[Dedicated to all of you for being patient with me!]

I RAN THROUGH the woods as fast as I could, my heart beating in sync to each heavy and desperate footstep. I couldn't recall a time where I'd ran with such determination. All I could think of was Louis, and how vital it was to reach him before Klaru did. That alone, appeared to be all the motivation I needed to keep moving. Knowing that anything could happen if the Councillors grabbed him before I did was making me panic; if things took a turn for the worst, I would blame myself for not doing more. The problem at hand was technically mine to solve, up to me. Nobody else had the knowledge that I did about Klaru and her plan.

However, there was one thing that was worrying me, and that was whether or not Louis would believe me. He didn't even know that Klaru was on Earth, let alone that she only wanted to be with him to increase her chances of ruling all of Junito. All he knew was that the Councillors had betrayed him and sent him flying into space in a cramped capsule. He spoke so highly of Klaru, despite not being completely in love with her, so changing his opinion was going to be tricky. Yet, if luck was on my side, which it appeared to be so far, it would perhaps go down rather well.

"Please believe me," I panted to myself as I pushed branches out of my face. "Please."

But what if he didn't believe me? I had to cancel it out just for the reality of the situation. He had known Klaru much longer than he had known me, and perhaps each Junite had some sort of trust oath? Perhaps it was a law to trust your own over another race? If that was the case, I was definitely screwed. But I forced myself to remember that I knew Louis, and I knew him well. He'd told me so many personal and dangerous things, things he hadn't told anyone else.

Then again, I reminded myself, he's probably told Klaru a lot of things he hasn't mentioned to me before. Damn. 

My foot caught on something hard and sharp. I suddenly collapsed, a searing pain shooting up my entire leg. I winced, reluctant to look down at my foot. I'd only panic more if I found it bent the opposite way or with something protruding from the ankle. But I was only exaggerating. A sprain wouldn't stop me.

I picked myself up - with great effort - and continued to make my way through the thicket of trees. I could no longer run however, but hop slash waddle my way towards the town. I was cautious about how and where I moved. Klaru and the Councillors had no choice but to wander their way through the woods to make it back to the town, and even then it was quite a walk. There was every chance that I would accidentally run into them at one point. But I had the advantage; I knew where I was going, what direction to head in. They didn't. In comparison, I was like a tracker, they the prey.

But of course, that was a foolish thing to think, especially since I had already fallen captive to their twisted ways. But it had been worth it because now I knew what the stupid bítch was getting up to.

But we had no plot. Once I told Louis - and he decided to trust me or not - then what? Exactly what was our next motive going to be? Getting back to the ship was going to be hard enough, but actually taking off in it to take Louis home seemed like a dream. An extremely out of reach dream.

There was sound to my left. I stopped moving and instantly took cover behind a tree, wincing as my foot collided with something in the shrubbery below. 

Suck it up, I told myself. Be strong.

It sounded like footsteps, but I could have been easily mistaken. I'd often thought that I was hearing things when walking through the woods, thanks to the ghost stories my friends had told me when we were kids. But I knew there were Councillors in the woods, and they could have been anywhere. Perhaps just around the corner...

A twig snapped. Then silence. Another snap to the left. My heart was hammering in my chest and I could feel myself shaking. I wasn't sure if I was afraid or excited, which struck me as odd. Surely I should have been frightened at the possibility of falling under their hands once again? But no, part of me wanted an excuse to ignore my injured leg and to have adrenaline kicking through my system, pumping blood through my veins as I flew past the trees and right back home. I knew Louis and Jason would be there.

I waited several minutes to make sure there was no one there. When I heard no conclusive sounds of another lurking in the bushes, I peered round the tree trunk. There was nobody there that I could see, and I could hear no more noises. Without any more hesitation, I ran as fast as I could manage back towards the town, pushing leaves and cobwebs from my face in the process. 

It was hard work, having to keep moving while you were on the verge of breaking down. I couldn't even being to imagine the horrible things that would happen to Louis and Jason if they were found. I had been lucky enough to escape with nothing but a blood transfer - something which I still found extremely bizarre and unlikely - and nothing more. 

