𝐏𝐀𝐕𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄.

v. i know it's over.

an eternity must have passed after the playful words had passed from the masked man, the ridiculous smile stitched into the fabric wasn't the only one shining at their fear. just barely, the stranger would inch forward, axe still in hand as he neared the flashlight emitting his way. the crinkle of his eyelids signified his joy for the situation, maybe it was mockery - if anyone were to actually seem happy to be there, then it had to be. the doe carcass nudged slightly as his boot crossed over it, it was left behind. even for a scare tactic it just seemed over the top, if anything the sight of a slasher dressed man with a hatchet was enough to spur a mongering presence.

ceasing the twirl of his weapon, he let it rest at his side, still ready to swing at any given moment if need be.
"you're not gonna say hi, not even a wave?" he taunted, raising the steel to wave once more just as he did with the entering of his company. gabriel seemed to shutter at the thought, he went to take a step back but the man only jumped at the opportunity to get closer. why was he addressing her friend in such a manner? the blonde looked like he was about to piss his pants just at the sight of him, his face wrinkling and his stature leaning further and further away from the danger. it resulted in a snicker before the hooded one would raise his hands in mock surrender. "hey no worries, just thought you would've -"

he didn't get to finish his sentence before dottie had grabbed ahold of gabriel's hand and took off. the mud almost caused them to skid as they darted in between trees, branches and dry grass barely stabilized them. wind whipped against their faces in little cold stings, forewarning them only with a chill up their spine. it was urging them to go faster, any stalling would result in a fatality that neither of them would survive. if anything, dot was surprised she had unfroze. she would have expected to still forever, and to watch as the blade of the axe nestled its way in between her eyes. though a bound of fate would be on her side, a blunt awakening sounded in their sneakers as they rushed ahead. the murderous intentions radiated behind them, the air stale, the forest holding its breath in anticipation to see who would reach the finish line first. would it be the two in whole, or simply their skewered body parts to replace their pace.

she'd have rather made it back into town still put together, but the force that whizzed by her predicted otherwise. the hatchet settled in rotting bark, she faltered for a moment to glance back so stupidly. far but not far enough, he followed with an odd pep in his step.
Her hands wrapped around the handle of the weapon and tugged backwards, just barely getting it out of the tree before he was hot on their trail. It did not please him, as a loud huff could be hear, directions being hollered at her - give it back! give it back!

she did not, and instead carried it along with her. the wood rested heavily in her hands, but it didn't feel new. instead it was stained, darker splotches of muted brown rusted over it. disgust would have to be pushed away for now as they hurried on, she couldn't think of an actual reason for having grabbed it. it may have been the comfort crutch of simply having something to fight back with, but she was not nearly as skilled as the criminal professional lingering behind them. just how many people had been slain by the less than dull hatchet, the victims kept it branded to a sharp edge - as if there was a constant use for it. gabriel eyed it wearily from his peripheral, but he didn't speak, he simply staggered with her. lanky legs failed to protect him as a root caught around his shoe, pulling him down.

dottie would stumble forward, caught up on the racing of her heart and the adrenaline that pushed through her veins. She only stopped at the call of her name, turning to see gabriel stuck in the muck. Pleading eyes and panic beckoned her back to him, she couldn't lose someone else. even as she dragged him up she realized she hadn't actually considered alex to have been dead. blind hope had fueled her three day search, fretting over any minor detail in the forestry. wanting so badly to believe they'd find them holed up somewhere, that they had escaped the grasp of whatever had attacked. though now she knew, that without a doubt, her friend was gone. The growing anger of the man nearing them sounded out the truth. there were no vicious animals in that park, even the coyotes were passive. betrayed by nature, slaughtered by the hands of some vagrant.