lbs, but she wanted to be healthier, to be able to run several miles without stopping, but she knew she had a long way to go.
A short time later she came across another hiker sitting near the path, apparently enjoying his lunch and the sounds of nature. The hiking trail wasn't commonly used, and this was the first person she had run into so far. Cheryl and the man made brief eye contact but exchanged no words. When his eyes met hers she felt a chill down her back and quickened her pace. She could feel his eyes slowing following her as she continued forward, trying her best to ignore it. He calmly continued eating his lunch, his gaze never leaving Cheryl until she disappeared down the trail.
An hour later and Cheryl had to stop to catch her breath. She had been walking faster ever since the encounter, but was feeling better now, having put some distance between them. It had been a tough uphill climb and Cheryl was definitely tired, but felt confident she could complete the remaining miles. She sat down on a stump overlooking the valley below, taking in the beautiful sight. Looking out over the landscape, she realized she could see the trail that she had just hiked. She traced her route back down the incline of the valley, twisting and turning through rocks and trees. As she followed it her eyes suddenly stopped. Below, about a mile back, was the man from the earlier. He was just standing there, still as a statue. Cheryl squinted and realized he was staring back at her. She felt the same chill from earlier down her spine. She immediately had an intense gut feeling that this man meant her harm.
Cheryl started to get up when the man suddenly took off, running down the path she had just taken. Cheryl froze, her pulse spiking. Unsure of what to do and not wanting to wait around, her flight or fight response kicked in. She grabbed her bag and started sprinting down the trail away from the man as fast as she could. She reached into her pocket to grab her phone, but being this far out in the woods meant no signal. "Fuck!" she screamed out into the trees.
After less than a minute of running Cheryl felt her lungs and legs burning, forcing her to slow down. She thought about the trail. She had a mile lead, but she was no athlete. Considering how fast the man was going, she figured she had perhaps twenty minutes before he caught up, maybe slightly more if she could keep moving. But she knew running was hopeless; even with her head start she'd never manage to stay ahead over another five miles.
Cheryl pressed on with every ounce of her strength, her panicked mind wracking itself for any other idea, until a stitch in her side forced her to slow down to a crawl. Terror began to set it. She knew she had no hope of reaching the end before the man, and he was likely only a few minutes away at this point, maybe less. She looked around and, seeing no other choice, headed off the trail and into the wilderness.
Cheryl wandered through the trees, desperately trying to find a place to hide, but quickly became disoriented and lost. She slowly made her way through the forest, unsure if she was going towards or away from her pursuer. Suddenly, she heard the sound of something nearby, and quickly hid behind some rocks, doing her best to stay hidden while shaking uncontrollably. She heard someone running through the forest, then come to a stop nearby. Cheryl knew it was the man. She held her breath, covering her mouth and nose with her hands, doing her best to suppress her trembling. She heard him walk close, then stop moving, presumably looking around for her. After a few moments, she heard him turn and slowly walk away. Overcome with relief and unable to contain the burning in her lungs any longer, she let a breath escape her lips.