Being honest, stereotypes were racing through my mind when I found myself lying on a cold surface aboard an alien vessel. Louis had promised me that experimentation was not something his people carried out, it was simply a myth, yet somehow the evil glint in Klaru's eye had seemed to say otherwise. I bet the bitch would have just loved to have sliced me open, I thought.

It was slowly beginning to get dark, and my bearings were all confused. To begin with, I'd known exactly where I was, and where I was headed. Now, it all seemed to look the same; trees, shrubbery and grass, no longer the winding path I'd known for years. I thought back, wondering when I'd veered off the path. But I couldn't think straight - Louis face kept appearing in my mind, and haunting images of him being wrestled back to the Mothership for execution. 

I ran my hands through my knotted hair in frustration, forcing myself to keep going. I knew the general direction of Hoveton, and the decision to stop worrying about the path had long subsided, realisation of a possible run in with Klaru coming to mind. It was probably better to stay clear of the walkway just to be on the safe side. 

My phone was in my back pocket, I realised after I stopped to catch my breath. Forcing myself not to reach for it - knowing that the signal this far from the town was minimal - was hard. Still, I fell for the cliché 'try anyway' dilemma, huffing when I noticed the single bar on the left corner of my screen. Just to be on the safe side, I sent a message to Jason, alerting him that he and Louis were in danger and to keep safe. When I moved closer to town, the message would hopefully send through in plenty of time. 

A stitch was antagonising my side, my leg still violently throbbing from both its earlier knock and the pressure I was applying as I walked. It wasn't unbearable, just pains that I would rather not have. However, when there was no choice, what else was there to do?

"Keep going," I panted to myself, resting both hands on my hips as I inhaled. "Don't stop, or things will get very ugly."

Very ugly indeed. Ugly as in somebody could die ugly.

I had to stop again, not for my foot, but because I caught a glimpse of light up ahead. I couldn't be entering the town already, it was a good few miles away and I'd hardly moved since my escape. I knew I was correct when a muffled voice sounded from the general direction.

 "... And I mean it! If a single one of you manage to somehow corrupt the assured outcome, you shall not be spared. There has already been enough problems since we landed on this dreary planet."

"Yes, Your Majesty," another voice answered. I recognised them as Klaru and the Councillors, much to my dismay. It was only going to be a matter of time until I passed by them, but now, standing only so far apart was making my stomach do flips. I really didn't want to end up back on the ship again. It would not only be a waste of my time, but also to those who helped me escape. And Louis would still be clueless. 

I switched my phone off to avoid any unfortunately timed messages or calls. To hell if a cliché thought it was going to kick my butt anytime soon. I wasn't chancing it.

Cautiously peering round the thick tree trunk, I realised that the light I had seen belonged to the lethal looking end of a Striking Blade. Just like the first time I had seen them, the deadly weapons seemed more terrifying at close range, perhaps more scary than the Councillors who wielded them. Louis' words echoed in my mind once more, telling me how dangerous the alien spears were, especially at full charge.  I don't intend on dying anytime soon, I told myself. I'm going to make it back to town before them. 

If my bearings were correct, then the road was west from where I currently stood, a fact I knew that the aliens didn't. That alone gave me an advantage. The road would lead me directly into town, and if I was lucky enough, someone driving past would recognise me and offer me a lift. But if that didn't happen, I'd have to make a fool out of myself and dance in the middle of the road until a car stopped and had no choice but to drive me into town. 

As soon as the voices died down, I started in the direction of the road, trying my best not to disturb the foliage around me too much so as to give away my position. Anything could have been lurking in the trees.

I'd only ever been lost in the woods once, back when I was a teenager and the degrading comments about my sexuality made me feel small beyond words and desperate for alone time. It was always to the woods I ran, seeking nothing but my own company and peace from everyone who thought mocking another would get them somewhere in life. Many times before, I'd been out there with family and friends, but never by myself and especially when all I could hear in my head were insults. Usually, I stumbled through the overgrowth with tears in my eyes, my heart hammering in my chest. The first time I got lost was that day, when the bullying really started to kick off, right after he broke my heart.

I'd cried for hours, not knowing where I was or how I was going to make it back home. I was lost. With no signal, nobody around to hear me cry, and no care in the world if I was found or not, I wandered to my hearts content. It was everything I wanted; peace, quiet, serenity. No-one could taunt or touch me out there in the woods. 

I had been much younger back then, and more athletic. It was proving to be the case, given that I was so out of breath as quick as I was and how the stitch in my side seemed to be tearing me apart. Of course, with underlying terror pulsing through my system, the whole ordeal of being lost in the trees seemed even more daunting.

"C'mon, Flora," I pressed myself. "Don't give up, you stupid cow." 

It was fair enough trying to motivate myself with words, and to some extent it seemed to be working; I upped the pace, controlled my breathing and tried to move as stealthily as I could as to not draw any unwanted attention. However, voicing my determination wouldn't help the pain in my leg, the sweat dripping down my forehead from exhaustion or how drained I felt. To say that it had been a weird day was an understatement. It was fair to say that it had been the worst and weirdest day of my life.

And I still completely, utterly blamed David. 

Then the self-doubt crept back into my mind and reminded me that it was in fact, my fault. I had been the one who downed drink after drink, been stupid and deceived by a stunning bitch of an alien. There would be time to punish myself for it all later, after I had made it home. That was if I made it home.

The trees towered around me like giants, making me feel smaller than I already was. It was terrifying to feel so insignificant. In a particular moment of need, it made things worse. Panic began to set in deeper, and an array of thoughts swam through my head. What if I never found the road? Had I been going in circles all this time?

Just as I was about to burst into tears, did I hear a car drive past. My senses piqued at the familiar sound, and my heart began to race in my chest. The road! With a smile on my face, I ran as fast as I could, desperate to make it from the soft undergrowth to the hard concrete. It would be one step closer to fixing everything, to solve the puzzle and put a stop to the madness. 

But the madness had only just begun. 

The road was a sight for sore eyes. There it was; beautiful winding concrete, and the welcome sign to Hoveton just at the side, beside a bush. Never in my twenty-two years had I been excited to be heading back into my hometown. The only problem was making it home in time to find Louis and Jason. 

Thinking of them made me curious to know if my text had gone through, so I pulled out my phone and checked my messages, frowning to see it still hadn't sent. I knew it would if I started walking now. So I did, marching speedily along the side of the road.

I'd never hitchhiked before, but the thought didn't seem like the worst as I walked as close to the road as possible, glancing over my shoulder every so often for anyone driving by. It was worth a try, especially if it turned out to be a success. The walk home was brutal, especially at night when there were no lights in the area and no help to be had. I'd be walking blind, stumbling in the dark. 

My luck seemed to have followed me from the Mother Ship, for headlights rounded the corner and came speeding down the road towards me. Before they could even think of driving past, I stood in the middle of the road and started jumping around, waving my arms this way and that. They had no choice but to stop now. As the small car neared - a green Mini by the look of it - I couldn't help but wonder why the vehicle looked so familiar. Yes, Hoveton was a tiny town, but it's not as if I'd recognise every person's car. This one seemed to stand out like a sore thumb. 

I know you, I realised. 

The car slowed down as it turned the corner and came across me jumping around like an idiot. I probably looked like a homeless person, with my tattered clothes, messy hair and desperation for a lift. I still waved my arms around to get the driver's attention though. It amazingly worked, for the car stopped completely, a few feet before me, and the door opened. I couldn't make the person out at first due to the glare of the lights, but when the voice called out, I was filled with a mix of relief, happiness and pure dread.

"Flora?"

Of all people, I thought, it just had to be you.

"Imogen."

Thank you all for reading, and being patient and such! I love you all x

Space joke: Why don't astronauts get hungry after being blasted into space? Because they just had a big launch!